The CSIR Annual Report and ScienceScope each took the second runner-up spot in their respective categories at the SA Publications Awards, which were held on 14 September, in Centurion.

The publications were commended for their consistency in excellence in communication, design, writing, as well as the overall quality of the finished product, contributing to a positive image of the CSIR. This year, the CSIR entered the 2016/17 Annual Report and two ScienceScope editions (SMME and Industrial Development). The SMME edition was a finalist in the external magazine category.

Some of the comments from the judges include:

“Well-executed publication that communicates effectively with the readers.”

“The content is relevant, has substance and is not outdated.”

“Design suits the subject matter.”

“The reporting on the financial statements is easy to digest. It gives a fair overview of the company’s financial position.”

“The feedback from the judges is very comprehensive for each of the categories and the wide scope of entries from diverse industries is always an excellent benchmark for us to see where we can improve the way we communicate across different platforms,” says Nolwazi Mwabi, CSIR Corporate Communications Manager.

The South African Publication Awards, which were launched in 2002, are held annually. They cover broad categories, ranging from web, digital, magazines (internal and external) newsletters (internal and external), Annual Reports, as well as video.

Last year, the CSIR was a finalist in the external Magazine category and took the second runner up position for the corporate website.