For their respective initiatives geared towards bridging the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) gap through impact investment in climate, circularity and the future of sustainability, The Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility Awards (The SEARS CSR Awards Africa), has announced Dangote Group, HIS Towers and BUA Group as the most responsible businesses in Africa at the 16^th edition in Lagos recently.

To emerge winners of The Industry Awards 2022, which is also known as Most Responsible Business in Africa category in The SERAS CSR Awards Africa, Dangote Group amass 105 points to emerge in first position, HIS Towers scored 100 points to come second while BUA Group through Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative, (ASR Africa) got 82 points to emerge third in 2022.

Announcing the outcome of the panel of judges, the founder/CEO of The SERAS CSR Awards Africa, Mr. Ken Egbas said that these three organisations outperformed over 26 other organisations in the areas of climate, circularity and approach to the future of sustainability in Africa therefore, they deserve to get gold for doing good.

Speaking to the theme, "Climate, Circularity, and the Future of Sustainability: Bridging the SDGs Gap through Impact Investing", the executive director at TruCSR/The SERAS CSR Awards Africa, Mary Ephraim, said: “CSR and sustainability have gone through their evolution. From philanthropy (the era of being back) to CSR (the era of giving back) to sustainability (the era of going back), and now to circularity (the era of bringing back.)

“Through these various seasons, prosperity has never been a norm absent in Africa. Despite all the problems we face as a continent, capitalists have remained largely happy. Entrepreneurs have continued to be productive. Our peculiar challenges have given rise to innovation as never seen before. For the first season in our human history, we face an existential threat to our ability to live on this planet,” she said.

Furthermore, she stated that “Before now, the conversations had been about how we could leave a befitting world for our children to inherit. But at the moment, it is how we as parents can live so that our offspring get the opportunity to survive. This is why we chose the theme,” Ephraim added.

Apart from the most responsible business in Africa category, CEO of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu defeated the 2021 winner, MD/CEO of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, CEO, NBC Matthieu Seguin and CEO of HIS Towers Nigeria, Mohammad Darwish to win CEO of the Year while Cima Sholotan of HIS Towers, Nigeria emerged Africa Sustainability Professional of the Year.

Other nominees in the Africa Sustainability Professional of the Year category include Caroline Oghuma of Multichoice, Nigeria, Babatunde Dawodu, Nigerian Breweries and Diana Ondoga of Stanbic Bank, Uganda

Other organisations that won laurels at the 16^th edition of The SERAS CSR Awards Africa in different categories include Nestle Nigeria that defeated Coca-Cola Company, Nigerian Bottling Company, Dangote Cement and Dangote Sugar to win Best Company in Circular Economy category.

For best in environmental stewardship; IHS Towers emerged winner ahead of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nestle Nigeria, Coca-Cola Company, ABSugar and International Breweries Plc. Again, Nestle Nigeria picked Best Company in Rural Population Integration ahead of International Breweries, FMN, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Airtel and Upfield.

In the Best Company in Poverty Reduction category International Breweries won ahead of Zenith Bank, Dangote Fertilizer, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, Dangote Sugar, Bank of Industry and HIS Towers while Coca-Cola Company won Best Company in Promotion of Good Health/Well-Being.

In Best Company in Partnership category, HIS Towers emerged winner, Airtel won in education intervention, Dangote won in reporting and transparency, Zenith Bank won best work-place practice, FMN won in stakeholder engagement and not-for-profit of the year went to Biodun & Ibukunle Foundation.

9mobile emerged winner of Deborah Leipziger Africa Prize for Innovation, Bank of Industry won best company in diversity, equity and inclusion, NASCO picked best company in gender equality/women empowerment, Int’l Breweries won Social Enterprise of the Year.

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