FIJI SUN | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2016 | FIJISUN.COM.FJ
6
BUSINESS
Awards Winner
Features
Vodafone recognised
Another year of
for its Corporate Social success for Ben’s
Responsibility
Trading Limited
From left: Tropik Wood Industries executive chairman, Faiz Khan, Vodafone’s Head of Enterprise Development, Antonio Kitione,
Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Investment Fiji CEO, Godo Müller- Teut.
Photo: INVESTMENT FIJI
SOURCE: INVESTMENT FIJI
V
odafone’s ATH foundation
has over the last 22 years
invested to a tune of $22 million to assist the local communities.
This selfless effort by Vodafone
Fiji was recognised during the 2016
Westpac Prime Minister’s International Business Awards when the
company won the Socially Responsible Business of the Year Award.
The Award recognized Vodafone
Fiji for demonstrating a successful
commitment in managing their social, environmental and financial
obligations.
The Award recognises the need to
engage businesses more broadly in
the sustainability challenge.
Vodafone’s chief commercial officer, Ronald Prasad, said this recognition reflects the importance
of good work the ATH Foundation
does in the community.
Tropik Wood
Industries
Message:
Tropik Wood
sponsored the
awards because everything
about our business is
related towards Corporate
Social Responsibility. The
involvement of our landowners
in our business; the partnership
with our workers; the focus
on sustainability as plantations
take 22 years to mature;
the long term perspective
is all geared towards social
responsibility. Tropik Wood
congratulates Vodafone Fiji on
winning the inaugural Socially
Responsible Business of the
Year Award.
“Some of the notable programmes
we have done is World of Difference
and we have got Red Alert which is
used in times of disasters,” he said.
“We have other small pro-
grammes as well such as screening
children in schools for hearing and
sight impairment, distribution of
disability equipment, the bridging
of digital divide by providing rural
schools with PCs, laptops and tablets.”
Mr Prasad said social corporate
responsibility is a critical part of
Vodafone Fiji’s core business plan.
“We are very happy and pleased
that these efforts have been recognised,” he said.
“We are very passionate about our
customers and products and equally passionate about our vanua
which is the environment within
which we operate. So whatever we
do, we need to ensure that its sustainable.
Vodafone ATH Foundation operates as an independent arm of the
company with its own mandate.
The Socially Responsible Business of the year was proudly sponsored by Tropik Wood Industries.
From left: RBF Governor, Barry Whiteside, Director of Ben’s Trading, Peni Moi, AttorneyGeneral and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Investment Fiji CEO, Godo
Müller- Teut. Photo: INVESTMENT FIJI
SOURCE: INVESTMENT FIJI
B
en’s Trading Limited is truly
stamping its mark as one of
the leading exporters of agricultural produces in the country.
The Navua based company, that
was established in 2006, was awarded
the Primary Industry Business Excellence Award during the 2016 Westpac Primer Minister International
Business Awards.
The Award recognises a company
for their outstanding export results
in agriculture, forest and fisheries
industry.
The Award aims to showcase innovation and adaptability across a
number of primary industry sectors.
Director of Ben’s Trading Limited,
Maria Moi says the company has recorded significant growth over the
years.
“We started with 6 workers and today we employ more than 200 work-
ers. We have been very much focused
on the growth of the company as
well as the farmers whom we work
with,” Ms Moi said.
“Our innovation, hardworking staff
at Ben’s Trading Limited and honest
business relationship that we have
established with farmers contributes
to our success,” she said.
The company thanked the Fijian
government for recognising their
tireless efforts in ensuring Fijian
fresh produces are exported to the
New Zealand, Australia and the
United States market.
“Our future plan is to keep growing, not only the company itself, but
growth for the farmers, workers and
the economy as well,” Ms Moi said.
“Nothing is impossible. We need to
be focused, work a little bit harder
and we need to be committed in everything that we do.”
This award was proudly sponsored
by the Reserve Bank of Fiji.
Fiji’s Potential in Primary Industries sector
SOURCE: INVESTMENT FIJI
F
iji has a huge potential in its fisheries,
forestry and agriculture sector.
Investment Fiji chief executive, Godo
Müller-Teut says Fiji’s rich natural resources
will go a long way in earning valuable foreign
exchange for the country.
“If we look at our agriculture sector, there
are opportunities in livestock farming, vegetable farming and bee farming to name a few,”
he said.
“In our fisheries sector, there is a huge potential in the aquaculture sector such as seaweed,
tilapia and prawn farming to name a few.
“There are more than 402,000 hectares of
land suitable for agriculture in Fiji with very
low cost of doing agriculture based business.
“Fiji also has a very large Exclusive Economic Zone which covers 1.29 million square
kilometres of sea with large stocks of marine
resources such as variety of tuna species.”
Investment Fiji operates independently as
the marketing arm of
the Fijian Government
to provide services
and assistance to
promote, facilitate and
stimulate increased
investments and
exports. For further
information on investment opportunities
in Fiji or if you require
export support, please
contact Investment Fiji
on [email protected] or visit our
website www.investmentfiji.org.fj