Maritime Industry in the Spotlight! AMSOL A FINALIST IN THE 2022 TOP EMPOWERMENT AWARDS
AMSOL was in good company at the Top Empowerment Awards which took place on Thursday, 21 July. Featuring alongside other well-known South African brands leading transformation in their sectors including BP, Sanlam, Bathu, Nedbank, MSC Cruises, Ithuba and Cell C, amongst others. AMSOL was a finalist in both the ‘Business of the Year’ and ‘Education & Skills Development’ award categories which is testament to the company’s commitment to driving transformation, diversity and inclusivity in the maritime sector.
The national event in South Africa celebrates exceptional contributions to sustainable transformation and finalists are reviewed by a panel of peers and esteemed judges who ensure that the Awards are true accolades of distinction.
Having achieved Level 2 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Contributor Status earlier this year, AMSOL’s vision of growing and transforming the maritime sector whilst creating long term value for its stakeholders is an ongoing journey.
AMSOL Chief Executive Officer Paul Maclons:
“Since our acquisition of the business in 2016 and its return to 100% South African, majority Black ownership, we have focused on building a resilient company that reflects our dynamic society. Despite the adverse impact of COVID19 and the economic downturn, our investments in new assets, increased focus on the the development of skills, transforming our supply chain and in cultivating a diverse pool of talent to meet the current and future needs of the business have ensured that we remain competitive.”
A Level 2 B-BBEE Rating for a company of AMSOL’s size reflects an inclusive and forward-thinking approach to the future and verifies the business’ transformation in shareholding, business management, employment, talent development, supply chain as well as social investments. For AMSOL’s clients, it highlights that the company’s business processes are inclusive and enables them to count procurement spend with AMSOL at 125%.
As the leading employer of South African seafarers, a key priority for AMSOL is developing talent, attracting new entrants to a career at sea and working with industry players to ensure that investments made in people realise returns for employees and the industry alike. And its many initiatives saw AMSOL being selected as a Finalist in the ‘Education & Skills Development’ category too.
“We believe that investing significantly in the training and development of our employees, who are shareholders in the business, is what sets us apart in an industry that has high compliance, competence and skill requirements and competes for talent on a global platform,” comments AMSOL’s Human Resources Executive Nceba Mfini, who believes that skills development is an important part of the company’s employee value proposition and contributes to the development of a high performance culture.
With an accredited Cadet Training Scheme, Able Seaman Programme, Diver Training Programme as well as internships, AMSOL proritises experiential training as an important component of talent development. The company’s experienced Masters, Chief Engineers and other Senior Officers also play an important role in guiding and mentoring new entrants – and the company’s fleet of 18 tugs, tankers, bunker barges, offshore supply launches and specialist vessels operating in Southern Africa serve as training platforms to achieve this.
