SARA Project of the Year Award 2025

Eight projects were shortlisted, reflecting innovation in reward, benefits, and employee experience. Judges noted improved quality overall, resulting in joint third place.

Telkom

First Place — Telkom (POLIPAL Automated Policies Bot)

AI-powered HR/reward policy bot giving employees 24/7 access to accurate information, built via Microsoft Copilot Studio with the One Telkom Innovation Office.

DP World SSA

Second Place — DP World SSA

Total Reward Alignment: a two-year transformation aligning Imperial Logistics’ legacy systems with DP World’s global reward philosophy.

Heineken Beverages

Joint Third — HEINEKEN Beverages

Unified reward systems across HEINEKEN SA, Distell, and Namibian Breweries, creating a fair, cohesive, and future-fit reward model.

RCL Foods

Joint Third — RCL Foods

eReward with alignd: replaced manual, spreadsheet-based reward processes with a modern cloud solution, improving efficiency and user experience.

SARA Remuneration Report Award 2025

Recognising excellence in remuneration communication and governance reporting, aligned with King IV principles of fairness, responsibility, and transparency.

Old Mutual

First Place — Old Mutual

Data-rich and transparent report linking reward outcomes to performance results, balancing strong visuals with detailed analysis.

Impala Platinum

Second Place — Impala Platinum

Clear narrative connecting strategy and performance, with creative layout and meaningful disclosure across time horizons.

ABSA Group

Third Place — ABSA Group

Transparent, well-structured report addressing shareholder concerns with exemplary disclosure and governance clarity.

SARA Young Remuneration Professional 2025

Candice Mncwabe, Senior Manager of Reward at Deloitte Consulting, was named Young Remuneration Professional of the Year. Her expertise spans reward strategy, analytics, and HR transformation, underpinned by a strong commitment to leadership and mentorship within the profession.

Candice Mncwabe

Candice Mncwabe

Senior Manager: Reward, Deloitte Consulting

  • Chartered Reward Specialist (CRS); SARA Western Cape Committee member.
  • Experienced in reward strategy, board advisory, and analytics.
  • Speaker, mentor, and advocate for innovation in reward.

“A stand-out emerging leader—combining technical excellence with practical influence to advance future-fit organisations.”

SARA President’s Award 2025

The SARA President’s Award recognises exceptional contribution to the reward profession. The 2025 recipient, Laurence Grubb, is celebrated for advancing professionalisation, ethics, and education in South Africa’s reward landscape.

Laurence Grubb

Laurence Grubb

Managing Director, Khokhela Remuneration Advisors

  • Master Reward Specialist (SARA) and SARA Executive Committee member.
  • Chair, Remuneration Committee Forum — Institute of Directors South Africa (IoDSA).
  • Longstanding advocate for ethics, education, and professionalisation in reward.