Every Friday, The Press & Journal publishes a weekly round-up of some of the many positive business stories from across the north and north-east.
Here are some of this week’s highlights:
Aberdeenshire whisky shop toasts five star national tourism rating
An Aberdeenshire whisky shop and tasting room has been awarded VisitScotland’s highest Quality Assurance (QA) grading.
Still Spirit on the outskirts of Pitmedden near Ellon and part of Whisky Hammer auction house – has been awarded the national tourism organisation’s five star Tourist Shop award.
“As a fairly young business, we’re always looking for ways to improve our offering and give customers the best possible experience in store and at our dram bar,” said Still Spirit managing director Daniel Milne.
“The 5 Star rating from VisitScotland is a welcome acknowledgement we’re moving in the right direction as a business and helping to strengthen tourism in the local area in the process.”
Scheme benefits tourism businesses and visitors
VisitScotland regional director David Jackson added: “I hope the success of Still Spirit sets an example to other businesses to join the scheme, which benefits tourism businesses and visitors alike.
“It is vital everyone involved in tourism works together to offer visitors a fantastic experience when visiting and staying in Aberdeenshire, to strengthen our tourism offering.”
EJ Parker Technical Services appointed to Crown Commercial Services framework
EJ Parker Technical Services has been named as a supplier on the Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) Facilities Management and Workplace Services Framework.
The framework gives all government departments and public sector organisations access to facilities management (FM) and workplace services across the UK.
The business will be involved in services including mechanical, electrical, ventilation and power systems maintenance in addition to other core services around compliance and sustainability.
Parker Technical Services Scotland managing director Robert Molloy said: “Being appointed to this high-profile framework is testament to the expertise and broad skill base of the team at Parker.”
In 2020/21, CCS, which supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services, achieved commercial benefits equal to £2.8 billion.
Diversity and inclusion success for AFBE-UK Scotland’s Transcend programme
Diversity and inclusion organisation AFBE-UK Scotland has operated its first senior leadership programme to help ethnic minority professionals progress into leadership roles.
The virtual programme, which ran for 10 weeks, was delivered through a series of sessions aimed at unearthing barriers to career progression and charting a path to leadership.
AFBE-UK Scotland leadership coordinator Roy Bitrus, who leads the Transcend programme, had been working on the training course for more than two years prior to its start date.
Mr Bitrus said: “It is a great joy to see a project that started as a conversation with AFBE-UK Scotland chairman Ollie Folayan in 2019 come to fruition. It has been nothing but rewarding.
“We aim to roll out the Transcend programme to companies and organisations soon to help train and inspire technical professionals to be effective leaders and promote diversity at management and executive levels.”