The cHeRries Awards
The Press and Journal and The Courier are delighted to present The cHeRries Awards in association with Mattioli Woods.
The awards recognise excellence in the fields of human resources, training and recruitment.
Entries are open from Monday 8th November until midnight on Sunday 5th December, 2021.
Now in their 14th year, The cHeRries Awards will take place on Thursday 24th March, 2022, at P&J Live, Aberdeen.
We are also delighted to announce that following the success of the virtual conference in February 2021, we will be bringing you a live conference during the day on Thursday 24th March, 2022, at P&J Live. You can find out more information about the conference at www.cherriesconference.co.uk
For all event enquiries please contact Laura Adam (Event Manager) on laadam@dctmedia.co.uk 07976 702707
For all sponsorship enquiries please contact Carole Bruce on carole.bruce@ajl.co.uk 07799 545753
Key Dates
| 8 Nov 2021 | Entries Open |
| 5 Dec 2021 | Entries Close |
| 24 Mar 2022 | Conference and Award Ceremony |
Shortlist
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1
Sponsored By:
- Claire Morrice, Sodexo
- Lynn Birse, Dolphin Drilling
- Winner Sarah McCarvel, LifeScan Scotland Ltd
Sponsored By:
1
Excellent HR Manager
*Please don’t be misled by your title, as this award category can also accept entries from HR Advisors, dependant on the size of your organisation. If you are unsure, please submit your entry to laadam@dctmedia.co.uk and we will ensure your entry is submitted within the correct award category.
This award will be presented to an Excellent HR Manager who, in the past 12 months, has made a clear and measurable impact on the organisation as part of the HR Team or as the sole HR professional.
Nominees should be able to evidence impact by providing measurable and quantifiable results. This is likely to have been achieved through a programme of development, implementation and integration of policies and practices, and/or initiatives which clearly support organisational objectives and which have made a significant impact on the organisation’s success.
Judges will be looking for evidence of:
- The individual’s contribution to the leadership & development of the HR team or the workforce as a whole
- Impact on organisational objectives and organisational culture
- Commercial awareness
Shortlist
- Claire Morrice, Sodexo
- Lynn Birse, Dolphin Drilling
- Winner Sarah McCarvel, LifeScan Scotland Ltd
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2
Sponsored By:
- Global Energy Group
- Winner University of Aberdeen
- VSA
Sponsored By:
2
Exceptional Wellbeing in the Workplace
This award will be presented to an individual or team who have developed, implemented and sustained a wellbeing strategy within their workplace over the last 12 months. The strategy should be supported by Leadership and engage all employees.
Nominees should be able to demonstrate a clear and genuine commitment to wellbeing in the workplace, and how this aligns to their core values, company culture or key objectives.
Judges will be looking for evidence of:
- Visible leaders who put wellbeing at the heart of their workplace and lead by example
- How a psychologically safe and supportive environment has promoted a positive wellbeing culture
- How the strategy has been developed, implemented and communicated throughout the organisation and evaluation of their outcomes
- What resources were used whether internal or external
Shortlist
- Global Energy Group
- Winner University of Aberdeen
- VSA
-
3
Sponsored By:
- Carnoustie Golf Links
- Winner Stork
- Worley
Sponsored By:
3
Exemplary Employer of Choice
This award will be presented to an organisation which clearly demonstrates that people are genuinely at the heart of the business and that the business strategy is inclusive, the business values are clearly embedded in the culture of the organisation and has the commitment of the whole organisation.
Nominees should be able to demonstrate how a strong employee focussed culture within the organisation has helped employees feel valued and what effect that has had on outcomes.
Judges will be looking for evidence of:
- Excellent staff communication and engagement practices
- Personal and professional development opportunities offered to staff to further their growth within the organisation
- Creative initiatives proven to enhance employee engagement, retention and staff recognition
Shortlist
- Carnoustie Golf Links
- Winner Stork
- Worley
-
4
- Highly Commended Alex Fairlie, Carnoustie Golf Links
- Winner Gail Buchan, Worley
- Shirley-Ann MacKenzie, LifeScan Scotland Ltd
- Suzanne Coutts, Dolphin Drilling
4
Fantastic HR Advisor
*Please don’t be misled by your title, as this award category can also accept entries from HR Managers, dependant on the size of your organisation. If you are unsure, please submit your entry to laadam@dctmedia.co.uk and we will ensure your entry is submitted within the correct award category.
This award will be presented to a HR Advisor who, in the past 12 months has gained respect from their client base by ensuring high visibility and face to face contact while proactively delivering a high standard of HR service and solutions.
Nominees should be able to demonstrate that they have undertaken duties or initiatives beyond expectations. They should be recognised as contributing to the success of the team and the organisation whilst being eager to commit to their continuing professional development and provide evidence of how this supports their ability to understand their business and apply and adapt best practice to suit the needs of their clients.
Judges will be looking for evidence of:
- Their individual impact within the organisation
- Their individual HR service and solutions
- Measurement of their performance and achievements in the last twelve months
- Learning from CPD activities undertaken in the preceding year
- Relationship management
Shortlist
- Alex Fairlie, Carnoustie Golf Links
- Winner Gail Buchan, Worley
- Shirley-Ann MacKenzie, LifeScan Scotland Ltd
- Suzanne Coutts, Dolphin Drilling
-
5
Sponsored By:
- Winner Carol Munro, CNOOC
Sponsored By:
5
Local HeRo Award
Recognising someone in the field of HR who, out with their day to day job, continually commits their time and efforts to volunteering, fundraising or otherwise supporting good causes in their community.
An ordinary person doing extraordinary things for their community.
Nominees should be able to demonstrate evidence of their fundraising activities, and how this has impacted their community.
Judges will be looking for evidence of:
- Activities deriving support or help to their community
- Any fundraising activities (if appropriate)
- Personal development or enhancement as a result of their voluntary contributions
- How have they made a difference?
Shortlist
- Winner Carol Munro
-
6
Sponsored By:
- Winner Elaine Ramage, Entier
Sponsored By:
6
Outstanding HR Director
This award will be presented to an individual operating at executive level who has demonstrated outstanding performance, leadership, innovation as their contribution towards the organisation’s strategic goals and objectives in the last twelve months. Operating at Board / Senior Executive Leadership Team level nominees should be able to demonstrate how they have met business objectives and their impact on the organisation.
Judges will be looking for evidence of:
- The individual’s contribution to strategy
- The individual’s leadership qualities
- The individual adding quantifiable value to the business
- Specific achievements within the timescale
- The value their function has made on the organisation’s performance
Shortlist
- Winner Elaine Ramage
-
7
Sponsored By:
- Grant Rae, University of Aberdeen
- Winner Julie Strong, Stork
- Highly Commended Keri Campbell, Worley
Sponsored By:
7
Rising Star Award
This award will be presented to an individual who is in the early stages of their HR career, an up and coming talent within the field who demonstrates an outstanding attitude to their work.
Nominees should be able to demonstrate a genuine commitment to developing a career within Human Resource Management, and who understands the contribution that HR professionals bring to an organisation.
Judges will be looking for evidence of:
- That the individual goes above and beyond expectations
- That there have been clear achievements attributable to this individual in the last twelve months.
- That they bring a fresh dynamic to the team and the organisation
- An understanding of the organisation’s aims, goals, objectives, values and culture and their contribution
- Clear career and personal development goals
Shortlist
- Grant Rae, University of Aberdeen
- Winner Julie Strong, Stork
- Keri Campbell, Worley
-
8
Sponsored By:
- Winner Peterson, HR and Core29 Business Intelligence Team
- Highly Commended University of Aberdeen, HR Team
- Wood plc, People and Organisation, Professional Services - UK Team
Sponsored By:
8
Terrific Team of the Year
This award will be presented to a team, either an established HR team or a team which has been formed to complete a specific HR project.
Nominees should be able to demonstrate how the team have excelled and how this has been recognised across the organisation.
Judges will be looking for evidence of:
- The team successfully partnering with the wider organisation to achieve functional or cross functional success
- Innovation and collaboration
- How the team has impacted on the overall success of the company
- Sustainable teamwork and continuous improvement plans
Shortlist
- Winner Peterson, HR and Core29 Business Intelligence Team
- University of Aberdeen, HR Team
- Wood plc, People and Organisation, Professional Services - UK Team
-
9
Sponsored By:
- Global Energy Group
- Winner VSA
- Wood plc
Sponsored By:
9
Tremendous Learning and Development
This award will be presented to either an individual or team who in the last 12 months have demonstrated a strong commitment to designing and delivering innovative and cohesive learning and development programmes for their organisations. This may be for a one-off project or for transformational sustainable learning and development within the organisation.
Nominees should be able to demonstrate that there was measurable improvement between the business’ training and development and the performance of organisation, teams and/or individuals.
Judges will be looking for evidence of:
- Innovative learning and development progress or implementation of learning from best practice with evidence of costs and value for money/return on investment.
- A strong relationship between the outcomes of such programmes and the organisation’s strategic aims and objectives
- A direct link to and from Performance Management processes
- How the programme(s) will be undertaken going forward or otherwise be sustainable
- How the programme(s) and/or initiatives were impacted by, and mitigated against, COVID
- Evidence of what the individual or team had to do to compensate and adapt due to COVID
Shortlist
- Global Energy Group
- Winner VSA
- Wood plc
-
10
Sponsored By:
- Winner William MacColl
Sponsored By:
10
The Top cHeRry Award for Outstanding Contribution
The Top cHeRry Award for Outstanding Contribution is the most prestigious cHeRry award to be won. The award is presented to an individual who has been nominated by peers within the industry.
It may recognise an HR professional reaching the end of their career who has made an impact beyond the organisations in which they were employed, but it may also be someone who is at the pinnacle of their career making an impact on the future of HR, Education, Development of the future workforce or influencing policies and practices beyond their organisation. They should be a recognised leader in their field.
A specially selected panel judge this category together with testimonials and other business ranking information.
Shortlist
- Winner William MacColl
Event Sponsors
Mattioli Woods plc is one of the UK’s leading providers of wealth management and employee benefit services, advising over 10,000 clients with assets under management, administration and advice of over £12 billion. The Mattioli Woods employee benefits team delivers benefit solutions to help clients increase productivity and profitability through improved employee engagement, retention and motivation. These include:
- flexible benefits – our portals allow for all sizes of business, covering employee engagement, total reward statements and employee discounts
- pensions and workplace savings – pensions and group SIPPs
- employee health and wellbeing – financial education, executive financial counselling, healthcare and risk benefits
- specialist services – covering mergers and acquisitions and international
Our wealth management clients, meanwhile, come from many walks of life – from the young entrepreneur in the early stages of their career to the retired property developer couple with a combined wealth of more than £20 million.
Whoever they are, Mattioli Woods is here to help and support our clients in protecting and growing their finances to meet their aims and ambitions.
Visit Mattioli Woods website- flexible benefits – our portals allow for all sizes of business, covering employee engagement, total reward statements and employee discounts
- pensions and workplace savings – pensions and group SIPPs
- employee health and wellbeing – financial education, executive financial counselling, healthcare and risk benefits
- specialist services – covering mergers and acquisitions and international
Mattioli Woods plc is one of the UK’s leading providers of wealth management and employee benefit services, advising over 10,000 clients with assets under management, administration and advice of over £12 billion. The Mattioli Woods employee benefits team delivers benefit solutions to help clients increase productivity and profitability through improved employee engagement, retention and motivation. These include:
Our wealth management clients, meanwhile, come from many walks of life – from the young entrepreneur in the early stages of their career to the retired property developer couple with a combined wealth of more than £20 million.
Whoever they are, Mattioli Woods is here to help and support our clients in protecting and growing their finances to meet their aims and ambitions.
Visit Mattioli Woods websiteactivpayroll is a leading global professional service organisation, providing integrated global and domestic payroll solutions, expatriate taxation services, global HR services and online HR people management tools to over 1,200 companies in more than 150 countries worldwide. With offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Singapore, Florida, Frankfurt, Isle of Man, Paris, Orléans, Dubai, Cape Town, Perth, Australia and most recently, Manchester and Dublin, activpayroll has one of the largest and most experienced international payroll and expatriate tax teams in the world.
Visit activpayroll websiteBilfinger UK is a leading engineering and maintenance provider, supporting customers across the chemical & petrochemical, nuclear, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals & biopharma, power & energy, utilities, renewables and food & beverage markets. We enhance the efficiency of assets, ensuring a high level of availability and reducing maintenance costs. We have extensive experience in offshore and onshore facilities; specialising in asset management services throughout all life cycle phases from consulting, engineering, manufacturing, assembly, operations, maintenance, and decommissioning. This commitment is delivered by an experienced and highly competent workforce of over 4,500 employees operating from 14 offices in strategic industrial hubs, upholding the highest standards of safety, compliance and quality.
Visit Bilfinger UK websiteAs the voice of the people profession in Scotland, the CIPD works closely with our network of members, volunteers, partners and stakeholders to develop the profession and build our policy relevance and reach.
With more than 11,000 CIPD members across Scotland, we sit at the heart of a community of practitioners, members, partners, policymakers and thought leaders in the world of work.
Through our collaborative efforts we’re championing fairer work and better working lives in Scotland.
Visit CIPD websiteLindsay & Lang are a people-focused consultancy concentrating on Whole Person Management. We support businesses to deliver a positive culture in the workplace. We create this by looking at Development, Wellbeing and Communication within the organisation. This includes resilience, self-awareness, mental health, and behaviours to improve the employee experience and the organisation’s productivity and profitability.
Whole Person Management is centred around Wellbeing and Mental Health. Our Wellbeing programmes combine emotional and physical support to encourage organisations to foster an open company culture when it comes to mental health issues.
Whole person management provides the catalyst for a meaningful conversation within the workforce that connects and underpins leadership, people and wellbeing within an organisation. This is even more important in our current challenging climate.
Visit Lindsay and Lang websiteRelyOn Nutec delivers an innovative range of safety services and solutions globally. Our core function is to support our customers develop and sustain healthy and safe work environments ensuring that their personnel have the right skill set to stay safe in hazardous and potentially life-threatening situations.
Since our inception over 3 decades ago, we have been leading the industry, and through the intelligent application of leading-edge technology we have evolved into the preferred end-to-end partner for our customers.
Complemented by our digital learning, leading training simulators, and applications, we deliver safety and technical training to customers across the world. With training centres in 21 countries, our modern facilities cater to delegates in safety critical industries, and are built to emulate real-life environments, featuring state-of-the-art equipment, modern classrooms and training simulators. As our customers’ operations and people have become more technical, we have invested in new digital ways of learning, making the training experience increasingly realistic – and increasingly efficient.
Our market-leading suite of digital applications offers customers a modular approach to managing safety across their business processes while minimising risk and through our managed services and consultancy divisions, we share our subject matter expertise to help our customers build and sustain safe workplaces while protecting their assets and the environment
Visit RelyOn Nutec websiteThe Chester Hotel is Aberdeen’s most stylish venue … and place to eat, drink, meet and sleep.
Set in the heart of Aberdeen’s fashionable west end, we have 72 luxurious bedrooms and suites where you can rest your head for a blissful night’s sleep.
Our extensive Gallery Bar, packed with original contemporary Scottish artwork and a dram fine collection of malt whiskies, is a lively and vibrant space where the cocktails flow and exceptional bar food is served.
From private booths to luxurious seating – the vibe in The Gallery is what you want it to be: cosy or spirited… you decide.
It’s the ultimate meet-up spot. Whether you need your next caffeine fix, or want to sample something special from our extensive cocktail menu whipped up by our master mixologists, you’ll find it here.
The Chester menu ranges from comfort food like burgers, sandwiches and fish and chips to chicken, salmon and prawns cooked in our authentic tandoor oven; every bite is guaranteed to please. The emphasis is on casual dining – but our kitchen team prepares every dish with the same love and attention that goes into our tasting menus at our monthly events.
Visit The Chester Hotel websiteFounded in 1495, The University of Aberdeen is the third oldest University in Scotland. With a community of 120 nationalities and 15,000 students the University is ranked consistently among the world’s top universities.
Our Business School is internationally recognised for its excellence in world-leading research, and was ranked 13th in the UK for Accounting and Finance and 12th for Business Management Studies in the Complete University Guide 2022. Our strength in research means that Masters students benefit from the expertise of staff who are pioneers in their discipline, and the personalised nature of the study experience ensures a high degree of individual contact with leading academics.
The University’s location in Aberdeen – an internationally recognised business centre that boasts the offices of 20 FTSE 100 companies – means that our curriculum is strongly geared towards the needs of industry. Many of our academics began their careers in the business world, and our courses benefit from strong engagement with industry meaning that students are ready to hit the ground running in the workplace.
Another strength of the Business School is the flexibility that we offer to students. There are a number of part-time and distance learning study options, plus we offer all students the chance to break into the business world by converting their undergraduate degree from any discipline, in any background, into a highly valuable Masters degree in accounting, finance, economics, marketing, or real estate.
With academics at the forefront of research and teaching, and a curriculum that is relevant to the needs of industry, the University of Aberdeen Business School is a place where students can benefit from a highly personalised and flexible study experience that will considerably enhance their job prospects and set them on a path to a brilliant career.
Visit University of Aberdeen Business School websiteWood is a global leader in consulting and engineering across energy and the built environment, helping to unlock solutions to some of the world’s most critical challenges. We provide consulting, projects and operations solutions in more than 60 countries, employing around 40,000 people.
Visit Wood website
We deliver project and asset services for the energy, chemicals and resources sectors around the world. We provide expertise in engineering, procurement and construction, as well as consulting services. Every day we help our customers get one step closer to solving our planet’s toughest issues, such as climate change, the energy transition, digital transformation and how we can deliver a more sustainable world.
Visit Worley websiteJudges
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John Booth
Chief Operating Officer, VSA
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Paul Matthews
Head of Employability and Professional Enrichment, Robert Gordon University
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Roger Hunt
Chief of Business Services, AGS Airports Ltd
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Sylvia Halkerston
Consultant & Non-Executive Director
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Wendy Atkinson
Business Development Manager, Mattioli Woods
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Helen Stuart
HR Director and Non-Executive Director
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Louise Lang
Co-Founder and Director, Lindsay & Lang
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Lorna Duguid
Development Director Life Sciences, Opportunity North East (ONE)
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Andrew Knight
Partner, Burness Paull LLP
Gallery
Contact Us
For sponsorship enquiries please contact Carole Bruce
t. 07799 545753
e. carole.bruce@ajl.co.uk
For event enquiries please contact Laura Adam
t. 07976 702707
e. laadam@dctmedia.co.uk