About: The Awards are part of the Africa SMME Conference and are dished out annually. They were established specifically to acknowledge, encourage and celebrate excellence amongst African SMMEs by giving them the opportunity to gain valuable exposure and well-deserved recognition for their national and global expansion ambitions. The Awards are the highest honours that can be bestowed to SMME owners in the continent. The main goal of the Award program is, therefore, to help the Africa SMME business sector grow and prosper, and to market Africa as an investment destination for the rest of the world.
Awards Categories
1. Industrial Sector Award: This is an award for the Manufacturing; Electricity; Gas & Water; Construction; Mining & Quarrying and Agriculture.
2 . Trade Sector Award: Wholesale, Retail sector, Arts and Crafts.
3. Services Sector Award: This is an award for the Financial & Business Services; Transport Storage & Communications; Hospitality sector, Tourism.
4. Best New Business Award: For outstanding results achieved in creating a new business, less than three years in operation, and attaining quantifiable business outcomes.
5. Young Enterprise Award: For the outstanding accomplishment made by a business Director and/or Owner at the age of 30 or under. (must submit proof of age).
Most Innovative Enterprise Award:
For the outstanding entrepreneurial spirit a company possesses in pioneering new approaches and the ability to adapt and develop products. This award will be selected from all the entries by the judges.
Africa SMME of the Year Award:
The overall SMME of the Year recipient will be selected from the winners of the categories shown above.
Who is eligible to enter?
To be eligible, your business must satisfy all of the following criteria:
• Employ less than the full time equivalent of 200 persons and must have a turnover ranging between R40 000 and R10 million,
• Registered in Africa
• In active operation for at least two years;
• Be resident in Africa;
• Not be a branch of another business.
Who is ineligible to enter?
Your business is not eligible to enter if it is:
• A franchisee or franchisor;
• A club, co-operative or not for profit organisation;
• Not more than 50 per cent owned by another business;
• Majority Government funded or a Government agency or NGO/Donor funded;
• Part of a larger group with significant buying power.
How to enter?
1. Entry is free and SMMEs or nominees may enter for only one category.
2. Complete entry form template below and email or mail it to the coordinators as soon as possible.
3. The document should be completed in MS Word as far as possible and entrant must use the
template to make inter-company comparisons possible.
4. The nominee should supply financial statements for the past 2 years or latest audited
financials or management accounts.
5. Previous winners in this competition are not allowed to enter, only after every 3 years.
Application information for the Africa SMME Awards should be directed to:
Dina Potgieter; Africagrowth Institute; PO Box 3628, Tygervalley, 7536
Tel: (021) 914 6778 Fax: (021) 914 4438; Email: dina@africagrowth.com
Requirements
Each submission is restricted to maximum of 2000 words and should specifically respond to the entry questions listed below. Submissions must be typed not less than size 10 font and no longer than twenty pages (i.e. your submission and supporting material together must comprise no more than twenty A4 sheets).
Judges
Submissions will be judged by a panel of SMME experts drawn from the public and private sectors, who will seek demonstrated quality, innovative techniques and strategic practice, amongst other qualities, in all submissions. Judges will mark submissions using a numeric method, and reserve the right not to award a winner in any category if they do not find entries that reach the desired standard. The decision of the judges will be final.
Supporting material
Supporting material such as brochures, media clippings, letters of appreciation, certificates etc. may be included where you believe they will assist your submission for outstanding achievement in the category.
A letter will be sent to all entrants confirming entries have been received. If you do not receive this letter, please let us know. All information provided will be treated as confidential. At the conclusion of the awards, copies of submissions will not be returned. For this reason, please ensure that you keep a copy of your submission for your own records and do not send in the original of any supporting documents, such as press clippings or certificates.
Important dates and deadlines:
Deadline for submission of material: 30 June 2012
• Finalists to be notified: 31 July 2012
• Awards banquet and media releases to announce winners: 20 September 2012
Contact information
Dina Potgieter
Africagrowth Institute
PO Box 3628, Tygervalley, 7536
Tel: +27 (0) 21 914 6778
Fax: +27 (0) 21 914 4438
Email: dina@africagrowth.com
Website: www.africagrowth.com
