The BSP Fiji Human Resources Institute Awards night – a night long awaited by many – took place last night with representatives from companies from around the country in attendance.

The companies ranged from businesses in the private and public sectors with their representatives gathered at the Holiday Inn Suva. The awards night was to recognise and award a driving force behind businesses, specifically human capital.

Permanent secretary for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Salaseini Serulagilagi Daunabuna was the chief guest at the event.

Fiji Human Resource Institute president Kameli Batiweti emphasised that human capital was a vital part of every company.

An advertisement of expression of interest was advertised for nominations and 25 applications were received.

“Of the 25, 11 were nominations for the Organisational Award while eight were for the Senior Practitioners Awards and 6 for the Junior Practitioner Award.

“Once we had received all of the nominations, we had the evaluators evaluate the organisations whereby the chief executive officers, peers, subordinates and a few customers of the nominees were interviewed,” Mr Batiweti said.

After the evaluation process was completed, the results were handed to four judges who made the final call.

Sponsors: BSP, ASCO MOTORS, FIJI WATER, AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RESOURCE INSTITUTE, SOFITEL RESORT AND HOLIDAY INN

Senior Practitioner Award:

2017 Senior Practitioner Award winner, Shandhika Sharon Naidu was from Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort.

She graduated from her Bachelors in Human Resource Management at the Central Queensland University in Australia in 2005. She returned to Fiji the same year.

“When I came back to Fiji, at that time human resource was not popular. There were not many roles in human resources so I started my own coffee shop in Lautoka known as Region Café for two-and-a-years,” said Ms Naidu.

In late 2007, she then joined the Tanoa Hotels Group for four years.

She then joined the Outrigger family in 2012 as an employee relations manager and earned her way up to being part of the executive team and became the director of human resources.

2017 Senior Practitioner Award winner, Shandhika Sharon Naidu from Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort at the BSP Fiji Human Resources Institute Awards night at Holiday Inn Suva on May 27, 2017.  Photo: Monica Aguilar

Organisation Recognition Award:

Among the winners of this award, West-based Future Farms Limited, trading as Rooster Poultry, is one of the major poultry processors in Fiji.

The company is wholly owned by BSP Fiji Life Ltd and has more than 300 employees.

Its operation offices are based in Ba and Lautoka.

The company owns a total of six operation sights with four contract chicken growers.

In line with one of their core values, general manager Stanley Raniga said the company assists a community in Vanua in exchange for growing chickens. One of them is Lalita Village in Ba.

Recently the company had received a recognition award based on it systems in place.

“Although we are based in Ba, we are very close to what is required in terms of human capital development and we have several programmes in place to encourage human resource development,” Mr Raniga said.

The company was awarded an ISO certificate 22000, which is the international standard for food safety.

Last November they had also received the Business Excellence Award.

“It is good that external bodies are recognising us. It is good to be recognised by others and be awarded or certified by independent organizations that recognise us for who we are,” Mr Raniga said.

OTHER WINNERS:

ORGANISATION DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP

FHRI Excellence Award 2017: Vodafone Fiji Limited

FHRI Recognition Award 2017:

Water Authority of Fiji

Fijian Holdings Limited

Future Farms Limited t/a Rooster Poultry

SENIOR PRACTITIONER AWARD

Gold Winner: Shandhika Sharon Naidu, Outrigger Fiji Resort

Silver Winner: Amisha Vaghela, RC Manubhai & Co Ltd

Bronze Winner: Seema Kumar, Future Farms Limited t/a Rooster Poultry

YOUNG HR PRACTITIONER AWARD

Gold Winner: Moureen Chand, Vodafone Fiji Ltd

Silver Winner: Ravinesh Shankar, Water Authority of Fiji

Bronze Winner: Mohammed Siraz Hassan, Fiji Electricity Authority

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

Feedback:  monica.aguilar@fijisun.com.fj