I've just met Group Managing Director of Compass Group UK & Ireland, Ian El-Mokadem at Compass HQ in Uxbridge. Over lunch, Ian (known affectionately as Elmo around the industry) shared his views on People 1st, school meals reform and his vision for the future of the UK's largest foodservice operator.
On People 1st
Elmo said he was supportive of any attempt to simplify the training landscape, but said "I just don't understand what the Dickens [People 1st] are doing. In a year of doing this job, I haven't spoken to them, and haven't seen their agenda very clearly" - this, from a man whose office is a mile down the road from People 1st's offices.
So, can the Skills Passport work?
"If we and other big players say 'yes', it's going to get critical mass - but I wouldn't put money on it working."
On Strengthening Compass UK's client offering
If clients ask, 'why do business with Compass?', Elmo answers that, as well as being empowered to offer their own sector expertise, his various divisions can draw on the strength and depth of the organisation as a whole. To back up this claim, work is going on to strengthen support functions such as IT, training, health and safety and product development. He calls this approach "freedom in a framework". His vision is of a truly joined-up business, proud of its diversity but with all self-imposed barriers knocked down. To achieve this, he needs to create a sense of teamwork and shared focus. Elmo oversees around 7000 sites, employing some 70,000 employees, so the ongoing task of applying and communicating a core set of company values is a complex but crucial one.
Elmo holds up the recent rationalising of the group's fine dining divisions into a single division, Restaurant Associates, as an example of the sort of rethinking planned for other parts of the business. In B&I division Eurest, this will mean realigning the offering and organisational structure to address the challenge of being more retail-savvy and more informed by the increasingly "grab and go" nature of high street dining.
Ongoing restructuring extends to the group's supply chain, which currently encompasses around 9000 products, plus other produce sourced at the local level. Plans are afoot to rationalise the chain and create procurement efficiencies across the group. And chefs are being encouraged to get more involved in the procurement process.
"They should have an involvement at the beginning and the end of every procurement decision", said Elmo.
On School meals standards
Elmo's message to the government mandarins responsible for school food guidelines was: "job done, guys!" In other words, nutritional standards have successfully opened a national debate on the standard of school meals, but the time has come to stop regulating. In particular, he feels the forthcoming ban on cakes and other confectionery at breaktime could have the opposite effect to the one desired, as more children bring snacks in to school with them, and more catering companies cut their losses and withdraw from schools.
Comments (4)
I am surprised to see the comments attributed to Ian El-Mokadem regarding People 1st’s activities. Compass have been a leading supporter of both the strategy work for the sector and People 1st. I am grateful for all of their support. Compass HR director Mike Burton sits on our board and has been a driving force in making sure that People 1st offers solutions that work equally from the smallest to largest businesses in the sector. Mike also chairs our shadow board steering the development of the sector’s National Skills Academy and has attended several meetings alongside us with current cabinet ministers James Purnell and Shaun Woodward in support of the UK Skills Passport. To name but a few areas in which their help and support has been manifest.
In addition, Don Davenport, former CEO of Compass, chairs our main board and today Brian Wisdom and Don will be meeting with the current Compass chairman, Sir Roy Gardener. I know from a meeting of our senior management team that we have met with at least eight separate members of the Compass middle and senior management and I know that our strategy and the UK Skills Passport has been central to these discussions.
We proceed apace developing plans to deliver against the Leitch Implementation Plan released ten days ago – sector qualifiction reforms, the development of UK Skills Passport, the National Skills Academy and the formulation of our sector’s 14-19 diploma. The development of our London Skills Strategy was warmly welcomed by both Government and our sector – indeed London Mayor Ken Livingstone has publicly backed UK Skills Passport.
I know Compass and People 1st join the Government in our commitment to dramatically improving the skills in the sector, both to deliver benefits to our society and to improve the chances of offering a world-class experience in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. After all, Compass’s front-line employees will be central to the perceived success or failure of the games.
I know that Brian has a date in the diary to meet with Ian and I look forward to hearing the outcomes of this and how we continue to work together.
Posted by David McHattie | July 31, 2007 11:35 AM
Posted on July 31, 2007 11:35
People 1st make some interesting comments about their work and the involvement of Compass Group. One year into my role at Compass Group, I have yet to see any tangible results from the work they are doing. We are currently reviewing whether we can continue to support People 1st to the extent that we have been, given these issues.
Our focus, as one of the largest players in the sector, has to be ensuring we develop appropriate strategies to give our people the skills they need to develop as individuals and to take our business forward. The will is certainly there to develop in partnership the best possible solutions we can and I look forward to meeting Brian in the near future. If, however, those solutions aren't forthcoming in a format that can support a large company such as ours, we will continue to work through our own plans.
Ian El-Mokadem
Group Managing Director, Compass Group UK & Ireland
Posted by Clare Webber | August 1, 2007 3:51 PM
Posted on August 1, 2007 15:51
Following the exchange of views on the blog, People 1st and Compass have now met face to face. This was a positive meeting and whilst no definite actions have been agreed, areas of mutual interest have been identified. A further meeting is taking place in early September.
Posted by David McHattie | August 7, 2007 4:06 PM
Posted on August 7, 2007 16:06
Thanks David. We look forward to hearing how that goes.
Posted by Mark Lewis | August 7, 2007 4:32 PM
Posted on August 7, 2007 16:32