The Executive Chairman/Publisher of Sun Newspapers, Neya Orji Kalu is among top philanthropists and socially impactful individuals to be celebrated at this year’s edition of CSR REPORTERS’ Social Impact and Sustainability Award, SISA.
The award is in recognition and celebration of her inspiring and ethical business leadership; creating change and building a better community for the future of Nigeria and Nigerians. The ceremony is scheduled for Lagos on November 26, 2023. The award program recognizes initiatives of companies and individuals in promoting sustainable economies in Nigeria and in serving the needy public.
Now in its fourth year, the CSR REPORTERS’ Social Impact & Sustainability Awards (SISA) is an annual event to recognize, honor and celebrate the outstanding efforts of organizations and individuals that have made a transformative impact on Nigerian society in the year under review.
Particularly, the award recognizes the organizations that have integrated globally recognized and measurable sustainability standards including ISO 37101 Management Standards on Sustainable Development in Communities (MSSDC), ISO 26000 Social Responsibility, ISO 14001 Environmental Management, ISO 9001 Quality Management, ISO 20400 Sustainable Supply Chain Management, ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Standards, among others. It will also recognize organizations that have followed best reporting standards such as GRI and IIRC Standards.
Other categories include specific initiatives in support of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and individual philanthropic efforts for the year under review.
This year’s edition will be unique as it will witness the unveiling of a year-long research document tagged “CSR 50”. The document, Eche said, is an annual research article of 50 organizations and individuals that contribute in building a better society for all.
The document which is in 4 sections of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability; Corporate philanthropy; Nonprofit Impact and Individual Philanthropy looks at organizations and individuals that have embedded international Sustainability best practices in their approach to business and philanthropy. These organizations have approached their operations or part of their operations with recourse to the three pillars of Sustainable Business Practice: Social, Economic and Environmental.
These organizations have been assessed based on the seven core subjects of Social Responsibility as outlined on ISO 26000 SR Guidance Standards.
The highpoint of the event usually is the unveiling of the Philanthropic Person of the Year which is the most competitive category of the award.
Eche Munonye, the Editor-In-Chief of CSR REPORTERS noted that there was influx of nominations for this year as it received over 232 nominations from various individuals and groups with knowledge of the nominees and the works that have been done in the year under review. Those nominations, he said have been reviewed by the constituted panel and award notification letters are already being dispatched.
On why Madam Neya was chosen as the winner of the coveted award of social impact business leader, Eche Munonye, President and Editor-In-Chief of CSR Reporters said that the nominations for winners came from the Nigerian public and was only ratified by the board of Editors of the publication. He further noted that Neya Orji Kalu has obviously created valuable impact in Nigerian communities having established NGOs to help push her cause of helping the indigent people across Nigeria. Among those NGOs is the The Sun Media Development Foundation which incidentally is also picking one of the prestigious awards.
Eche also noted that the guest speaker for this year’s event is Mr. Thabo Mabe, MD, Nascon Allied Industries Plc who is one of the most dedicated sustainability champions in the continent of Africa.
The ceremony is scheduled for Sunday November 26th at the GRAND BANQUET HALL, Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.