The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
ZIMPAPERS publications — The Sunday Mail and The Herald — as well as its broadcasting radio station Star FM, have been named among the country’s top 2023 Superbrands, proving the publishing company’s continued market dominance.
Announcing the top 200 brands at the Superbrands breakfast meeting held in Harare on Friday, Marketers Association of Zimbabwe (MAZ) president Ms Lillian Mbayiwa said the awards are a key indicator of product status on the market.
“After the awards are conducted, a detailed report is published with information that is increasingly being used by practitioners to gain insights on their brand performance, as well as benchmark their performance by gauging how they are performing each year,” she said.
She said the awards are critical to every brand custodian.
“They give insights on your brand’s performance and customer feedback. The Superbrands Awards are a very key indicator of your brand’s standing in the market,” she added.
ZB Financial Holdings chief executive Mr Shepherd Fungura, who was guest speaker, underscored the importance of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) branding, saying it was now a revolution.
“ESG, my friends, is not a mere acronym; it’s a revolution. It represents the trifecta of environmental, social, and governance values that are reshaping the business landscape.
“We are talking about embracing sustainability, championing social responsibility and ensuring that our governance practices set the gold standard. Zimbabwe has joined this global movement, proudly waving the flag of ESG compliance across sectors, signalling to the world that we mean business, both figuratively and literally.”
Mr Fungure said ESG is not just about checking off boxes or jumping on the bandwagon.
“It’s about embedding purpose in every fibre of our brands. It’s about understanding that profit and purpose are not adversaries but dance partners, twirling together on the grand stage of success. We must dispel the notion that sustainability is an obstacle to profitability and recognise it as the secret ingredient that elevates our brands to greatness,” he said.
The ZB bank chief implored business people to appreciate the strategic role of sustainability in shaping financial reporting.
