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Chef manager, Mike Russell, from Thurso, Caithness, has been presented with an award in recognition of his work with ESS Support Services Worldwide onboard the ChevronTexaco operated Captain Wellhead Protector Platform (WPPA).

Mike Russell was presented with the Special Recognition award at the first ever ‘Be a Star’ awards ceremony and dinner dance held by the offshore division of ESS, at the Queen’s Hotel in Aberdeen. More than 130 employees and customers attended the inaugural dinner where six awards were presented to three outstanding employees and teams.

Managing director, Peter Bruce, who presented the award, said: “A major factor in Mike gaining this award was his role in ensuring the Captain WPPA was the first-ever offshore installation to win the Scottish Healthy Choices Award.”
This is the first time that an offshore company has ever won the award. The scheme, which was launched in 1997, aims to encourage caterers to influence what people eat and encourage healthy eating to improve the Scottish diet. It is managed and assessed locally by health board health promotion specialists and environmental health specialists.

Mike also picked up a ‘Customer Satisfaction’ award for his team’s work onboard the Captain WPPA. Five teams were short-listed and the Captain WPPA was chosen after customer satisfaction was reviewed through interview questionnaires, service reports and other recorded customer comments and achievements.

“Satisfying customers and clients is central to our work and a great deal of good work goes on throughout the year,” says Peter Bruce. “Last year we presented the awards at a manager’s meeting, but this time round we decided to open it out to a dinner dance in recognition of the people who work for us. This allowed us to invite and recognise the nominees as well as the actual winners and the feedback has been very positive. ‘Be a Star’ has brought us all closer to the business and with over 150 nominees the response has been tremendous.”

ESS operates in more than 50 countries employing 40,000 people. The company provides multi-service capability to major companies and organisations spanning industries as diverse as mining, construction, agriculture, oil and gas exploration and production, as well as infrastructure development in the third world or in countries devastated by war or economic disaster.

The offshore arm of ESS operates out of Aberdeen servicing more than 45 installations including ChevronTexaco, Kerr McGee, Transocean, Subsea 7, Talisman Energy UK Limited, BG Group, PGS, Petrofac, Prosafe, BOL and Technip. Within the offshore industry ESS is the leading provider of catering, hotel keeping and facilities management services.

ESS is a member of Compass Group PLC, the world's largest foodservice organisation with annual revenues in excess of £11 billion and employing more than 375,000 people in over 98 countries. In the UK and Ireland, Compass Group has annual revenues in excess of £3 billion, employing over 110,000 people.