Top organisations are awarded for the outstanding implementation of KAIZEN™ principles and practices.
Kaizen Institute South Africa is pleased to announce the KAIZEN™ Award South Africa 2nd Edition to recognize superior KAIZEN™ and Lean organizations. Top organizations will be awarded for their outstanding, innovative and effective implementation of KAIZEN™ principles and practices.
Participation in the KAIZEN™ Award South Africa is open to any organisation, public or private, large, medium and small companies with a presence in South Africa, from any sector. The evaluation is based on observations made by senior consultants and/or external specialists, at the customer’s premises, evaluating the application of the five KAIZEN™ principles:
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KAIZEN™ Principle
Application Example
1
Create customer value
a) The organisation knows the customer needs by market segment. b) The organisation is dedicated to quality and to fulfil customer expectations.
2
Let it flow
a) Leaders know how to design, create, manage and improve processes. b) Staff members understand the concepts of muda (waste), mura (variability) and muri (difficulty).
3
Be gemba oriented
a) The workplace is organized for efficiency, visual management is used to make waste, standards and behaviors visible. b) Leaders go to the place of work to understand problems first hand.
4
Empower people
a) Business objectives are deployed (cascaded) throughout the organisation. b) All leaders share KAIZEN™ skills and role-model a KAIZEN™ mindset as they develop their teams.
5
Be scientific and transparent
a) Management decisions are based on the long-term vision. b) Decision-making and problem-solving is based on real data from gemba (gemba gembutsu).
Besides scrutinizing the robustness of the five KAIZEN™ principles, the ‘Benefits tracking’ section evaluates what the organisation has put in place to ensure employees know where the organisation is heading, how they have progressed, and how customers and the organisation is benefitting from the KAIZEN™ efforts.
2. KAIZEN™ Ambassador
This category honours individuals who embody the spirit of continuous improvement and have been instrumental in promoting KAIZEN™ principles within their organisation. Nominees should showcase leadership in driving cultural transformation and fostering a mindset of innovation and sustainability.
Please complete and send the application to awards-za@kaizen.com not later than 26 June 2026. Nomination Guideline:
Submitted projects shall not be older than two years.
Candidates’ projects may already have been recognized by other awards (not awarded by Kaizen Institute).
Additional information about the project may be submitted (e.g. indicators, photos, movies, etc.).
Evaluations of Nominations
The evaluation committee is composed of Kaizen Institute and partners.
The initial analysis of the application will be based on the submitted application form. For applications that pass the second phase, a visit to the company will be made. The criteria for the evaluation process integrate various items such as the implemented actions, continuous improvement methodology and results.
The evaluation committee will choose the winners. The committee reserves the right to abstain from awarding any prizes if none of the applications meet the minimum quality requirements. The decisions of the evaluation committee are final and cannot be appealed.
Timeline KAIZEN™ Award South Africa 2026
Submission of application form, by 26 June 2026 First evaluation of the applications, by 17 June 2026 Site visits, by 28 August 2026 Presentation of the award winner, September 2026
Award Ceremony
The KAIZEN™ Award South Africa 2nd Edition will take place in September 2026. More information about the event will be published well in advance. For more information please contact us at: awards-za@kaizen.com.
Award Recipients 2025
We proudly recognise Vulcan (Mozambique), operator of the Moatize Coal Mine, as an outstanding recipient of the 2025 award. Vulcan is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vulcan International, a globally respected organisation with a diversified product portfolio and a presence in more than 25 countries across six continents.
The Moatize mining complex spans an impressive 300 km?, reflecting Vulcan’s scale, capability, and operational excellence. Further strengthening its global impact, Vulcan owns and manages the 912 km railway line linking Moatize to the Port of Nacala—an infrastructure asset unique in the region—ensuring efficient, reliable distribution to international markets.
Vulcan’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and world-class operations makes it a truly deserving recipient of this recognition.
Contact
If you have any questions regarding the award procedure or the event please contact:
Kaizen Institute South Africa Tel: +27 14 533 1457
Vulcan awarded with the KAIZEN™ Award South Africa. Category: Excellence in Applying KAIZEN™ Principles
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