A Successful 22nd Fiji Business Excellence Awards
AND SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR GOVERNMENT MINISTER JONE USAMATE
The Fiji Business Excellence Awards is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence that a Fijian organisation can receive.
The award focuses on performance in five key areas:
■ Product and process outcomes
■ Customer outcomes
■ Workforce outcomes
■ Leadership and governance outcomes
■ Financial and market outcomes Organisations do not receive the award for specific products or
services.
To receive the award, an organisation must have a system that:
■E■sures continuous improvement in overall performance in delivering products and/or services.
■It provides an approach for satisfying and responding to customers and stakeholders.
To become a world-class organisation, an organisation must achieve superior results in the five key areas mentioned above and demonstrate a systematic approach that has been achieved through the application of quality management principles and practices.
For organisations intending to apply for the highest award, they must first have received the Fiji Business Excellence Prize.
About the FBEA awards
Launched in 1998 by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Fiji as its patron, the Fiji Business Excellence Awards (FBEA) is the most prestigious award conferred on Fijian organisations that demonstrate the highest standards of business excellence and businesses that have shown an unceasing drive for innovative solutions to complex challenges, visionary leadership and operational excellence.
■The award aims to establish Fiji as a country committed to worldclass business excellence.
■It is modelled on the best features of the Malcolm Baldrige Award in the US.
■The Fiji Business Excellence Award embodies the competitive spirit and commitment to excellence that fuels our economic resurgence and drives our country forward.
As the FBEA’s chief guest and patron, President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, and First Lady Filomena Katonivere, attended the awards ceremony for the first time.
This year was also the first time since the inception of the FBEA that the Secretariat had included an APO Regional Award to be awarded at the 22nd Fiji Business Excellence Awards night at GPH.
The NTPC, which is also the National Productivity organisation, plays an important role in driving productivity for the nation.
Fiji is fortunate to have been a member of the Asian Productivity Organisation since 1984, and the Government of Fiji acknowledges the APO’s contribution to the socioeconomic development of the AsiaPacific region through the promotion of productivity.
Fiji is one of the current members of this august body, which comprises 20 other countries.
For over 36 years, Fiji has received a great deal of support from the APO, including training and development in many areas that have helped raise the performance of managers, technicians, and CEOs alike in both the private and public sectors.
And thanks to APO’s strong role in building the capacity of our own National Productivity Organisation, we Fijians have advanced in our own efforts to be more productive and efficient, to encourage better management, and to stay abreast of the changes that affect the world’s economy.
During its 61st and 62nd sessions, held in 2019 and 2020, respectively, the Governing Body decided to defer the conferment of the APO Awards in 2020 to coincide with the APO’s 60th anniversary in 2021.
The Governing Body also expanded the scope of the Screening Committee to actively identify eligible individuals who may meet the conditions of the awards, in addition to receiving nominations from member countries.
The APO Regional Award is awarded to an individual from the APO member countries who has made outstanding contributions with significant impact or achievements in the Asia-Pacific region in any one or more of the following categories.
■It is excellence in policy formulation and strategic thinking, or leadership and management, that
enables new, innovative ideas for productivity improvement to flourish, leading to enhanced, sustainable productivity movements, institutional building, and institutional cooperation for improving productivity in the region.
■Deve●opme■t of new, innovative methodologies, tools, and techniques in special fields of activity for increasing productivity in the region through onsite activities or through research, publications, and skillknowledge, and idea-imparting activities.
The APO 2021 Regional Award was awarded to the Minister of Infrastructure & Meteorological Services, Jone Usamate, for his contribution to productivity and business excellence for more than two decades.
Future Farms Ltd from Navau in Ba and iTaukei Land Trust Board received the highest award at the Fiji Business Excellence Awards night, which was held on December 10 at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva.
■This is the second time Future Farms Ltd t/a Rooster Poultry has been recognised at the President’s level and also the second organisation to have achieved this feat besides Vodafone Fiji Ltd.
■ iTLTB also created history after trying for so many years, and they have never stopped pursuing their dream of becoming a world-class organisation.
■ iTLTB becomes the 8th organisation in Fiji to have been recognised at the President’s level since its inception in 1999.
The other winners of the 22nd Fiji Excellence in Business Awards are: Commitment to Business Excellence
■ CRP Industries (Pte) Ltd
■ Roofing & Profiles Fiji Ltd
Achievement in Business Excellence
■ Biosecurity Authority of Fiji
■ Manubhai Industries Pte Ltd
■ Ajax Spurway & Fasteners Ltd
■ Sugar Cane Growers Fund
■ R C Manubhai & Company Ltd
■ Fiji Business Excellence Prize
■ Office of the Auditor General
■ Post Fiji Ltd
President’s Business Excellence Award
■ Future Farms Ltd.
■ iTaukei Land Trust Board.
To conclude, congratulations to all the winners at the 22nd Fiji Business Excellence Awards, including that of Mr Usamate who was being the first recipient of the APO Regional Award from Fiji.
The 2020-2021 challenging trials resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have provided these Fijian organisations the opportunity to be adaptable, resilient, and sustainable.
During these times of uncertainty, some companies cut back on investments in their employees.
These organisations, however, kept their eyes open on their own longterm goals and continued strengthening their capabilities, processes, and results, which resonates well with the President’s message to Fijian organisations to strive to overcome today’s challenges and seize tomorrow’s opportunities.
Thank you for reading my recent articles on business excellence.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
Awards next year
To all Fijian organisations intending to apply for the 2022 FBEA, you can contact Taniela Qalilawa Taniela.qalilawa@fnu.ac.fj and Jiuta Lewanituva Jiuta.lewanituva@fnu. ac.fj