JTI South Africa wins Top Employer award for 2025

Kedibone Letsika, people and culture director at JTI South Africa

As a leading international tobacco and vaping company, JTI employs over 46,000 people from around the world and sells its products in more than 130 markets. JTI South Africa, which employs 161 people, is one of its leading subsidiaries when it comes to demonstrating an outstanding dedication to its employees.

“JTI South Africa is thrilled to have been acknowledged as a leading place to work, not just in South Africa but across the globe. This award, which we have now won for the seventh time, confirms that we are entirely committed to our people by providing them with the time, tools and resources necessary to thrive, succeed and bring their human best to work,” says Kedibone Letsika, people and culture director atJTI South Africa.

The Top Employers Institute, the bestower of the award, is the chief global authority on HR and HR strategy and recognises companies from around the world for their outstanding HR policies and practices. Its programme certifies organisations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. The survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity & Inclusion, Wellbeing and more.

A few of the reasons which ensured that JTI scooped the award as a Global Top Employer are as follows:

• Flexible working conditions which allow employees to choose how, when, and where they work.

• Employees and their families receive exceptional emotional support through the global family leave policy. This provides equal opportunity for both parents to settle in and spend time with their newborns.

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) which is a central pillar to JTI’s culture and guides all strategic thinking.

• Abundant tools and resources are given to its diverse staff body to ensure they can thrive.

• JTI’s special focus on females in leadership and broad-based Black economic empowerment objectives.

• The 'Our Way' behaviours programme which ensures JTI employees are equipped to bring their best self to work.

“People are at the heart of everything we do at JTI South Africa. This award not only recognises our commitment to our team but also reinforces to both current and future talent that their career journey with us will be long, fulfilling, and full of opportunities for success,” says Seshan Naidoo, general manager at JTI South Africa.