STAFF WRITER
Employers Confederations of Zimbabwe (EMCOZ) occupational safety and health (OSH) executive, Abednego Chigwada has been nominated for the upcoming regional risk management industry awards to be held in South Africa in December.
The Institute of Risk Management South Africa (IRMSA) Annual Awards celebrates excellence achieved by individuals and organisations in the risk management industry.
The event recognizes and rewards Southern Africa’s top risk management professionals who have made a significant contribution and the best risk management initiatives within different industries.
“… members continue to step up in their risk management roles, and with their dynamic teams, ensuring effective and resilient organisations. Last year, we have seen risk professionals navigate their way through the very uncertain landscape that COVID-19 presented us with, and those individuals and teams must be acknowledged for these achievements,” IRMSA said in a statement.
IRMSA is recognised as the professional body for risk management in Southern Africa by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). IRMSA represents individuals and companies committed to the enhancement of the risk management discipline.
The institution serves aspiring risk practitioners, risk professionals and decision makers in Southern Africa, dedicated to the advancement of the risk management profession through accreditation, research, promotion, education, upliftment, training, guidance and strong relationships with other Institutes or Associations.
Chigwada said IRMSA regional awards nomination for this year’s event is in recognition of his work in operational safety and health in the country.
“I have contributed immensely to the risk management industry in this country. I have been in the mining industry, energy sector as well as the manufacturing side. My immense contribution in risk Management has been noted,” he said.
Chigwada is a former Zimplats OSH executive. Currently, he is the advisory director at Global Mining Sustainability and president of the Zimbabwe Institute of Occupational Safety & Health, and chief executive at ABE Risk Solutions.
During his time at Zimplats, Chigwada popularized his afrocentric approach to OSH insisting that most firms seem to rely on fragmented OSH legislation which has seen its days and without consideration of the changing landscape.
According to Chigwada, the afrocentric approach to OSH has to do with tapping on our indigenous knowledge systems which are easily understandable by the local people and is rich in wisdom when tackling various occupational safety and health challenges.
The Institute of Risk Management was formed through the amalgamation of The Society of Risk Managers (SRM) and The South African Risk and Insurance Manager Association (SARIMA) in September 2003.
In the pursuit of creating a professional career path for Risk Managers, IRMSA has developed occupational risk management qualifications, namely the Organisational Risk Professional (NQF Level 8) and the Organisational Risk Practitioner (NQF Level 6), developed through the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO).
IRMSA also provides its members with the opportunity to sit for Board Exams. These provide certification opportunities to ensure that a national standard is created and maintained in terms of the competencies and knowledge required from our Certified Risk Management Practitioners as well as the Certified Risk Management Professionals.
