SGS AWARDS SERENA HOTELS’ UGANDA PROPERTIES WITH FOOD SAFETY EXCELLENCE
(Posted 08th October 2015)
Both Serena properties in Uganda, the Kampala Serena Hotel and the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort, were earlier this week handed their certification from global inspection giant SGS for passing the stringent audit on food safety excellence.
It is understood that the two hotels scored 87 and 85 percent pass marks respectively, giving patrons of the two properties the assurance that the globally highest standards are being applied and maintained when the kitchen teams prepare those delicious meals.
Mr. Ronald Watsiera delivered the two awards to Serena’s Country Manager Mr. Anthony Chege, who is also the General Manager of the Kampala Serena Hotel and to Mr. Frankline Nyankundi, the General Manager of the new Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort. During the brief handover ceremony did Ronald then say: ‘We extend our heartiest congratulations for successfully undergoing the rigorous audits and certification to SGS HOSPTALITY EXCELLENCE PROGRAM standard. Our auditors have witnessed sincere dedication to food safety management controls and continuous improvement and today we recognize your achievement.
Uganda is now operating in a global village and our hospitality industry is part of the extended global supply chains where adherence to global food safety standards is paramount. Your leadership in attaining SGS Hospitality Excellence Program, for the players in the entire food value chain and specifically in the hospitality and tourism industry, sets unmatched example to the region.
The Kampala Serena Hotel and the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort are market leaders in tourism and it is leveraging the country as a unique tourist destination in the region, hospitality will be very crucial, to pass this requirement through the value chain and set yourselves ahead of competition. We appreciate your choice to trail this path of success with a truly global leader like SGS in order to benefit from our experiences in other fast
economies. The SGS Hospitality Excellence Program is an SGS globally registered food safety surveillance
scheme that can be tailored to most food operations including hotels, restaurants, general catering, fast food operations, retail outlets and convenience stores. Robust and yet flexible, it can encompass all aspects of food hygiene and safety in these environments. The scheme can be applied to operations of varying complexity and risk, which allows businesses under the same ownership to be compared in a measurable way. The aim of the scheme is to support establishments to understand how to apply practical, ‘hands-on’ solutions to food safety & hygiene matters. These solutions and their methods are key to fostering the principles that will build a positive food safety & hygiene culture within your establishment. The SGS Hospitality Excellence Program provides benchmark for the food operator to be measured against, and can form the basis of an award or performance measurement scheme. The frequency of audits is determined by previous audit performance, with prior agreement with the client. Team members become more aware of the operating standards, which ultimately enhances service quality. Discerning guests can recognize the impact of the SGS Hospitality Excellence Program, which is likely to influence future buying decisions. SGS has one of the largest global networks of food specialists to undertake SGS Hospitality Excellence Program audits, operating to a documented system with strict quality control procedures applied in each country.
Both properties were in the grading and classification exercise, carried out by the Ministry of Tourism and the Uganda Tourism Board, earlier this year certified as 5star hotels and are broadly perceived as market leaders in the business hotel and resort market. With some 24 properties across Eastern Africa is Serena the undisputed market leader in terms of locations, service quality and operational standards.
