On Friday 12 August, VWSA walked away with two awards at Eastern Cape’s Exporter of the Year Awards.
These two awards, namely the SJM Flex Environmental award and the Best Exporter – OEM (original equipment manufacturer) Award, were presented at a gala event held in Port Elizabeth.
The SJM Flex Environmental Award is awarded to an exporter who is ISO 14001 accredited and who pursues excellence in environmental management. This is the fourth timeVWSA has received this award.
The Best Exporter – OEM Award recognises manufacturers of original equipment for the automotive industry. This is the third time VWSA has won this award.
“In 2015, Volkswagen exported 66 000 Polos along with engines and components, so it is an honour to be recognised by the Exporters Club for our achievements,” said Thomas Schaefer, Chairman and Managing Director: Volkswagen Group South Africa.
“Over the past six years, as a company we have reduced energy consumption by 35%, waste by 60%, water by 53%, CO2 by 33% and solvent emissions by 31%, so the SJM Flex Environmental award is great recognition for our efforts in trying to reduce our impact on the environment,” added Schaefer.
“VWSA continues to invest in the Eastern Cape both financially, socially and environmentally. The R4.5 billion investment announcement in 2015 and our CSI initiatives are our commitment to the Eastern Cape and specifically the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro,” concluded Schaefer.
The Exporters Club was founded in the Eastern Cape 35 years ago and is aimed at organisations involved in exporting, either directly or indirectly, and for organisations with an interest in exporting. There are approximately 290 organisations on the database, including automotive, pharmaceutical, agricultural and services industries.
The judges for these awards come from varying backgrounds and represent different sectors.
From Left to Right: Henning Jens, VWSA Finance Director, Deon Joubert, MD of SJM Flex SA and Quintin Levey, Exporters Club Eastern Cape Chairman