After a very successful debut last year, Staffwise and ORT Jet Cape Town jumped at the opportunity to collaborate and create the Shining Light Awards 2021. Applications were opened in August and businesses could self-nominate by submitting a 90-second video pitch focused on how they see themselves as a shining light of sustainability; focused on people, profit and purpose.
“But these awards are not just about winning prizes to the value of R100 000,” Staffwise Career Catalyst, Liat Beinart said, “It’s a rigorous process that takes courage from businesses to stand up and be judged, to reflect and share insights into their daily world.”
The hybrid Final Awards Ceremony, held at The Studeo in Woodstock, Cape Town, was a slick and exciting show, with Jaryd Raizon of The Knowledge Trust taking home first prize. Following close behind was Sarah Feldman, who not only won the runner-up award but also won the hearts and minds of the Zoom audience, and the Viewers’ Choice award, for her lifestyle fashion range.
The Knowledge Trust works at making education accessible to more people and more sustainable, with a platform that is used by more than 400 000 people to apply for learning and earning opportunities, skills-training, and bursaries. “Our mission is purpose before profit. We don’t enter competitions, but the theme for Shining Light Awards 2021 made so much sense: Sustainability: people, purpose, profit. That’s exactly what we do. We live the value of tikkun olam every day and are so grateful that the positive in what we are doing has been noticed,” said Jaryd.
A deserving recipient of the prize and a shining example to all, Jaryd added, “We’ve decided to use the prize money to buy each of our 12 core team members a Kindle to help them live our value of curiosity, and the balance of the funds will go towards buying books for our book club that’s launching next year.”
With a double jubilation, a humble Sarah Feldman said she is not just a fashion brand, “I envision the Sarah Feldman brand as an ever-expanding community of inspired and empowered women, who believe that our choice of supporting local South African businesses and talent can and does make a significant difference to our community and South Africa as a whole.”
This year, the Shining Light Awards was dedicated to the memory of Eric Samson z”l; a Jewish communal leader, philanthropist and respected businessman who lived his life by giving. While Profit is the world’s measure of success in business, Eric never forgot about People and Purpose. He gave with generosity but also with vision.
The finalists included Datafin Recruitment, Future Forex, Gwork, nurtureOne, Outcast Foods, Southern Hemisphere, Superiate and Yummi Organics. All faced a dynamic and challenging panel of judges that included Richard Goldstein, Dawn Nathan-Jones, Lara Rosmarin and Avi Levy who said on the , “I was personally blown away at the intellect, energy, creativity and competence that the finalists demonstrated. Each finalist – whether you win or not – has already won, as we see your work, admire what you do and want to shine a light on all of these amazing and often unseen entrepreneurs right here in the midst of our incredible Cape Town community.”
With the raising of the bar this year, Staffwise and ORT Jet Cape Town look forward to see what the Shining Light Awards 2022 has in store for the community.
Back (L-R): Oran Cohen (Gwork); Josh Kotlowitz and Harry Scherzer (Future Forex) Left to Right: Sarah Feldman (Sarah Feldman); Dena Lomofsky (Southern Hemisphere); Jenny Spiro (nurtureOne); Bev Sollinger (Datafin); Jaryd Raizon (The Knowledge Trust); Brad Stern (Superiate); Guy Greenblat (Outcast Foods); Danielle Klaff (Yummi Organics); Lindy Sollinger (Datafin) 
Back(L-R): Liat Beinart (Staffwise); Lara Rosmarin (Judge); Sarah Feldman (Runner-up and Viewers’ Choice winner); Dawn Nathan-Jones (Judge); Jaryd Raizon (first Prize winner); Avi Levy (judge); Seated (left to right): Caroline Kaimowitz (Staffwise); Richard Goldstein (judge) and Lisa Sandler (ORT Jet Cape Town)
Staffwise www.staffwise.org, call 0214646764 or email recruitment@staffwise.org
ORT Jet www.ortjetcapetown.org.za
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