Accor triumphs at Springboard Awards for Excellence 2015
The employment charity's awards at Chelsea Football Club also saw Oakman Inns & Restaurants, Red Carnation and PPHE Hotel Group perform well, with each company receiving two awards.
Springboard chief executive Anne Pierce said judges had a 'tough task' to pick winners in each of the 17 categories this year, but said it was a pleasure to be able to reward the winners.
“What a fantastic night of celebration to reward people, organisations and projects that work to raise the profile of the hospitality sector and to attract and retain talent to this great industry," she added.
Philip Addison vice president human resources, Accor UK & Ireland, whose company picked up Best Regional Initiative Award, The Young People Award and Diversity in Employment Award, said: “These awards recognise Accor’s commitment to excellence in people management and to young people in particular. We are very proud of our Hospitality Futures programme which is now in its third year and helps unemployed young people take their first steps into a career in our industry.”
The awards, now in their 12th year, are designed to celebrate and reward inspiring people, organisations and initiatives within hospitality.
Edwardian Group, awarded the Best Food & Beverage Strategy Award for its 'The Service World's a Stage' food and beverage training initiative, welcomed the recognition for its work. The company has had a 75 per cent retention rate among food and beverage service assistants who had gone through its five day training and assessment programme.
Russ Brown, group F&B director, said: "Over the last two years, F&B has been a key focus for us as a hospitality group and the opening of our flagship Scoff & Banter restaurant in South Kensington and our launch of the May Fair Kitchen in Stratton Street clearly demonstrates that. The Steak and Lobster brand additionally continues to flourish and grow, with our fifth branch due to open later this year.
Providing the best available training for all of our F&B employees is integral to offering customers what they expect from these eateries and we feel that the Springboard Award is a great accolade in recognition of this.”
Springboard Awards for Excellence 2015 Winners:
- The Springboard Ambassador Award: Sarah Walsh, Red Carnation Hotels
- Best Regional Initiative Award – sponsored by Bibendum: Accor UK & Ireland Hotels
- The Education Pipeline Award - sponsored by Service Line: InterContinental London Park Lane
- Best Work Experience Provider Award – sponsored by James Hallam: PPHE Hotel Group
- Best Use of Digital Media Award – sponsored by drp: Delaware North
- Best Recruitment Initiative Award – sponsored by Caterer.com: The Brookwood Partnership
- The Young People Award - sponsored by American Express: Accor UK & Ireland Hotels
- Best Housekeeping Strategy - sponsored by Bonasystems: Oakman Inns and Restaurants
- Best Chef Development Strategy - sponsored by Gram UK: Lexington Catering
- Best Management Development Strategy – sponsored by Lifetime Training: Red Carnation Hotels
- Best Food & Beverage Development Strategy – sponsored by Handpicked Hotels: Edwardian Group, London
- Diversity in Employment Award: Accor UK & Ireland Hotels
- Best Career Progression Award – sponsored by Zenith Hygiene: PPHE Hotel Group
- The Retention Award: Boodles
- The Corporate Responsibility Award – sponsored by Powerful Allies: River Cottage Chefs' School
- Best Employer Award – Collins King & Associates: Oakman Inns & Restaurants
- The very special Chris Beaumont Special Award – sponsored by Bidvest 3663: Alastair Storey, BaxterStorey
