The KZN Top Business Awards is an annual event that recognise individuals, companies and organisations that are not only excelling but integrating responsible business practice into their mainstream operations. These practices result in a positive impact in the marketplace, environment, community, and workplace, creating a better life for all in KwaZulu-Natal.

In addition, the KZN Top Business Awards offers an excellent opportunity for leading businesspeople to meet, be inspired and showcase their achievements to their peers.

• Being nominated, shortlisted and winning one of the KZN Top Business awards is a real acknowledgement that your business is a true success and contributing something meaningful to the KZN economy.

• Winning or being nominated for awards serves to strengthen your position against your competitors.

• Successful businesses like to work with other successful businesses.

• Recognition at an awards ceremony gives a morale boost to your company’s employees and gives them a focus for their purpose at work.

• Awards help build brand loyalty as customers are keen to support with businesses who are perceived to be doing well. And you’ll inspire others to follow your lead.

• Greater brand awareness is created through the highly valuable publicity before and after the event, through print, email and social media as well as on the night of the awards ceremony.

• The winners will be presented with a trophy

1. Manufacturing Sector

Broadly defined as the physical or chemical transformation of materials or compounds into new products.

2. Transport/Logistics Sector

Refers to activities concerned with land transport, railway transport, water transport, and transport via pipelines, air transport, and activities of travel agencies, post and telecommunications, courier activities, as well as storage and warehousing activities.

3. Franchising Sector

A business that is owned by one or more people who provide products or services under the branding and rules stipulated by a parent company.

4. Family-Owned/Managed Businesses

Open to businesses where the majority ownership/management remains within a family (or multi-family) structure, and where more than one generation contributes to the success of the business.

5. Agricultural and Agro-Processing Sector

Incorporates establishments and activities that are primarily engaged in farming activities, but also includes establishments focusing on commercial hunting and game propagation and forestry, logging and fishing. The beneficiation of primary materials and intermediate goods from agricultural, fisheries and forestry-based sectors is included.

6. Education, Business and Financial Services sector

This sector includes insurance and pension funding; legal; accounting; education and general business activities.

7. Community Upliftment and Improvement

This award is open to businesses or social enterprises that have made a significant positive impact on the community and region they operate in. This could include: charitable efforts, or developing your local community.

8. Renewable Efficiency – Green initiatives

This category includes renewable energy, low-carbon transport, energy-efficient buildings, clean technologies, improved waste management, improved freshwater provision, etc.

9. Employee Wellness

This award is for businesses that go the extra mile to engage their staff members and what difference this makes to the business. This may be through in-house training, flexible working, personal development, workplace wellbeing activity and

teambuilding.

10. Partnership

The winning project will reflect the importance of teamwork and effective inter-agency collaboration.

11. KZN Top Brand:

The top homegrown brand in KwaZulu-Natal is awarded based only on the results of a public poll.

12. Business Leader of the Year:

The KZN Top Business Leader’s award is an honorary award given to a businessperson who has demonstrated exemplary business achievement, industry influence and is a true inspiration to others.

The awards open for nominations and entries on 24 March 2025

Category entries close at midnight on 13 June 2025

Top Brand entries close on 28 June 2025

To be eligible for a category award, the company or organisation must have an office in KZN

Entrants need to demonstrate how their companies have embraced the principles of the King

IV Report on Corporate Governance in South Africa 2016. Factors such as stakeholder

relations, environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and quality of governance are all

considered in the formal judging process.

There is no cost involved to enter or nominate a business.

Yes, you may

All entrants must fill out part one of the form online to activate your entry which is available on www. kzntopbusiness.com

AND

For categories One to Ten download and complete part two which must be emailed (or use Wetransfer) to gayle@mweb.co.za

Top Brand entrants do not require an entry form.

The KZN Leaders Award does not require an entry form

Each business can enter a maximum of two categories as well as the top brand category

Yes, they may. Full entry forms are required to be submitted.

Entries for the KwaZulu-Natal Top Business Portfolio category awards are

reviewed and scored by the KwaZulu-Natal Top Business Portfolio editorial board.

Finalists will be selected based on the evidence submitted in their entry and on any

additional information that the judging panel may receive.

Winners within each category will be selected from the finalists by the judges.

The Brand award is awarded by public voting only

The KZN Top Business Leader’s award is an honorary award

Voting is by SMS only. All businesses are encouraged to get their staff, family friends and

other stakeholders to vote for their top brand and is actively encouraged

24 March 2025– Entries/ Nominations open 

13 June 2025– General categories entries close

28 June 2025– Top Brand vote closes at 10 pm

17 July 2025 – Gala Awards’ Dinner

Please contact Gayle Adlam at 0836530465 or gayle@mweb.co.za

There will be a limited number of tickets allocated to each of the finalists. You will be able to

watch the recorded proceedings online on the 19 July 2025