NO PAT ON THE BACK!
ON MAY 18, the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) will recognise companies that have met their corporate goals and objectives last year, but the JCC is declaring in loud tones that this is not merely about patting any company on the back or seeking to inflate corporate ego.
Dianne Ashton-Smith, chairperson of the JCC’s annual awards planning committee contextualising this exercise, says that the awards, instead, are about enhancing a company’s reputation, helping employees take pride in their work, and instilling confidence in customers about the quality and professionalism of the winning organisation.
It is also about raising the company’s profile within the industry, she reasoned. “Consumers are paying less attention to what companies are saying about their own products or services and paying more attention to what others are saying about the company’s products or services,” AshtonSmith said.
So, under the theme ‘Vision, Inspiration, Growth’, the JCC will host this 35th annual awards ceremony at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, and Ashton-Smith says that they are “thrilled” to be doing so with an outstanding line-up of nominees in each category. “They are, by simple virtue of their nominations, deemed to be the best,” she said.
“This year’s theme, ‘Vision, Inspiration, Growth’, speaks profoundly to what is required by corporate Jamaica, entrepreneurs, and the Government if we are to be active participants in the global developments of the 21st century. The fact is that globalisation is rapidly redefining today’s business environment, and as such, significant strategic shifts are an imperative to business growth. Those who can stay ahead of the rapid pace of change, have a clearly articulated vision, anticipate talent needs, and take the lead in developing innovative strategies for the future are likely to be tomorrow’s winners,” Ashton-Smith concluded.