ABSA Ghana has been awarded for the people-centered initiative they championed by acquiring a Braille Machine for an employee who lost his sight in the line of duty.

The bank received an honorary award at the HR Focus Awards 2021 for “HR Excellence in Diversity” organised by HR Focus on Friday, October 15, 2021.

The event also saw 38 other institutions honoured in various categories.

The fidelity Bank was named the Best HR Management in Financial Services, while Ecobank Ghana received the Most Promising HR Management in Financial Services in Ghana, and the “Best HR Management in Hospitality” went to African Regent Hotel.

The Best HR Management in manufacturing award was received by Olam Ghana, while the Best HR Management in Healthcare went to Nyaho Medical Centre and the Bank of Ghana was named the Best HR Management in Public Sector.

Others are Newmont Ghana (Best HR Management in Energy & Natural Resources), MTN Ghana (Best HR Management in Telecommunications and IT), Herbalife (Best HR Management in SME Sector), and WorldVision (Best HR Management in NGO Sector).

The function awards went to Newmont Ghan (Best Organisation in Learning and Development Practice), VIVO Energy (Most Promising Organisation in Learning and Development Practice), Cirrus Oil (Most Promising Organization in Employee Relations Practice), and Vodafone Ghana (Best Organization in Employee Relations Practice) among others.

The HR Director at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Mrs. Gloria Borteley Noi lauded HR Focus for the good work, adding that “The Government through the Ministry of Employment & Labour Relations will throw in the needed support behind organizations who are poised to stay innovative and support a great People Agenda especially as the world continues to stay relevant in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic”.

For his part, the Executive Director for Buena Vista Homes and a Board Member of L’AINE Services Ltd, Mr. Samuel Ewool urged organisations and businesses to fully embrace technology as this was the sure way of staying relevant in today’s world of work even in the face of the pandemic.

He also admonished business leaders to create the right atmospheres for the changes the ‘New Normal’ has presented to the nation with.

He further said students should look more to job creation as opposed to job-seeking as there were lots of problems around the world awaiting solutions which could inevitably be realised once they developed that co-creation spirit.

The “HR Practitioner of the Year” Award recipient, Hannah Ashiokai Akrong, who is the HR Director of Vodafone Ghana, expressed her gratitude to the HR Focus Africa team for choosing her among the lot.

She also thank the HR Team at Vodafone for pushing harder during the thick of the Covid-19 pandemic to forge new policies and break new grounds all in a bid to achieve shareholder value and put their people at the forefront of the businesses.

Regional Vice President of HR for Newmont Africa who picked up the award for “Overall Best Organisation in HR Practice”, Awo Quaison-Sackey, lauded her team for putting in the work to realise this feat.

Mr. Kofy Hagan, Executive Director of L’AINE Services and Publisher for the HR Focus Africa Magazine sent immense gratitude to this formidable team for consistently producing thunderous shows for a decade since its inception in 2012 and in the same breath assured attendees of more delectable and purpose-driven events in the future.

The sponsors of this year’s 2021 HR Focus Awards are Goil Ghana, L’AINE Services, Labadi Beach Hotel, Akai House Clinic, Acacia, Zoomloin, Crystal Oasis, Hollard Ghana, Kasapreko, Enclave Ghana, Opportunity International, Petra Trust, Suits & More, Daily Graphic, Multimedia, TV3, BNFT, and MX24.