Leading communicator in progressive business thinking and opinion, EP Business in Hospitality, has announced an independent joint venture with Catering Scotland (CIS) in a bid to raise the bar for quality food provision in Scottish schools.
The EPCIS Excellence Awards aim to showcase the commitment of schools across Scotland that are working to improve the health and wellbeing of students via high quality catering and nutrition education.
The new awards will recognise and reward educational establishments – including state-run, private and further education institutions - for innovation in foodservice, sustainability, healthy living and catering excellence. As well as celebrating the highest levels of achievement in foodservice provision, the awards will also help the Scottish education sector to reach new benchmarks in nutritional excellence.
Chris Sheppardson, CEO at EP Business in Hospitality, explained, “The link between substandard nutrition and poor mental health has become a central theme upon which more and more businesses are now focusing.Consequently, foodservice has never been more important in promoting health, nutrition and wellbeing.
“It’s clear that the education sector is starting to recognise the link between healthier lifestyles and the positive impact this can have on a child’s productivity at school. This is fuelling an appetite for real change in the sector particularly as demand for improving both the physical and mental wellbeing of the young continues to grow, schools are making the connection in terms of the important role food and nutrition plays.”
Alex Buchanan, co-founder of the EPCIS Excellence Awards for the Scottish hospitality industry, added, “Schools and other educational establishments are making concerted efforts to accommodate increased demand from parents, staff and students for higher quality foodservice provision.
'Independent schools and colleges across the country are reinventing their offerings to reflect a healthier lifestyle, including healthy eating, mental health awareness, wellbeing initiatives and greater nutritional and cookery education.”
The EPCIS Excellence Awards will celebrate Scotland’s schools, colleges, universities, caterers and suppliers who are forging new links with pupils, staff and students and reaching new benchmarks in excellence across Scotland.
Judged by an independent panel of experts from the foodservice, education and business sectors, the EPCIS Excellence Awards include the following categories:
The Community Benefits Award
The Healthier Food Award
The Hospitality Education Award
The Healthy Living Innovation Award
The Independent Education Chef of the Year Award
The Bursar of the Year Award
The Student Chef of the Year Award
The Contract Caterer Award
The In-House Caterer Award
The Sustainability Award
The Marketing Award
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Award