The evening concluded with the announcement of finalists and winners of the annual Business Excellence Awards. These awards recognise responsible corporate citizens in all industry sectors, reflecting great commitment, social participation and innovation.

Many of the nominees have been members of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry since its inception and were nominated for an award on the basis of the longest membership in the sector. The wide range of businesses that make up the local economy as well as their significant contribution to the economy is well reflected in their nomination in the different sectors.

FINANCIAL SERVICES BANKING AND INVESTMENT, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND AUTOMOTIVE, TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT, SKILLS AND DEVELOPMENT

Winner
Standard Bank of SA Ltd - member since 02/01/1869

Nominees

•  First National Bank Ltd - member since 01/11/1889
•  Marshalls Group Ltd - member since 06/12/1939
•  Deloitte & Touche -member since 31/12/1941
•  PricewaterhouseCoopers - member since 31/12/1945
•  Mazars - member since 31/12/1953
•  Rennies Shipping Agencies - member since 02/01/1877
•  Elgin Brown & Hamer (Pty) Ltd -member since 30/06/1900
•  GSA Head Office a division of Grindrod South Africa (Pty) Ltd- member since 31/12/1919,
•  Unitrans Motors (Pty) Ltd t/a William Hunt Delta - member since 31/12/1922
•  Hooper Motors (Pty) Ltd - member since 01/01/1938
•  Brakewell (Pty) Ltd  member since 08/09/1977
•  Natal Early Learning Resource Unit member since 03/07/1980
•  Cheryl Carter & Associates member since 09/09/1982
•  The Valley Trust member since 31/12/1986

MANUFACTURING

Winner
National Brands Limited -Entyce Beverages - member since 17/07/1895

Nominees

•  Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (Pty) Ltd -member since 28/04/1928
•  Dargells Engineering and Machinery Sales (Pty) Ltd t/a DEMS - member since 17/06/1965,
•  Rheem South Africa (Pty) Ltd - member since 28/02/1969
•  Defy Appliances Limited -member since 29/03/1928
•  Chevron South Africa (Pty) Ltd - member since 31/12/1929
•  Nampak DivFood -member since 30/11/1930
•  Lion Match Products (Pty) Ltd -member since 31/12/1924
•  ABI The Soft Drink Division of SAB Limited - member since 07/08/1946
•  Afrox Ltd -member since 31/12/1930
•  Kansai Plascon (Pty) Ltd -member since 28/02/1934
•  Sapref - member since 31/12/1962

REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION

Winner
Acutts -member since 01/08/1856

Nominees

•  Beier Industries (Pty) Ltd -member since 30/06/1938
•  Tongaat Hulett Developments -member since 31/12/1945
•  Barloworld Equipment KZN -member since 30/11/1939
•  Corobrik - member since 31/12/1939
•  Smith and Winfield Project Managers CC - member since 31/12/1945

HOSPITALITY, LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Winner
Durban Hotels Limited t/a The Royal Hotel -member since 31/12/1961

Nominees

•  Oyster Box (Pty) Ltd -member since 13/10/1966
•  Balmoral Hotel -member since 14/05/1970
•   Coastal Farmers Co-Op Ltd -member since 30/06/1990
•  Yara Animal Nutrition South Africa (Pty) Ltd-member since 23/05/1985
•  Tongaat Hulett Sugar -member since 31/12/1986

WELLBEING AND HEALTH
Winner

City Hospital Ltd - member since 31/12/1975

Nominees

•  Lasec SA (Pty) Ltd - member since 05/05/1983
•  Widex South Africa (Pty) Ltd - member since 23/02/1989

ENERGY

Winner
Enviroserv Waste Management Ltd -member since 29/02/1976

Nominees

•  Solar Beam (Pty) Ltd -member since 20/03/1986
•  Re Ethical Environmental Re-Engineering (KZN) (Pty) Ltd -member since 28/04/1988

RETAIL

Winner
Adams & Co (Pty) Ltd -member since 19/09/1884

Nominees

•  Stewarts & Lloyds Holdings (Pty) Ltd - member since 30/04/1903
•  Harold J Drinn (Pty) Ltd -member since 31/12/1961

TECHNOLOGY, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION

Winner
Emcom Wireless (Pty) Ltd - member since 31/12/1979

Nominees

•  Online Systems CC -member since 10/06/1982
•  J and S Lotter (Pty) Ltd t/a Sprint Print - member since 18/08/1983
•  Albany Print (Pty) Ltd -member since 22/05/1986
•  Comm Radio Services CC - member since 19/05/1988
•  Telkom SA Ltd - member since 31/10/1994

The following awards were not adjudicated on the basis of the date of joining the Chamber.

RISING STAR AWARD

Winner
Bakers Creationz

Nominees

• Hesscon (Pty) Ltd
• Clean Street

E COMMERCE BUSINESS AWARD

Winner
Vodacom (Pty) Ltd

Nominees

•  Pick n Pay
•  South African Airways

COMMUNITY/ GREEN INITIATIVE AWARD

Winner
Tongaat Hulett Limited

Nominees

•  Airports Company South Africa Limited
•  Defy Appliances (Pty) Ltd

INNOVATION AWARD

Winner
First National Bank Ltd

Nominees

•  Pick n Pay
•  PricewaterhouseCoopers

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

Winner
Adapt IT Holdings Limited Incorporated

Nominees

•  Argent Industrial Limited
•  RCL Foods

ARTS AND CULTURE AWARD

Winner
Pick n Pay

Nominees

•  Old Mutual plc
•  Standard Bank of SA Ltd