Welcome to Topco
As South Africa’s leader in business research, recognition and networking, Topco Media has helped over 2 500 organisations during its 21 years – including multinationals like Microsoft, McDonalds, Mercedes-Benz and Coca Cola. We have worked with government departments including the GCIS, DTI, DIRCO and DEA; with agencies such as Brand SA, BBC and BUSA and with all of the major Public Entities including, in recent times, the Richards Bay and Coega IDZs. Among the many JSE-listed companies with ties to Topco are Standard Bank, PPC and Anglo American. The 10 000 organisations we research each year trust us to use quantitative and qualitative data to objectively grant external accreditation to the best-managed and best-performing companies in South Africa; to its BEE and gender parity leaders; to implementers of national development and to HR/tech innovators. This external accreditation carries significant weight in the market. From my own 21 years at Topco, I can give you several examples of how it has helped these organisations. Through the Top Empowerment platform Microsoft, for example, entrenched its image as a multinational demonstrably committed to BEE in South Africa. Through listing in Topco’s Top 300 Companies of the Western Cape publication, many years ago, Old Mutual secured a host of new business clients. There are many more such case studies within the huge bank of data we have aggregated on South Africa’s private and public sector.
Have a conversation with us today, about what partnership with Topco Media will do for you.
“We, as an organisation, are excited to see the power of positivity spread.”
– Ralf Fletcher
Who are we?
At TopCo Media, we do things differently. We know how unique your service offering is, which is why we’ve aligned our services to your business. As a business driver in your business, you are continuously looking for ways in which to grow your bottom line. And we know it’s not easy, which is why our services are directly aligned to your strategy. Our services range from hosting a summit, with state of the art speakers. You are welcome to become an event exhibitor, or join us as a delegate. We have other bespoke services including an annual publication featuring South African leaders and Top Performers, as well as qualitative and quantitative research to further grow your business.
Our Vision | Networking the nation’s Performers
26 years ago, in as new democracy, we launched Topco with the aim of giving the best South African companies the market exposure they deserved. Everywhere we looked, we saw organisations, and their leaders, rallying to the needs of empowerment, skills development, job creation and sustainability, while also raising the benchmark in terms of performance. At a time when professional business directories and events were still nascent, we set out to research, identify and showcase top-performing companies to each other, to local and international investors and to key decision-makers in government. Our mission was to promote and award these companies but, in doing so, we further sought to grow an informal network in which the country’s thought-leaders would talk, exchange ideas and form meaningful partnerships to tackle economic challenges and grow South Africa’s prospects as a global competitor, for the good of all her people. Over the years, our network has grown into a cluster of networks, spanning different focus areas from empowerment and gender equality to public sector excellence and the National Development PLan (NDP). Today, the wealth of business knowledge our researchers have amassed is a unique property in the business arena; and our annual awards, conferences and publications collectively engage thousands of organisations and business leaders, who share an optimistic vision for South Africa, and the commitment to turn that vision into measurable progress. The Topco approach is now having ramifications beyond our borders, with the establishment of Zambia Top 300 Companies and Government Departments, in partnership with KPMG.
We, as an organisation, are excited to see the power of positivity spread.
We’re proud of our Brands
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Why choose Topco Media?

Awards
Topco Media hosts several annual awards ceremonies that showcase industry leaders in performance, empowerment, women leadership, HR, innovation and national development.

Conferences
The conferences that accompany our awards bring together top decision-makers and thought leaders to workshop and stimulate economy-wide advancement in these areas.

Research
Our Research Department focuses purely on surveying and researching thousands of organisations in order to identify the economy’s top companies and leaders.

Intelligence
Through its 21 years of research, Topco Media has built up a unique overview of corporate best practice, innovation and success, drawn from submissions by thousands of businesses and business leaders.

Grown beyond borders
The Topco library of information contains accurate information on 12000 organisations in every market sector, going back two decades.

Benchmarking
This research informs our trusted benchmarking of South Africa’s top performing, most empowered and most innovative organisations in every market sector.

Business to business
Topco Media facilitates the growth of partnerships within and between the public and private sectors via conferences, summits and Fast Track Networking (FTN) events.

Publications
A continually-updated databank informs our portfolio of annual publications, viewed as essential reference material by governmental and business decision-makers.

Custom Publications
Topco handles external commissions for magazines and books, such as the South African government’s Public Sector Manager
Topco News
Wayne Zwiers on gearing up shop amidst COVID-19, and tracking key trends post COVID-19 to reinvent your business model and re-energise your team culture
Founder and CEO at BASALT, Cape Town, Wayne Zwiers, is passionate about being a tech solutions builder, witnessing amazing advancements in society from brilliant African tech companies, creating a holistic workplace environment that inspires employees.
How to develop intrapreneurial thinking among employees – 7 tips
Every crisis contains hidden opportunity. One of the COVID-19 ripple effects is an acceleration of innovation strategies within organisations. In essence, if you want your company to be agile, you will need to create a breeding ground for intrapreneurs.
Momentum Metropolitan: pivoting from product to people
Congratulations on being a finalist at the Future of HR Awards in the Best Use of Technology category. Why is entering award ceremonies such as the Future of HR important for Metropolitan Momentum?
Topco Media’s Certification
From the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry

Across several sector-specific iconic brands – Top 500, Top Women and more – Topco is proud to bring together the key decision makers shaping South Africa’s economic future today.