The South African Breweries (SAB) will host its first ever Beyond Awards, a sustainability recognition platform, in partnership with ESG Africa events taking place on Tuesday, 3 October 2023.

In addition to this, the brewer will also be a gold sponsor of the ESG Africa Conference taking place from the 4-5 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and aims to bring business leaders from across Africa together to discuss, debate and find solutions to some of the most pressing issues faced in driving the adoption of sustainable practices.

SAB believes embracing sustainable principles is a strategic imperative and urges all organisations to respond to the increasing need for ethical and environmentally conscious operations. This approach creates a more sustainable and responsible business ecosystem – one that SAB is proud to be driving.

Zoleka Lisa VP Corporate Affairs at SAB, says, “Sustainability is vital for our growth and is essential in shaping a responsible and resilient future for our business and our world. With this in mind, we are proud to launch our very first Beyond Awards with the objective of recognising the champions among us who put sustainability front and centre. 

“Through this platform organisations will have the opportunity to showcase their work or their environmental and social advocacy programmes. The ultimate goal is to get buy-in across the private and public sectors to drive sustainability through their respective organisations. It is a win for them and a win for our people and the planet.”

“We are honoured to be working with SAB on the launch of these prestigious awards, alongside the ESG Africa Conference” adds Wendy Poutlon, co-founder of the ESG Africa conference.  “We have been working hard to build an ecosystem of ESG and sustainability professionals over the past year, and the awards are an important addition to our initiatives aimed at driving greater awareness and education as to the benefits of ESG in driving a more sustainable future for all”

The Beyond Awards falls under the brewery’s strategic sustainability framework, SAB Beyond, which prioritizes entrepreneurship, circular packaging, sustainable agriculture, water stewardship, climate, smart drinking & moderation, diversity, equity and inclusion. The awards will be host to four categories, including: 

• Sustainable Development Goals Champion Award

This award seeks to recognise the organisation with the most comprehensive and impactful overall contribution towards the attainment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

• Best Sustainability Report Award

This award rewards the most comprehensive, relevant and engaging sustainability report

• Best Sustainability Project Award

This award rewards the most comprehensive, relevant and engaging sustainability report

• African Trailblazer Award

This award acknowledges remarkable individuals who contribute towards advancing sustainability in Africa. From business leaders; media personalities; civil society or government officials - any individual with a proven footprint in sustainability may apply

Entry to all categories is free of charge and the deadline for completion is September 6th 2023. Winners will be announced at an official ceremony on the 3rd of October 2023.

Lisa concludes, “We are calling for submissions, and interested organisations and eagerly anticipate receiving your submissions and learning about the incredible initiatives that have been driving positive change.”