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Submission form completion guidelines

About PBGA

Grant Thornton’s Private Business Growth Awards is presented annually in association with Business Botswana and Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC).

PBGA main awards

Submissions for the awards will be evaluated in each of the following areas. Participants do not have to satisfy each of the judging criteria to be considered, however participants that satisfy more selection criteria may receive a higher overall score from the judges. Selection criteria A to D (Innovation, Market Development, People and culture, and Strategic leadership) have a maximum mark allocation of 40, and each line item indicated under each selection criteria has equal weightage, i.e. 10 marks. Selection criteria E (Financial measures and operational information) has a maximum mark allocation of 20. Total mark allocation per participant is 180.

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A) Innovation (product and service development, and improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of internal processes)

Criteria Details
Industry leadership in research Development of industry-leading or industry-changing practices or products.
Out of the box / innovative thinking How the company has faced challenges or found solutions to a problem. How the company has simplified complex processes to enable faster decision making, improve efficiency and effectiveness of their processes and control environment.
Background spade work / research / feasibility of innovative ideas ultimately rethinking or redefining the product / service mix - leading to new products / services Research done by the company - Know your customer, Know your market, Understanding requirements of customer and develop new products. Based on research done, development of industry leading practices or introducing new products or practices, redefining the product mix or service mix / introducing new product or business lines.
Impact of the innovation on the economy and overall growth strategy You are encouraged to list innovation already implemented rather than concepts still under consideration. This may include companies that radically overhaul their product offerings or scale back to focus on a few core products, as well as things such as simplifying complex processes, facilitating easier communications or enabling faster decision-making.

You may provide the following:

  • Expansion of service offerings through new and innovative product / service offerings.
  • Value addition to core service.
  • Recent success story example.
  • If you’re part of a franchise, adoption of product / service / internal process innovation, across the international network.
  • Innovative solutions to acquiring clients / providing product or service options for all earners.
  • Innovative solutions to client retention.
  • Innovative solution to tackle lack of local supplier / talent availability.
  • Innovative solutions to counter market resistance.
  • Initiatives to become an industry leader.
  • Improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of internal processes – systems re-engineering.

B) Market development (go-to-market strategy, expansion into new domestic or international markets, Economic Diversification Drive (EDD))

Criteria Details
Go-to market strategy Well defined and focused strategy for going to market with products and services.
Expansion to new markets Either domestically or internationally.
Growth strategy - organic / acquired growth Joint ventures and strategic partnership for expansion, market presence, market share awareness.
How the company has contributed to economic diversification of Botswana Supporting EDD initiative, local suppliers, import substitution.

You may provide the following:

  • Your company’s EDD Initiatives / success stories, and EDD certificate if available.
  • Percentage of suppliers who are local manufacturers / suppliers to your total suppliers.
  • Current local and international reach (branches).
  • Current market share including key clientele segments.
  • Expansion to other markets - opening of branches, and / or tie up with suppliers / distributors in other markets.
  • Strategy - keeping at par with international standards in the industry.
  • Strategy - keeping abreast local competition in the industry.
  • Strategy - client acquisition / retention.
  • Branch expansion and future expansion plans - domestic and international.

C) People and culture (job creation, helping employees learn and develop as a critical part of overall growth)

You may provide the following:

  • Number of citizen employees and number of non-citizen employees, including percentage of citizens vs non-citizens in the management team / directorship / shareholding to demonstrate citizen empowerment.
  • Synopsis of training policy, training and localization plan, organization structure and succession planning / accreditation with Botswana
    Qualification Authority (BQA) / Human Resources Development Council (HRDC).
  • List of training provided to staff - external and on the job including soft skills and team building.
  • Youth empowerment initiatives.
  • Woman empowerment initiatives, including women representation in the leadership team.
  • Organizational culture, staff retention and employee success stories.
  • Coaching and mentorship initiatives.
  • Core business / technical trainings (highlight any BQA accredited trainings).
  • Support service training, technology related training, soft skill trainings, graduate training, etc.
  • Performance Management System (e.g. satisfaction surveys, and action taken).
  • Staff welfare, e.g. employee medical health check, financial health check, motivational talks to boost morale, team building activities, etc.

D) Strategic leadership (leadership team, strategic direction, succession planning, stakeholder relations, community involvement, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR))

Criteria Details
Governance Strengths of the leadership team and their contribution to the growth of the business, as well as any changes to or even a complete re-setting of the strategic direction for the business.
Succession planning Availability of a longer-term succession plan in place to ensure the continuity of the business / plan for retirement of promoters & succession plans.
Stakeholders relationship initiatives Initiatives taken to strengthen relationship with all stakeholders including clients, vendors,
regulators, etc. Examples might range from government relations initiatives to strengthen
relationships with key decision-makers to re-organizing the sales team to ensure clients / customers
are better served.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Companies involvement with the community and contribution to community development.

You may provide the following:

  • Share certificates / current leadership.
  • Business Botswana membership certificate.
  • Awards and certifications received by the company.
  • Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) accreditation.
  • Tax clearance certificate / VAT certificate.
  • Audit report if your organization is audited.
  • Detailed list of CSR initiatives and value as determined by the company.
  • Leadership team strength (relevant academic background, past experience, current membership to professional bodies, attendance of relevant international / local conferences).
  • List of citizens in leadership roles, and localization of leadership team.
  • Strategic decision / policy making, e.g. involvement of managers in strategic planning, etc.
  • Inheritance and succession planning.
  • Stakeholder relations (customers, suppliers, government, other stakeholders).
  • Recognition and acknowledgement for quality / leadership / innovation - awards won locally and internationally.
  • Sustainable environmental friendly initiatives.

E) Financial measures and operational information (revenue growth and profitability improvement)

Financial information is an important and quantifiable indicator of success for our judges. Financial information will be kept in strict confidence
and will only be made available to jury members and representatives responsible for collecting information on behalf of the jury. Please submit this
information, or alternatively attach your Annual Financial Statements. If you are submitting as a group, please give a break-up of individual units.

Criteria Current year Prior year 1 Prior year 2
Mention number of months if not a completed year   12 months 12 months
Total revenue / sales      
Net income after tax      
Total assets      
Total equity      
Number of citizen employees      
Number of non-citizen employees      
Is your business audited? If yes, state name of auditor      

PBGA BITC special category awards

Submissions for the PBGA BITC special category awards (only companies registered with BITC are eligible to participate) will be evaluated in each of
the following areas.

Investor of the year - manufacturing

Criteria Details
Initial level of investment Minimum level of investment BWP 4 million.
Job creation Ongoing provision of employment to citizens and, where required, non-citizens to support skills development and innovation / localisation policy. Minimum 100 jobs created.
Export orientation Assess whether the company exports.
Use of local raw materials and production process Ascertain whether any local raw materials or produced material and services are utilised as part of the production process.
Innovation and technology transfer Ascertain if the company is making use of up-to-date modern systems, equipment, best practice, and its economic impact. Development of industry-leading or industry-changing practices or products. Product and service development, and improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of internal processes.
QMS - BOBS / SABS Does the company subscribe to any recognized quality management standard(s)? (Product or QMS).
Pride mark uptake Has the company adopted use of the Botswana pride mark.
Financial soundness Submission of last audited financial statements.
Business practices Compliance with environment requirements, tax, labour (staff welfare and training, training policies, staff manual), health and safety.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Company’s involvement with the community and contribution to community development.
Skills transfer Training and other initiatives taken to help employees learn and develop, whether it is direct, job-related training, or innovative programs to engage employees and help them achieve higher
performance. Localisation efforts.

Investor of the year - services

Criteria Details
Initial level of investment Minimum level of investment BWP 4 million.
Job creation Ongoing provision of employment to citizens and, where required, non-citizens to support skills development and innovation / localisation policy. Minimum 100 jobs created.
Innovation and technology transfer Ascertain if the company is making use of up-to-date modern systems, equipment, best practice, and its economic impact. Development of industry-leading or industry-changing practices or products. Product and service development, and improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of internal processes.
QMS - BOBS / SABS Does the company subscribe to any recognized quality management standard(s)? (Product or QMS). Compliance to NBFIRA and BOB requirements / standards.
Pride mark uptake Has the company adopted use of the Botswana pride mark.
Financial soundness Submission of last audited financial statements.
Business practices Compliance with environment requirements, tax, labour (staff welfare and training, training policies, staff manual), health and safety.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Company’s involvement with the community and contribution to community development.
Skills transfer Training and other initiatives taken to help employees learn and develop, whether it is direct, job-related training, or innovative programs to engage employees and help them achieve higher
performance. Localisation efforts.

Investor of the year - expansions

Criteria Details
Level of expansion investment Minimum level of investment BWP 4 million.
Number of jobs created Ongoing provision of employment to citizens and, where required, non-citizens to support skills development and innovation / localisation policy. Minimum 50 jobs created.
Nature of expansion Expansion into a different product from past production (diversification).
Export orientation Assess whether the company exports.
Use of local raw materials and production process Ascertain whether any local raw materials or produced material and services are utilised as part of the production process.
Innovation and technology transfer Ascertain if the company is making use of up-to-date modern systems, equipment, best practice, and its economic impact. Development of industry-leading or industry-changing practices or
products. Product and service development, and improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of internal processes.
QMS - BOBS / SABS Does the company subscribe to any recognized quality management standard(s)? (Product or QMS).
Pride mark uptake Has the company adopted use of the Botswana pride mark.
Financial soundness Submission of last audited financial statements.
Business practices Compliance with environment requirements, tax, labour (staff welfare and training, training policies, staff manual), health and safety.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Company’s involvement with the community and contribution to community development.
Skills transfer Training and other initiatives taken to help employees learn and develop, whether it is direct, job-related training, or innovative programs to engage employees and help them achieve higher
performance. Localisation efforts.

Exporter of the year

Criteria Details
Number of markets penetrated Minimum number of markets - 2. The company must provide evidence of its exporting to foreign markets.
Number of product lines Minimum number of product lines - 3.
Job creation Ongoing provision of employment to citizens and, where required, non-citizens to support skills development and innovation / localisation policy. Minimum 100 jobs created.
Business practices Compliance with environment requirements, tax, labour (staff welfare and training, training policies, staff manual), health and safety. Company must meet and adhere to all export market requirements.
Innovation and technology transfer Ascertain if the company is making use of up-to-date modern systems, equipment, best practice, and its economic impact. Development of industry-leading or industry-changing practices or products. Product and service development, and improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of internal processes.
Product branding and pride mark uptake SMME and its products should be appropriately branded. Has the company adopted use of the Botswana pride mark. Intellectual property protection.
Strategy Demonstrate use of strategic and marketing plans (export), leadership, and structure.
Financial soundness Submission of last audited financial statements. The company must have export sales of at least 50% of their total turnover.
QMS - BOBS / SABS Does the company subscribe to any recognized quality management standard(s)? (Product or QMS).
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Company’s involvement with the community and contribution to community development.
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