THE Institute of Directors Zimbabwe (IoDZ) has, for 65 years, provided empowering systems and platforms to entrepreneurs and leaders in across all sectors, an official has said.
Speaking during the 2023 Director of the Year Awards (DOYA) ceremony held in Harare recently, IoDZ chief executive officer Cathrine Nyachionjeka said the organisation was playing a pivotal role in the country's economic development.
"As you may be aware, IoDZ is a governance institute that is exclusively dedicated to upholding excellence, enterprise, integrity, and ethics in directors, raising the standard of corporate governance in industry and commerce," she said.
"For 65 years the institute has provided empowering systems and platforms to entrepreneurs, organization’s leaders, and executives in the public, private, profit, non-profit sectors with the latest and best leadership and governance skills trends, mind-sets, ideas, know-how, and other tools in the interest of the organizations and best practice in the world over.
"As an institute, we believe that good governance is a prerequisite for a vibrant economy and an important business system that propels businesses to deliver value to its stakeholders."
She said IoDZ was the proud initiators of Women on Boards Zimbabwe, Future Directors Zimbabwe, the Chairman’s Forum, and their flagship development programme, Advanced Certificate in Company Direction among other solutions.
"The institute takes pride in celebrating women, men and entities that uphold good governance practices," she said.
The director of the year awards was introduced by the IoDZ in 2005 to celebrate and recognise achievements by individuals in Zimbabwe who would have distinguished themselves as board directors.
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The awards seek to especially celebrate and recognise their individual contribution to their boards’ effectiveness, direction, strategy, and good corporate citizenship of their company or organisation.
This year, DOYA was held under the theme: “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion”.
She said companies, investors, policymakers, and wider society were paying increased attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion within their structures.
These initiatives have two motivations – improves a company’s long-term financial performance, and that it contributes to societal goals. Under both financial and social motives, the relevant measures of are holistic in nature.
"As your institute, we are committed to work with you as you embrace positive changes, adapting good working culture and taking action-oriented steps towards better diversity, equity, and inclusion. As leaders we encourage you to continue to strategize a culture of oneness amongst yourselves."
Guest speaker Kuvimba Mining House group CEO Simba Chinyemba said diversity, equity and inclusion were very important issues that have been gaining even more attention in recent years.
"As directors, it is essential that we understand societal trends and especially important that we lead these conversations and work towards creating a better society," he said.
He said leaders were now living in an ever spinning digital world where companies have morphed into machines, and automated systems replacing the essence and importance of human capital.
"With the emerging trends of institution management where lean is king, human capital has become more disposable than non-performing physical assets and lesser abled members of the society struggle to keep up with the pace of change with limited representation on the key decision making platforms.
"This therefore means that their needs and priorities are on the backburner of institution development and growth."
He added: "By our inalienable nature humans are social animals who operate at their optimal when they feel included, heard, seen and recognised. The absence of these retards growth, stunts innovation and destroys morale of employees.
"This means we need to take action to create a modern workplace and workplace that is like a vibrant living organism, alive by a lifeblood of diversity, inclusion and equity."
