The Supply Chain Education Excellence Awards recognises organisations and individuals playing a key role in edu- cation and training within the supply chain sector of Southern Africa. Logistics and supply chain management company Imperial Logistics received two such awards.

The awards were presented on June 17, and acknowledge Imperial Logistics’ representation on, and involvement in, national skills development structures, such as the Transport Education and Training Authority. The company tackles the increasing skills shortage in the South African logistics and supply chain industry, as well as unemployment, which is a significant challenge in the country.

Imperial Logistics won an award in the Corporate Educator of the Year 2008 category, which acknowledges excellence with regard to the number of employees at all levels of the organisation that receive training, as well as the aligning of training initiatives with national and sectoral skills development priorities.

The awards are testimony to the prominence that training and development has at Imperial Logistics and the significant number of training initiatives offered, such as learnerships and skills programmes throughout the organisation, including management, leadership and gra- duate development programmes and bursary schemes.

Further, the company is represented on, and is actively participating in, various industry structures and professional bodies, such as the Association for Operations Management of South Africa, the Supply Chain Council and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.

Imperial Logistics CEO Marius Swanepoel says that the company continually has to renew its thinking and build its knowledge base. “This way, sustainable logistics and supply chain solutions are ensured, while creating value and serving the customers in the best way possible.”

Meanwhile, professional services company Volition Consulting Services won an award in the Operations Management Programme of the Year 2008 for its in-house course. The award acknowledges unique and innovative training programmes that not only contribute to overall education in the supply chain environment, but also add significant value and benefits to the individual and the organisation.

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