Epstein to put Sabga Award funds towards social initiatives
Published:Monday | June 10, 2024 | 12:06 AMAshley Anguin/Gleaner Writer
Yoni Epstein, chairman and CEO of itel, became the 13th laureate from Jamaica to receive the Anthony N. Sabga prestigious Caribbean Excellence Award last weekend.
The annual event was held at Hilton Barbados Hotel in Barbados recently. Epstein won in the entrepreneurship category and was one of five laureates who received an award at the gala ceremony.
He joined Jamaican past recipients, such as Marlon James, who was honoured in 2022; Kimala Bennett and Professor Michael Taylor in 2019; and Professor Kei Miller in 2018.
The Anthony N. Sabga Awards, Caribbean Excellence were established in 2005 to recognise and support excellence in human endeavour that uplifts the region.
“As someone that has built itel from day one, itel has won many international accolades over the years for the work that we do. But to be acknowledged by your peers in your Caribbean, there is no greater achievement [than] being acknowledged at home or the region that you live in,” Epstein told The Gleaner.
“I am truly honoured to have been bestowed this award for the work that itel has done throughout the Caribbean under my leadership. We have taken the BPO (business process outsourcing) industry to the world and competed against massive global destinations and companies, and we’ve succeeded. At itel, the sky’s the limit,” he added.
Workplace, nat’l welfare
As the founding chairman and CEO of itel, the Caribbean’s largest homegrown business process outsourcer, Epstein is being recognised “for his Caribbean success in the fiercely competitive global sphere of business process outsourcing.
Among other things, the Foundation’s Committee and Regional Eminent Persons Panel cited “that his company’s growth has been occasioned, at least in part, by particular care and regard for the workplace welfare of itel employees”.
The Committee and Panel also acknowledged Epstein’s commitment to national welfare and Caribbean expansion, and for being a significant employer of Caribbean nationals.
Epstein also received $11 million to be used towards itel’s 4Ys Foundation.
“I intend to use this to support the efforts of Itel’s 4Ys Foundation which supports social initiatives in the areas of education, environment, innovation and sport,” he told The Gleaner.
The ANSA McAL Foundation administers the Anthony N. Sabga Awards, Caribbean Excellence. The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the ANSA McAL Group and is substantially funded by the Group and its own investments.
To date, the ANSA McAL Foundation has recognised the work of 62 Caribbean nationals and has since awarded over TT$30 million in support.
The awards are made in four areas: arts and letters, science and technology, public and civic contributions and entrepreneurship.