By: Gloria Anderson
Head of Corporate Communications at VIVO Ghana, Mrs. Shirley Tony Kum, has been named the CSR Practitioner of the year at the 10th edition of the CSR Excellence awards in Accra.
Mrs. Tony Kum was recognized for her sterling CSR initiatives that have impacted communities where these initiatives were implemented. VIVO Ghana, a Shell licensee won two awards and was also named the CSR company for the year for its “Stop, Think and Drive” road safety campaign.
Organizers of the CSR AWARDS is the Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, CSR, West Africa. It is a leading CSR and Sustainability advocacy organization in the West African sub region.
The Ghana CSR Awards was launched more than a decade ago to encourage companies to initiate more CRS activities.
The co-founder of the CSR Awards, Kojo Williams, said the Ghana CSR Excellence Awards is organized to encourage companies to give back to society. He outlined some successes achieved in the 10-year period of organizing the awards saying that many more companies have increased their CSR activities in many communities making such companies more relevant.
“What we’re preaching is that CSR and sustainability is not just giving back to the to the society, everybody should have a CSR, a decision that you have as a company to give back not only to the society but also to the people that are working with you, the people around you, all of this impact businesses”.
The Regional Manager of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Caesar Kabutey said businesses can forge strong partnerships with their stakeholders by investing in sustainable development.
Dozens of companies and individuals were recognized for their contribution towards community development. The categories included Telecom Company of the Year, SDG Partnership of the Year, Educational Institution of the Year, Bank of the Year, amongst others.
Vivo Ghana won big at the 10 edition, winning two awards, the Shell licensee was adjudged the CSR project of the year, and CSR company of the year with its “Stop, Think and Drive” Road Safety Company.
The CSR Practitioner at the 10th Edition of the awards, is the Head of Corporate Communications at Vivo Ghana, Mrs. Shirley Tony Kum. Mrs Tony Kum expressed appreciation to her colleagues and communities they work in for the support . She said the recognition is a testament of the corporate responsibilities it undertakes in communities of operation.
Mrs Tony Kum said “Winning this prestigious award this evening is a testament to a commitment that we have with our communities, and this goes to honor the communities in which we operate, their trust and cooperation to our initiatives actually inspires us, it’s their transformational stories that claws our desires to do more, so we dedicate this award to the community that we serve, it’s a good one for us”.
Amanex Company which won the GHACEA SME Company of the Year said tax-breaks for Ghanaian indigenous companies will allow for more investment into Ghanaian students seeking higher education.
For Stratcom Africa, organizers of the Ghana Garden and Flower Show and winners of the Greening and Environmental Protection of the Year award, collective efforts to preserve the environment is key.
