The Produce World Group, whose recently opened headquarters is at Lynch Wood, Peterborough, has announced the results of its first-ever internal awards scheme. The awards, called The Pride of Produce World, were given out at a ceremony held at the Peterborough Marriott. Nominations were considered from the Group’s five companies in the UK, as well as its headquarters in Peterborough.
Among the winners was the HQ-based IT department, which walked away with the coveted title of Team of the Year. This was in recognition of its work in re-locating the company’s server room. Head of IT Simon Callow said: “In a business the size of Produce World, spread across a number of sites, and with sophisticated IT supporting its operations, this was no easy task. The team work tirelessly, often working late or coming in at weekends in order to deliver the project ahead of time. They are all delighted to receive this recognition.”
The three other awards all went to staff at Produce World Marshalls, the Group’s brassica business based at Boston in Lincolnshire. Factory manager Richard Heppleston was awarded the title of Colleague of the Year for his work in leading the processing team. The award for Outstanding Innovation of the Year went to the Field Factory, which has been introduced to allow broccoli to be packed in the field.
Forklift truck driver Kevin Forman won the award for Community Impact. Produce World’s innovative corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme encourages staff from the company to become involved in their local communities, and Kevin is a member of the Parish Council, a Governor at the local primary school, and a fundraiser for playground facilities for local children in his village of Butterwick.
Produce World CEO William Burgess said: “As a business we have invested a lot of time and money in developing our staff and empowering them to play a greater role in their workplaces. Our CSR programme is award-winning and encourages people to take responsibility both inside and outside the workplace. It’s great to see some excellent examples of this philosophy in action, and to be able to recognise just some of the individuals who contribute to the ongoing success of Produce World.”