Euro RSCG gets top award for gender empowerment success

An esteemed judging panel including top South African businesswomen Edna Sathekga, Transformation Specialist at the South African Breweries, Dr Ruth Rabinowitz, Director at MamaEarth and Sonto Mujakachi, Internal Communications Manager at Eskom, assessed entrants across a number of categories at the awards, that were formulated to recognise exceptional female professionals in all sectors of business and government, as well as companies who have instituted outstanding gender empowerment programmes.

Awards were handed out across categories including Financial, SMME, Resources, ICT, Engineering and Manufacturing, Top Woman Entrepreneur, Top Young Woman Entrepreneur, Mentor of the Year and Woman in the Public Sector.

The categories at this year's event were sponsored by some of the country's most respected companies including South Africa's national oil company, PetroSA, Standard Bank, Pfizer, Edcon and the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and entries received from top companies including Anglo American, Engen Petroleum, Women of Africa Fuels & Oils, KPMG, Mutual and Federal, PricewaterhouseCoopers, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Adams & Adams, Netcare Limited, the Johannesburg Roads Agency and many more.

2011 has been a time of significant growth and achievement for Euro RSCG South Africa with new account gains came over 100% increase in personnel. The agency managed to gain a level 3 BEE rating which moved down from a level 5 and was ranked in the Top 10 of creative agencies by the industry.

Euro RSCG has also been doing its part to ensure the future of the planet. In conjunction with sustainableIT, a company that uses recognised international standards and partners in calculating and offsetting an organisation's carbon footprint, the agency conducted an audit of its operations and calculated its carbon footprint. Euro RSCG has now completed Level 3 of the Climate Standard, which verifies that the company has quantified, reduced and offset unavoidable carbon emissions with internationally recognised carbon credits.

Ensuring the future is also about giving tomorrow's custodians a platform to express their concerns. Euro RSCG is sending five delegates to the One Young World Conference in Zurich in September. One Young World is a global forum for young people of leadership calibre. Its purpose is to connect and bring together the youngest and brightest, to ensure that their concerns, opinions and solutions are heard and taken into account by those in power, whether in government, business or any other sector.

Behind all these highlights and successes, are the people of Euro RSCG. It invests a great deal in growing its staff, both in their business and personal lives. For example, the agency recently embarked on a professional coaching programme for all senior staff.

Topco Media's 8th Annual Top Women Awards event attracted a virtual who's who of the South African business world. Guests included popular radio and television celebrities, top South African businessmen and women, and government officials amongst others.

"It is an honour for Euro RSCG to win this award. I think it demonstrates our committment to Social Media as well as communications as a whole. While the award speaks a lot about being gender empowered I would like to think that Euro RSCG is not about gender but about best in class regardless of gender, race or age. We believe in fulfilling the potential of all of our people, our clients and the brands we look after," says Lynn Madeley CEO Euro RSCG Worldwide South Africa.