Host announces two ISO accreditations

Independent, national contract caterer Host has been awarded quality assurance accreditation ISO 9001 for its quality management and ISO 14001 for its environmental management systems.The accreditations took just over three months to achieve with Host passing the two standards simultaneously at the first attempt, putting it into the top 1% of certified companies. The awards cover the company’s head office in Liss, Hampshire, and one of its B&I catering units in Cambridge, which feeds over 500 staff.

“We are delighted to announced we have now got these two important accreditations,” said Host quality and HSE director Mike Chubb. “This clearly demonstrates that we have a consistent, quality driven approach to the way the business operates and a sustainable approach to environmental management.

“Our quality and environmental management processes are active across all Host sites. It’s our intention to roll out the formal ISO internal audit process to ensure their entire business community is working towards achieving these quality and environmental business objectives. In this way we can seek immediate accreditation for additional contract sites in the future, especially where our clients feel it will add value to their business.”

The accreditations come in what is already proving a pivotal year for Host. A new corporate look was unveiled last month, focusing on five icons as core company values – honest food, bright ideas, passionate people, careful spending and ethical approach. The company also announced strong trading results for 2009 – with pre-tax profits rising from £41,000 to £209,000.

Host currently operates over 75 contracts in the business & industry, education and healthcare sectors and employs 550+ staff.

For further information, interviews or comment please contact Linda Pettit at Tilburstow Media Partners on 01737 823721/07973 789853 or email linda@tilburstowmedia.co.uk.

Photography: a picture of Mike Chubb, Host’s HSE and Quality Director is attached.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Host is an independent, nationally based, environmentally friendly contract catering company, partly owned by the company management through an EMI share option scheme. The company was founded in 2004 and is directed by award winning contractor and former restaurateur Jerry Brand.

Host has contracts in England, Scotland and Wales including business & industry, directors and partners dining rooms, conference facilities, independent (prep, senior and 6th form) schools, Beacon state schools, further and higher education, and care homes and hospices in the healthcare industry in. The Host organisation operators over 75 contracts and employs 550+ staff.

In 1988 Jerry Brand established the successful contract catering company Russell & Brand (R&B), which in 1994/95 became the 2nd fastest-growing private company in the UK. In 1996 R&B was sold to US-based Marriott to spearhead its launch into the UK contract catering market.

Jerry Brand founded Host with the same business principles he used at R&B: to offer clients a fair deal by following a code of business ethics; to develop a good working relationship with both client and employee; and to allow staff and management sufficient empowerment to run their areas of responsibility as if they were running their own business.

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