#BRA2021 | Ramona Jurubita (KPMG), President of the Jury Committee: The awards reflect the diverse ways in which individuals and organisations can contribute to society

Mihai-Alexandru Cristea 17/06/2021 | 15:30

Ramona Jurubita, Country Managing Partner of KPMG and President of the Jury Committee at the Business Review Awards 2021, opened the Gala with an inspiring speech which you can read in full below:

 

It’s a pleasure to have been part of the jury for these prestigious awards. Though I must say, it has not been an easy task. I have seen so much talent in all the categories that it has been very hard to pick a winner. The experience has left me with very positive feelings as these awards have brought together some of the most talented individuals and some of the strongest organisations, which are making a great contribution to the future of this country and its citizens. The awards reflect the diverse ways in which individuals and organisations can contribute to society. I’m very optimistic about Romania’s future when I see the participants in these awards.

Looking at CSR – The pandemic was a massive shock to all of us, and it was natural that companies should have been concerned to protect their business and their employees. So it is very encouraging that many did not becoming inward looking and merely focused on protecting themselves from the storm, but also understood their responsibilities to the wider community. Related to this was the award for the company with the highest social impact- looking at companies which showed a particular commitment to contributing to their community alongside their business goals. Inevitably, healthcare was a particularly important category this year.

Healthcare workers and providers have faced the double challenge of being on the front line in the fight against covid, but also having to make sure that normal healthcare provision did not suffer. Turning to the category of employers, businesses faced massive challenges, and it has been good to see the huge efforts which many have made to protect their staff, with leaders frequently putting their staff before themselves. Not only did companies have to do their best to protect jobs and salaries but also to ensure that the rapid move to the work from home environment was as smooth as possible for employees. Adaptibility has clearly been a critical attribute for all of us in these times, so businesses which have been highly successful in showing adaptability in these times deserve to be recognised.

Likewise, innovation has been important during the pandemic, but not only. Innovation represents future success, and it has been encouraging to see how many organisations have rolled out new products and services, and invested in R&D. There were two important categories related to growth of businesses- Business Excellence awarded more long term achievements including building structures which can enable rapid adaptation to changing markets. On the other hand, the Most Dynamic Company focused on 2020 performance and how businesses managed to achieve great success in spite of the challenging context.  

In terms of the awards for individuals, I was so pleased to see how so many talented people have made such important contributions to society and the economy. The executive of the year award was designed to recognise somebody who went beyond the normal activity of running a company. Of course we were interested in business acumen and innovation but also how the individual had contributed to general economic growth. The entrepreneur of the year award featured those who have been particularly successful innovators or who have led their enterprises on a path of strong growth. Finally, we included a special award for personality of the year- for a non-business related contribution to society and our country.

Congratulations to all the winners and all the participants and keep up the good work!

BR Magazine | Latest Issue

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Mihai-Alexandru Cristea | 27/03/2024 | 17:32
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