Last month, State-owned freight and logistics company Transnet was ranked one of South Africa’s top employers for providing its employees with an exceptional working environment.

Independent global certification company the Top Employers Institute presented the award at an event on October 13, celebrating top employers in South Africa and the rest of the African continent.

Transnet Freight Rail human resources GM Tumelo Mokoena was honoured for completing the Senior Professional in Human Resources (HR) international certification. The accreditation recognises senior HR practitioners who have mastered generally accepted HR principles in strategy, policy development and service delivery.

Mokoena is South Africa’s first and until now only HR professional to receive such recognition in the Top Employer Group.

The Top Employers Institute recognises and certifies leading employers globally for their efforts in rendering excellent employee conditions, nurturing and developing talent throughout all levels of the organisation, and for continuously optimising employment practices.

The awards follow a stringent research process in which companies are assessed on their ability to meet the highest standards for employment conditions. The criteria include talent strategy, workforce planning, on-boarding, learning and development, performance management, leadership development, career and succession management, compensation and benefits as well as workplace culture.

“Optimal employee conditions ensure that people can develop themselves personally and professionally. The institute’s comprehensive research concluded that Transnet provides an outstanding employment environment and offers a wide range of creative initiatives, from secondary benefits and working conditions, to performance-management programmes that are well thought out and truly aligned with the culture of their company,” says the Top Employers Institute regional director Africa Samantha Crous.

In addition, the research process is scrutinised by a firm of independent auditors to reinforce the validity of the process.

Commenting on the accolade, Transnet HR group executive Nonkululeko Sishi notes that Transnet is very proud to be officially recognised as one of the country’s leading employers of choice.

“For us, this is a resounding endorsement of our efforts in ensuring that we provide a conducive environment for unlocking personal value, instil a high-performance culture and offer rewarding careers for every member of our 65 000-strong workforce.”

She points out that employee development is a crucial aspect of the company’s R340-billion to R380-billion infrastructure investment programme, known as the Market Demand Strategy, which is aimed at strengthening the country’s railway, ports and pipelines infrastructure.

Sishi further elaborates that, for a company of Transnet’s size and complexity, it is important to attract, engage and retain the best across all levels of the organisation.

“The investments we make in our people through training and development are key in ensuring that we remain agile and dynamic, particularly in a volatile economic environment,” she concludes.