26 Jun 2017

 In an effort to stimulate private sector growth, Grant Thornton has collaborated with Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) for the upcoming private business growth awards.

The awards, which have been running for the past two years in conjunction with Business Botswana, will this year be improved. Grant Thornton Botswana partner, Mr Vijay Kalyanaraman said the collaboration with BITC would see the awards grow to another level and that every business across the country would be included.

He noted that in the past they received entries of businesses in Gaborone only, but that now they want to expand to cover other areas in other parts of the country.

Mr Kalyanaraman said the awards were conceived to encourage private sector development and to recognise private companies that had operated for over five years with over 100 employees.

He said entrants for the awards should submit applications by August 15 to stand a chance to win the awards which were previously won by Nashua, Chobe Marina Lodge, Parts Sales

Botswana, Flo-Tek, Motovac, Security Systems, Sprint Couriers, Jamal Trading Company and Gabs Bedding.

Business Botswana representative, Ms Zoe Issacs said companies that had scooped the awards demonstrated high levels of innovation, strategic management, sound market development, sustainable and holistic growth and had contributed substantially towards economic growth.

She said Business Botswana would continue to support Grant Thornton on the awards because it supported employment creation, innovation and contributed to the government economic diversification drive.

Furthermore, she said Business Botswana encouraged foreign direct investment.  

“We want businesses people to explore markets locally, in the region and globally,” she noted.

Acting BITC chief executive officer, Mr Meshack Tshekedi said the partnership with Grant Thornton presented them with an opportunity to recognise companies that contribute to the economy. 

He said BITC would introduce new awards in four categories to include the manufacturing sector, the service sector and innovation and exporter of the year.

He emphasised that under innovation the award would go to a company that had demonstrated market sophistication, while under the exporter of the year they would honour a company which continuously exhibited growth in its export sheet.

The award, he said, was targeted at increasing local products in foreign markets. “If a company is registered with BITC it automatically qualifies to register for the awards,” he said. ENDS