TEXT: It was important to protect and promote the interest of employers and the business community through advocacy and lobbying role. It was equally important to provide a forum of recognition where companies' efforts to embrace good practices can be showcased and recognized for wider dissemination and replication. In the last seven years EFP has been organizing a very constructive event on showcasing the good business practices in the functional areas of Human Resource Management, Employment practices, working conditions, labour laws compliances, CSR, Women Empowerment and other related areas. For their best practices in above areas, they are conferred with EFP's Employer of the Year Award. This tradition of the Employer of the Year Award contest for the 8th consecutive year has been continued this year. The participating companies were requested to showcase their good practices in the areas of corporate and general management, Human Resource Management, OSH, Skill development, ILS and Labour Laws compliance, strategic alignment of SDGs and women empowerment, all of which areas are components of Decent Work. It is exciting to observe that this contest is generating a lot of interest and the number of participating companies, particularly new companies, is gradually increasing.

The information provided by the contesting companies in response to the questionnaire circulated by EFP was evaluated by a team of professional Consultants. The companies receiving the highest scores in Multinational, Large National and Medium National categories are considered for various awards. The names of the winning companies are being published separately. The winning companies deserve our congratulations for their best practices and we are confident that they will take proper measures to sustain them.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021