After being named as a finalist in the eighteenth annual Top Empowerment Awards by media company Topco Media and Communications, professional services company Turner & Townsend was honoured with an award in the enterprise and supplier development category at the event last month.

The Top Empowerment Awards recognises companies and individuals who have driven transformation over the past 25 years of democracy and who look set to continue to do so for the next 25 years. Turner & Townsend is committed to building an inclusive economy and changing the face of business in South Africa.

The company is a Level 1 broad-based black economic-empowerment company that specialises in programme management, project management, cost management and consulting across the oil and gas, infrastructure, mining and real estate sectors.

Turner & Townsend has been running its formal enterprise and supplier programme for almost ten years. Through a programme of mentoring and on-site support, the company has helped more than 75 exempt micro enterprise/qualifying small enterprise companies unlock their potential through implementing companywide ISO 9001 quality management processes. These companies have, in turn, created more than 600 new job opportunities.

“Since its inception, the Top Empowerment Awards has shone a spotlight on South African companies forging a path to greatness through their empowering policies and actions. As we commemorate 25 years of democracy this year, the winners at the 18th annual Top Empowerment Awards are true symbols of how far we have come as a country,” says Topco Media and Communications CEO Ralf Fletcher.

Being identified as a top-empowered business at South Africa’s premier transformation event gives winners a platform to promote their achievements and become a source of inspiration for sector peers and Turner & Townsend will do the same.

“We are only able to achieve this award through committed management and a dedicated and passionate team who delivers our enterprise supplier development programme. We look forward to continuing our support to more black-owned and black-women-owned small, medium-sized and microenterprises going forward, and look forward to seeing these companies grow to take on industry leading positions,” concludes Turner & Townsend Africa regional MD Stephen McCartney.