By Reporter
Yesterday evening Friday November 29 Tanzania Breweries Plc emerged the Overall winner for EYA 2024. Runners Up were Barrick North Mara Gold Mine Limited and Tanzania Ports Authority respectively. The evening was filled with mixed feelings as the winners of the Employer of the Year Award(EYA) 2024 walked away with trophies reflecting their outstanding Human Resources management practices.
Organised by the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE), this year the annual Award was made more exciting with the addition of two criteria namely, Occupational Health and Safety plus HIV& AIDS Response.
He award giving ceremony was graced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy Hon. Dr. Doto Mashaka Biteko MP who said he was happy to congregate at EYA for the first time and conveyed greetings from the Vice President Hon. Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango
He thanked ATE for their flexibility in accommodating his busy schedule and commended the Consuultants’ methodology of the survey that led to EYA 2024.
Present at the same event was Hon. Ridhiwani Kikwete Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office Labour, Youth, Employment & Persons with Disabilities presented awards to criteria and Runners Up awards.
Under the new criterion Occupational Health and Safety, the aim was to choose the Employer with the best support system for occupational health and safety procedures at the workplace.
For HIV&AIDS Response criterion the aim is to identify which Employer best supports the national goal on the elimination of AIDS by 2030 by ensuring that the workplace provides employees living with HIV better and dignified lives. This crierion was introduced in response to the call made by the Prime Minister last year at the EYA 2023 award giving ceremony.
The survey that led to the award giving ceremony this year was led by a Consultant AUDITAX International. The exercise was officially launched in May this year and was followed by rigorous verifications that involved physical visits to shortlisted participants. additions this year brought the number of criteria to 15 and the categories to be awarded to 10.
Welcoming guess at the event, ATE CEO, Ms, Suzanne Ndoma – Doran, thanked AE members for taking part in the exercise that leads to selecting the Employer of the Yea and stressed, “The Employer of the Year Award was started in 2005 with the aim of recognizing Employers who are members of ATE who excel in Human Resources Management and best business practices”.
Under the theme this year “Old is Gold” the Association this year recognised companies and organisations that have been with ATE since the 70s These are:-
• Tanzania Breweries Limited formerly Tanganyika Breweries Limited
• TANESCO formerly called Tanganyika Electric Supply Company Ltd.
TTCL formerly part of East African Posts & Telecommunication Corporation
• Tanzania Railways Corporation(TRC) formerly part off East African Railways and Harbours Corporation
Last but not the least Tanzania Ports Auhority (TPA) also formerly under the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation.
Established way back in 1955 under the Trade Unions Ordinance and he societies Ordinance of 1954 under the name the Dar es Salaam Association of Employers. For over six decades, the Association has grown from strength to strength and now boasts of 9,000 members. The Association of Tanzania Employers is by far is the oldest, largest and by far the most representative body that advocates for the business interests of Employers in the country.
Speaking at the same award giving ceremony the Board Chairperson of ATE, Mr. Oscar Mgaya said. CEO said, “On behalf ATE Board, I would like to assure that we shall continue to hold the Employer of the Year Award and to improve where necessary in a bid to sustain a healthy business environment especially in employment and labour relations.””
The Board Chairperson thanked the Government for its unwavering support in improving the ensuring a conducive business environment.
The Director of ILO Offices for Tanzania, Burundi Kenya and Rwanda Ms. Caroline Mugalla said it was an honour to participate in EYA. This year as the Office reflects on good workplace practices. Ms. Mugalla spoke about youth employment and the need to formalise the informal economy.
TUCTA congratulated ATE for hosting the event. He commended Government’s readiness to listen to Employers and workers.
Mwisho.