GCCS BITES Issue 03 2013/ December 2013

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Issue 3 - Q4 | 2013 GCC S ERVICES BITES A Message From Our CEO Change is good! We can’t afford staying where we are in this fast and compeve environment! We had another very busy year at GCCS! Not only did we relocate the head office from Kuwait to Dubai, but we also mobilized successfully two contracts for the supply of food and water to the United Naons in Cyprus and Darfur. Our hard work and wait have paid off in becoming a UN vendor and we are proud to be one. Our French subsidiary DGS France won a contract from the French troops and opened new operaons in Mali. Iraq connued to grow operaons, so did Libya, Uganda and Indonesia. And last but not least, we renewed our ISO Food Safety and QHSE cerficates. We are proud of all of these accomplishments. But winning is not everything, the real cake is in the successful execuon as here is where we will make money or not! On the Human Capital front, at corporate, over the last 12 months, we hired a new Director of Construcon, new CFO, new Director of HR, new Supply Chain Director and a new Operaons Director for UN contracts. This infusion of talent helped in taking our game to the next league and equip us with best pracces from the industry. On a personal level, I have been with the company now for three years and a half already! The best thing I love about GCCS is our people: great doers! It is what makes our culture so special. It is very enriching and rewarding to be part of such a great accomplished team at GCCS where everyone is capable, hardworking and movated. Although we have gone a long way as a team since I started, we sll have a lot to work on ourselves to build a solid large- scale self-sustaining company with connuous operaons. For me, the stress levels did not go away but I managed handling them beer by working out and surrounding myself with good people whom I can assign and delegate responsibilies to. A couple of things I learnt along the way are that the right person in the right job is priceless! A lot of the problems we face are due to weak interacon between the pares involved. So effecve and clear communicaon goes a long way in making everybody’s job easier. If we all treat each other the same way we would like to be treated, we would be more effecve and respecul. But the best lesson I learnt was from my 4 year old son who taught me to manage with the resources I have! Rashid was going on crazy shopping spree whenever he went to the supermarket! Then Razan and I decided to tell him that we only have enough money to spend on food and can’t afford all the toys and sweets he wants. He would be allowed to get giſts for his birthday and Eid. So he went along and behaved. One day, I wanted to reward him for his compliance with a toy. Though I could tell from his eyes that he was very appreciave, he asked me shyly where did I get the extra money from to get him the toy and if this would mean we would have less food to eat! If a 4 year old can make a budget, then we can all meet it! Here is to a successful and target achieving year! Bring 2014 along! Rashad Sinokrot CEO Corporate Values, Vision & Mission ... p. 2 Sharing Our Success Winners & New... p. 3-4 Corporate News: Let’s Focus on Training... p. 5 Corporate News: GCCS Supports UN in... p. 6-7 News RoundUp: Iraq- back to back arcles... p. 8-9 News RoundUp: EGCL- UAE Red Crescent… p.10 News RoundUp: France- New Contract, New… p. 11-12 News RoundUp: Uganda- back to back arcles... p. 13-14 News RoundUp: Australia- 2013 in Retrospect… p. 15 News RoundUp: Libya- Tribute to GCCS Libya… p. 16 Spotlight: EGCL’s Sebasan... p. 17 Health Me Up: Salade Niçoise... p.18 Seriously QHSE: back to back arcles ... p. 19-20 Greater Heights: back to back arcles... p. 21-22 Work&Fun: back to back arcles... p. 23-24 Fun@Work p. 25 What’s Inside This Issue:

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Transcript of GCCS BITES Issue 03 2013/ December 2013

Page 1: GCCS BITES Issue 03 2013/ December 2013

Issue 3 - Q4 | 2013

G C C S E R V I C E S

BITESA Message From Our CEO

Change is good! We can’t afford staying where we are in this fast and competitive environment! We had another very busy year at GCCS! Not only did we relocate the head office from Kuwait to Dubai, but we also mobilized successfully two contracts for the supply of food and water to the United Nations in Cyprus and Darfur. Our hard work and wait have paid off in becoming a UN vendor and we are proud to be one. Our French subsidiary DGS France won a contract from the French troops and opened new operations in Mali. Iraq continued to grow operations, so did Libya, Uganda and Indonesia. And last but not least, we renewed our ISO Food Safety and QHSE certificates.

We are proud of all of these accomplishments. But winning is not everything, the real cake is in the successful execution as here is where we will make money or not!

On the Human Capital front, at corporate, over the last 12 months, we hired a new Director of Construction, new CFO, new Director of HR, new Supply Chain Director and a new Operations Director for UN contracts. This infusion of talent helped in taking our game to the next league and equip us with best practices from the industry.

On a personal level, I have been with the company now for three years and a half already! The best thing I love about GCCS is our people: great doers! It is what makes our culture so special. It is very enriching and rewarding to be part of such a great accomplished team at GCCS where everyone is capable, hardworking and motivated. Although we have gone a long way as a team since I started, we still have a lot to work on ourselves to build a solid large-scale self-sustaining company with continuous operations. For me, the stress levels did not go away but I managed handling them better by working out and surrounding myself with good people whom I can assign and delegate responsibilities to.

A couple of things I learnt along the way are that the right person in the right job is priceless! A lot of the problems we face are due to weak interaction between the parties involved. So effective and clear communication goes a

long way in making everybody’s job easier. If we all treat each other the same way we would like to be treated, we would be more effective and respectful.

But the best lesson I learnt was from my 4 year old son who taught me to manage with the resources I have! Rashid was going on crazy shopping spree whenever he went to the supermarket! Then Razan and I decided to tell him that we only have enough money to spend on food and can’t afford all the toys and sweets he wants. He would be allowed to get gifts for his birthday and Eid. So he went along and behaved. One day, I wanted to reward him for his compliance with a toy. Though I could tell from his eyes that he was very appreciative, he asked me shyly where did I get the extra money from to get him the toy and if this would mean we would have less food to eat! If a 4 year old can make a budget, then we can all meet it!

Here is to a successful and target achieving year! Bring 2014 along!

Rashad SinokrotCEO

Corporate Values, Vision & Mission ... p. 2 Sharing Our Success Winners & New... p. 3-4 Corporate News: Let’s Focus on Training... p. 5 Corporate News: GCCS Supports UN in... p. 6-7 News RoundUp: Iraq- back to back articles... p. 8-9 News RoundUp: EGCL- UAE Red Crescent… p.10 News RoundUp: France- New Contract, New… p. 11-12 News RoundUp: Uganda- back to back articles... p. 13-14 News RoundUp: Australia- 2013 in Retrospect… p. 15 News RoundUp: Libya- Tribute to GCCS Libya… p. 16 Spotlight: EGCL’s Sebastian... p. 17 Health Me Up: Salade Niçoise... p.18 Seriously QHSE: back to back articles ... p. 19-20 Greater Heights: back to back articles... p. 21-22 Work&Fun: back to back articles... p. 23-24 Fun@Work p. 25

What’s Inside This Issue:

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Corporate Values, Vision, & Mission

ValuesReliability

Our clients can always count on us to find creative and suitable solutions to their needs on time, and in the most cost effective way.

QHSE

It is our utmost commitment to make sure the highest standards in Quality, Health, Safety, and the Environment are practiced and continually improved, for us we don’t

just say it, we live it.

Integrity

Establishing lasting relationships with our clients through the consistent quality of services we provide without ever compromising our code of ethics in doing business.

Partnership

We work as one united team within our company, with our customers, and with our suppliers and contractors, always building long-term relationships.

Lasting Legacy

We make sure we leave our clients, their customers, our partners and the community with a heritage that transcends time.

VisionTo create an everlasting heritage for our clients, our people and our communities

through becoming your preferred choice in the construction and life support services industry.

MissionTo deliver recognizable quality, capability and the highest standards in service to provide those we serve with a safe environment, a home away from home. Our

approach is one of teamwork, striving for continuous improvement and driving cost competiveness, offering you value for your money.

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Sharing our Success Winners and a New Competition!I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the “Sharing Our Success” stories and congratulate our winners Roda Collado from Corporate Head Office and Anita Atwine from our operations in Uganda. Roda’s article about Anita exhibits our excellent PARTNERSHIP between HQ and operations. It also highlights how Anita exhibits “Reliability”, “QHSE” and “Integrity”: a true GCCS Samaritan! Moreover, Anita’s contribution to this issue’s newsletter about CSR in Uganda is an example of our “lasting legacy” value and our commitment to contribute to the community. Expect to hear more about our CSR initiatives in 2014. These are only few examples of our great success because of our values.

We have a new competition to share with everyone: “Capture GCCS photo competition”. We want photos that help illustrate what makes GCCS a great company. Final entries will be showcased on GCCS Bites. The employee who submits the winning photo will receive a prize of $500, the runner up will receive a prize of $300, and the third place winner will receive a prize of $200.

All you need to do is take a photo that captures the spirit, enterprise and dedication of our company or employees, and enter the contest by submitting it to this email address: [email protected]. We will shortlist 7 photos and our employees around the world will get to vote on the winning ones!

February 21, 2014 is the deadline for entries, so send yours in today!

Happy photographing!

Rashad SinokrotCEO

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Probably New But Definitely Not Taking The Back Seatby Roda Collado

We may have not worked with each other together in one office, but this does not limit me from seeing how dedicated, how committed this person is at work and to our Company.

Anita Atwine, started with our subsidiary company in Uganda on March 13, 2012 as an Executive Assistant to Mr. Rabih Jaber, GCCS Uganda Country Manager. The business in Uganda just started at that time and Anita was part of the team rallying to establish the presence of the company there and gain momentum.

HR Department in particular was being established and was facing different challenges. By late December 2012, Uganda team found itself needing a replacement for an HR Administrator. Mr. Rabih recognized Anita’s potential and assigned her to perform as HR Administrator. She demonstrated passion to learn more about HR and how to effectively handle tasks associated with the Department, not to mention, still looking after reception and other administrative tasks. We have exchanged a number of emails regarding how to do this, that and I admire her for her tenacity to learn.

By early May 2013, we received a request from Mr. Jaber to have Ms. Atwine trained in Corporate office on HR related tasks, as they gear up for their ISO 9001 certification to be held by 4th quarter of 2013.

She came to Kuwait Corporate Office and worked closely with the HR Team in Kuwait from May 13-21, 2013. She showed enthusiasm, preparedness, eagerness and openness in securing best practices to be applied to their own operations in Uganda.

The best qualities I found in her embody our corporate values. She is someone who values HSE, from our discussions; she pays a lot of attention that our employees, especially new hires, know about safety rules and guidelines of the company. Undeniably, she is someone who can

be relied on. I see her to be a person of high integrity, the way she deals with staff and how she is maintaining that delicate balance between employee demands and company policies. Definitely a true partner in the business, she exhibits passion for what she does and takes ownership of her responsibilities. She is open and willing to learn from others. She is focused on leaving a noble legacy that will remain in the organization.

Anita, now acting as HR Supervisor, proved that she will not take the back seat but will be part of a rapidly growing company- that is GCC SERVICES. We need more Anita Atwine in our organization, standing up to challenges with confidence and determination to win and persevere.

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CORPORATENEWS

Let’s focus on Training and Development!By: Eric Déru

GCC Services is committed to the training and development of its employees to achieve high standard of job competence. We recognize that employees’ training and development is critical for the fulfillment of our corporate and business objectives.

We are also committed to ensuring employees have the required competencies to deliver high quality service to our clients. And we recognize that providing well-structured training not only ensures that employees have the appropriate skills and knowledge to perform their roles adequately, it also assists us to develop and retain the best of our talents.

We are therefore focusing on Training and Development.

What is it about? Training refers essentially to: induction, online training, in house training or external training, ethics, job specific training, soft skills, HACCP/QHSE, food safety, project management, Finance, IT…

All countries are involved: in Iraq, the current Training & Development system is mainly based on the HACCP courses delivered by Philip Machen to our key personnel in the sites (Camp Bosses, Head Chefs, Senior Cooks ...). These courses are added to the daily Tool Box Talks that are conducted in every site by the Camp Boss, HSE Officer, Housekeeping Manager, to teach our colleagues how to use their equipment, and to enlighten them of the possible hazards of their job. Of course, our clients are involved and they provide different trainings to our staff related to safety and their work environment. In addition, we focus on other training courses like advanced maintenance programs for key Maintenance personnel (mainly generator-related courses).

Training is for sure the cornerstone of every successful QHSE Process, operational excellence and Human performance system. QHSE Training and coaching has the highest priority within GCC Services. We are proud that the Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance (HABC) UK has registered GCC SERVICES as a Training Centre. This enables

GCC Services’ approved trainers to carry out training to a level acceptable to the HABC which culminates in the awarding of HABC qualifications. We will continue our training in 2014 in this sphere: for example – at UNAMID project in Sudan, all new employees will be trained to Level 1 HABC standard, ensuring that all employees have basic knowledge of Food Hygiene and HACCP standards. Food handlers will then go on to take the Level 2 course. Middle and senior management will then go on to take the Level 3 course. The training will commence from January 2014. Still in Sudan, we focus on other courses, like the ones dedicated to operations and maintenance training.

In Libya too we are involved in training. As an example, KCA employees are involved in training courses that include Basic Fire Fighting - Basic First Aid- H2S. The QHSE team conducts in house awareness and trainings in chemical use, firefighting in Tripoli and Remote sites. Operations wise, the Team conducts in house trainings for new procedures/forms, and operations related matters.

In Uganda, our training focuses on HSE and technical courses such as food safety, drivers’ procedures, use of electrical equipment… courses that involve all our employees. We will continue to look after the development of our staff in 2014.

At Corporate, our staff is already enrolled in online ethics training sessions and has completed 5 Time management training sessions. HR Department secures the induction programs and periods together with the Head of Department for each new comer.

To continue our training journey, we are in the process of defining a training plan at Corporate and countries level. Training plan that identifies the company and the staff needs, engages the management, focuses on resources (in house training or external), proposes a methodology to measure the results in order to evaluate the return-on-investment of our training programs. We are therefore defining a dedicated calendar for the next 12-15 months for these training courses.

Within GCC Services, every country pays a lot of attention in investing in training that will positively impact the organization, improve our staff’s skills and knowledge, and increase the job performance. This is what makes our difference!

GCCS Iraq’s HACCP Training Sessions

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CORPORATENEWS

GCC SERVICES Supports UN in their Cyprus & Sudan MissionsBy Anita Young and Steven Smith with Paul Stevens

GCC Services has had an enormous year within the operations team with the mobilisation of two United Nations Missions in two vastly different geographical locations. We have both missions now operational due to the hard work of many of our staff and as a team, we look forward to a busy 2014 supporting the missions .

The two project managers leading the missions are Harry Akrofi for UNAMID (Sudan) and Anita Young for UNFICYP (Cyprus). The articles to follow from Anita and Steven (Deputy Project Manager, Sudan) illustrate how are we doing so far in these two locations.

Partners in Mission

UNFICYP is one of the longest-running UN Peacekeeping missions. It was set up in 1964 to prevent further conflict between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on the island and bring about a return to normal conditions.

Following a coup d’etat by elements favouring union with Greece and a subsequent military intervention by Turkey, the Mission’s responsibilities expanded in 1974. UNFICYP has supervised the ceasefire lines since 1974, maintaining a buffer zone between the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot forces in the north and the Greek Cypriot forces in the south. The ceasefire line extends over 180 kilometers across the island.

The Mission’s work is based on four components that work together closely: the military, UN Police (UNPOL), the Civil Affairs Branch and Administration, which supports all activities. The Mission counts almost 1100 personnel.

GCC Services was awarded the contract on 16 January 2013. We took possession of the warehouse on 19 March 2013 to meet the first issuance cycle of the week of 25-29 March 2013 for consumption on 1 April 2013.

As the operation launched, the team had to begin the contingency planning necessary to maintain the operation during a pre-planned period of repair, and deep maintenance to the UN-owned warehouse which effectively closed the warehouse for 7 weeks during May and June. Utilizing additional storage space provided by the Mission and significant support from our local suppliers, we were able to present a business continuity plan that passed muster with UNFICYP. To further add to the complications encountered during mobilization,

Cyprus was plunged into the depths of the global financial crisis which closed all the banks for an unprecedented 2-week period and imposed serious currency restrictions and restricted access to cash withdrawals.

GCC Services staff consists of 1 Project Managing Officer, Project Manager, 1 Administrator, 1 Supervisor and 2 Warehouse staff. We provide three collections per week and are proud to announce that our delivery compliance is consistently above 99%.

For 2014, we will continue to work as UN’s partners in their Missions here in Cyprus.

continued to page 7

Some members of our Cyprus Team (from L-R) Stavros, Marios, Anita, Marlette and Neofytos

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CORPORATENEWS

GCC SERVICES Supports UN in their Cyprus & Sudan Missionscontinued from page 6

Teamwork Wins Over Challenges

The UNAMID (Sudan) mission has had another productive month supplying 81 UN contingent sites in 36 locations throughout Darfur from the 3 sector warehouses in El Fasher, El Geneina and Nyala.

All of the warehouses are now fully mobilised and our teams are now getting into a comfortable daily routine.

All the expatriate staffs have made themselves at home in their onsite accommodation and are making the place as homely as possible.

Khartoum is still as busy as ever receiving all the inbound goods from Port Sudan for onward shipment to the sector warehouses by road and air, as well as being the reception centre for all visitors and for all expatriate staffs departing

and returning from leave.

Quality Assurance (QA) Team has had a busy month with the QA Manager doing a ‘round robin’ of visits to the 3 sector warehouses to conduct HACCP training, which was well received by both local and expatriate staff.

All the staffs have had a very busy festive period with normal weekly deliveries and end of year stock take but this has not dampened down their spirits and they are looking forward to a productive 2014.

Challenges may come ahead but we will not be intimidated, as One Team, we will take those challenges head on and win.

(photos clockwise) Our Nayala Bakery Team, Nayala Warehouse Team and the Nayala Warehouse

El Fasher Accommodation Block

El Fasher Bakery

El Fasher Warehouse

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GCCS Iraq participates in the 4th Basra Oil & Gas International Conference ExhibitionBy: Mahmood Al-Tamimi

For the third consecutive year, GCC SERVICES Iraq participated in the Basra Oil & Gas International Conference and Exhibition held from 5th until the 8th of December 2013. Highlighting our presence in the exhibition, GCC SERVICES Iraq launched its new corporate brochure.

Thanks to the team in charge, the booth representing GCC SERVICES Iraq was designed and built within the short period of 17 days. The 28 square meters booth proved to be a success in projecting the image of GCC SERVICES to provide services that would bring prospect clients their Home Away From Home.

The Basra Oil & Gas International Conference, organized by Expotim International Fair Organization, is now on its 4th year. The event consisted of a conference concurrent with an exhibition like from previous years. It was held on Basra International Fair Ground after the great success of the first, second and third conference. The event has quickly grown to become an indispensable event in the Oil & Gas calendar for both regional and international companies. The event also allows local companies to have a common platform to assess the products and technologies available to them. Iraq’s Oil and Gas sector continues to prove its influence over international business. In fact, 350 companies from the Oil & Gas industry from over 35 countries have participated in this event.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank the team members who worked together and made our participation in this exhibition a success. Based on this experience, GCC SERVICES Iraq will be participating again in the Oil & Gas International Conference and Exhibition 2014, that’s for sure.

It’s about one team, one family projecting the spirit of our slogan Home Away From Home.

Our GCCS booth du ring the Exh ibit & Conference gain ing atten tion from participan ts

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Turkish DelightBy Keith Weaving, Project Manager BP ROO HQ

GCC SERVICES opened the Dining Facility (DFAC) at Rumaila Organization Operations Headquarters (ROO HQ) in South Rumaila, a Warehouse and Utilities Facility all constructed and operated by GCCS. The site was commissioned by British Petroleum (BP) to accommodate the contractors’ camp. Currently there are 4 contractors, these being GCCS, Lamersat and the 2 Turkish contractors- PALs and Tekfen.

Tekfen, a construction and installation company, has been allocated a 100-man day camp inside the boundaries of the ROO HQ. GCCS was tasked with the mobilization of the camp prior to offering comprehensive life support services. On top of, we were in charge of bringing the newly constructed site to full operation for the planned opening date on 23rd August 2013. Good thing, GCCS had Carine Kamariza and Zeina Barhouche (who much like Turkish coffee, may be small but very strong!) to prepare the camp and meet the deadline.

With a compliment of 99 en-suite rooms including four VIP rooms, we had to completely refurbish the rooms with crisp and fresh pillows, duvets and sheets, toilets, sinks and showers. Rugs hovered, AC units prepared, televisions, kettles plus commodities arranged, brand new fridges stocked and coat hangers placed in position for each room to be meticulously examined by the client. They gave the finishing tasks a professional touch and a bang on time. Furthermore 20 offices, 2 gyms, 2 recreational rooms/coffee shops, a public toilet, outdoor football/basketball pitches paths and roads had to be cleaned and ready to meet the needs of the client.

The Dining Facility ready for operations

From Project manager Paul Dixon, Diane Arakaza, Wayne Jock and Andy Kane to an army of volunteers- Room Boys, Janitors, Gardeners and Supervisors alike threw in their efforts throughout the night. They were scrubbing the DFAC floors, cleaning and polishing equipment and sparkling windows to ensure we deliver.

The day finally came, with all systems ready, the DFAC waiting to feed the Tekfen personnel with their own traditional Turkish cuisine.

Who would not feel at home with these sumpt�ous hear�� meals?

With the excellent services we already provide to BP ROO HQ, they stipulated they expect the ‘BP ROO HQ dining experience’ transferred into their own facility. Our chefs didn’t disappoint them with the menu containing a mixture of both northern and southern Turkish cuisine, western sweets and selections of world cheeses.

With their feedback, indeed we are pleased to know that our Tekfen clients certainly felt they were Home Away From Home.

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UAE Red Crescent Celebrates UAE National Day 2013 with EGCLby Apple Luciniada, HR Officer- EGCL

It was a double bonanza for the companies in UAE to celebrate the National day and the historic win of Dubai for EXPO 2020. The UAE Red Crescent celebrated the UAE National Day 2013 on November 28, 2013 with Emdad Gulf Catering Logistic, LLC (EGCL) as its caterer. It was an affair attended by more than 200 Red Crescent officials, staff and their families commemorating the 42nd National Day of the UAE.

There were red, green and black icing topped cupcakes arranged to resemble the UAE flag. The cakes were surely sweet to everyone’s eyes during the celebration. The occasion was joyous and fulfilling especially that EGCL was part of the celebrations of Red Crescent. It embarked a start for EGCL to soon provide other catering requirements of Red Crescent in their missions and projects. It was another opportunity for EGCL to widen its clientele in the market as well as position itself as one of the best catering references to some other government agencies in the UAE.

All preparations for the Red Crescent function were made from EGCL Central Kitchen. Mr. Walid Tawakol, the Catering Manager, with the support of Mr. Emad Salahat, Logistics Manager, had successfully launched the first ever outdoor catering for EGCL Central Kitchen. With this, EGCL has proven that its Central Kitchen is fully operational and is equipped for any kind of food service.

Indeed, EGCL provides the best of hospitality services to its clients in their every valued celebration. We thank Red Crescent for trusting us in their catering needs henceforth. We continue to live up our mission and vision as the Spirit of The Union will continue to live.

Our EGCL Team members during the UAE Red Crescent Celebrations.. Ready to Serve.

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New Contract, New Country, New Service to Provideby Benoit Guillermit

As involved with the French in Afghanistan, Agility DGS France (GCC SERVICES’ registered name in France, formerly held by Agility, our mother company) had stopped one of its 2 contracts in this country for the French. The concluded contract was a full base operation support for the French Gendarmes, trainers for the Afghani National Police training Center located in Wardak, Afghanistan. The second contract is linked with the French involvement in Afghanistan and deals with the French retrograde from Afghanistan. The second contract is still ongoing, but currently volume is slowing down. So, it makes sense for us to get a contract with the French Forces who moved to Mali.

A NEW CONTRACTAwarded in September 2013, our company started a new contract for the French & European Forces located in Mali. Further to the French decision to provide help and support to Mali, French Forces have been deployed. In addition, France had requested from European Union support to provide trainers to improve the Malian Forces. Currently about 3,000 French military personnel are deployed through Mali. 1,000 are located in Bamako and the others are split in different locations in the north of Mali. 450 European trainers are located 60 km east of Bamako in Koulikoro. This shows that we have a large group to serve. We have been very pleased to be awarded this contract knowing that a specialist group such as Ecolog tendered for the bid. The mobilization required to send on ground on several occasions our Chief Operations Officer from Paris and our Branch Manager from Abu Dhabi, to arrange everything and be ready to start on the 1st of November 2013. The contract has been awarded for a first short period, till the 31st of March 2014, with potential

extensions depending on political decision to stay in this country.

A NEW COUNTRYMali is a new country to operate for us and it has been a huge challenge to get a foothold in it.

The civilian war opposes people from the south of the country, around Bamako and a coalition of tribes located in the North. The north of the country is housed by Touaregs tribes who expected to separate the country into two. In addition, the North has been occupied during two years by Al-Qaida supporters coming from the different border countries. When northern forces decided to invade the South of the country, France decided to halt this action. For this reason, France appears for many Malians in the South as those who have saved them from a critical situation. These conclusions are shared by the Malian authorities who are now in favor of including the French in the reconstruction of their country.

Malians who are less than 40 years old are well decided to work hard to rebuild their country. Mali is one of the biggest exporting countries for gold but civilian war has destroyed Malian administration and/or any Governmental authority. For a long time, Malian people have not been caring on the waste issue. One says Bamako is really an open waste center!

The new President has been elected taking into account his commitment for the country’s clean up. So, waste management became a national priority. In this context, the Foreign forces are willing to respect this political inclination. With this, French decision makers asked for a high service level agreement requiring incineration of every waste coming out from the Forces camps. This is where we come in. continued to page 12

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New Contract, New Country, New Service to Providecontinued from page 11...

A NEW SERVICE TO PROVIDEThe scope of work is to treat all kind of waste (organic, medical, recyclable, plastic, industrial, etc.) produced by the French and European Forces.

To ensure we cover the scope of work, we have organized the following services:• Provide tailored size garbage containers• Provide incinerator & protection equipment• Analysis of the flow of activities in the camps to settle

waste containers where accessible and practical • Create a waste treatment center and manage

transportation of waste from collection grounds to the treatment center

• Manage collection and sorting of the collected waste• Incineration of collected waste• Organize and train new team to perform tasks at hand• Data consolidation and reporting on collected and

incinerated waste

One of the first challenges we faced was to get the required equipment available and ready. One incinerator, several 7cbm refuse containers and 240L bins were the most important, on top of a special truck in charge of collecting the bins from each site up to three times a day. We have done our best to include as much local suppliers as possible. Our role here was to verify and assist them to make sure that the specifications of the equipment will comply with our commitments towards the client.

The creation of the waste center was another main issue to handle. To do so, we had to get the authorization from the local authorities to use a land and to transform it into a waste center, the first of Mali. Doubts and questions rose from this request that required the implication of all and several meetings with local authorities. Finally, we were allocated a land where to have the waste treatment center. The works, subcontracted to a Malian construction company, began to make of it and in less than 3 weeks,

the site for the waste management center was prepared. Besides, the whole land had to be secured with barbed wire to ensure that unauthorized access to the premises will not occur.

Finally, the recruitment and the training of a new team took place to run operations. Three teams composed of locally hired nationals were formed. One team on each site is in charge of gathering the waste and delivering it to the trucks. The third team stationed in the waste treatment center is doing the sorting and incineration of the waste. We focused our efforts in their training and awareness on proper handling and disposal of waste. We hope that this will form part of their habits and help in their national fight against waste.

On the client side, a close cooperation has been made possible to settle the right numbers of bins needed and their best location within the two camps. Indeed, the service provided includes the sorting of waste to which the customers were not used. The location of bins dedicated to recycle trashes had to be located in good places, following

pattern of flows of people in the camp, to ensure proper use of those containers. Besides, and as in any contract, the beginning of it entailed the discovery of new need of the client that required prompt answers and adjustments from our side.

Thanks to the organization and efforts of our Agility DGS France Team. The contract is now running smoothly and some further developments are considered. Indeed, after the discovery that some companies in Mali are working from some kind of waste (plastic mainly), cooperation is now considered giving this contract a new dimension that deals with recycling and re-using waste.

To add to this new venture, there is a new challenge facing AGILITY DGS France: that is to sign a new contract in the Center Africa Republic in connection with the recent starting of French Forces’ operation by December 2013 in this country!

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GCC SERVICES Uganda Gets ISO 9001-2008 CertifiedBy Anita Atwine with Rabih Jaber

The year 2013 has been a year of hard work and achievements for GCC SERVICES Uganda. The team takes great pleasure in both, hard work makes us stronger and better as a team and achievements are an affirmation and a source of motivation.

On May 2013, GCCS Uganda was introduced to ISO 9001-2008 (Quality Management Systems) and determined to get certified with it. The team worked around the clock for 6 months to see that everything was ready. With the support from GCCS Uganda’s management and GCCS Corporate office, on November 23, 2013 we were recommended by a worldwide recognized audit firm Llyod’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) for ISO 9001-2008 Certificate with its representative, Mr. Murali Kannan.

What a big win for the team in Uganda!

I caught up with Mr. Rabih Jaber, our Country Manager, for a brief interview and to hear his thoughts on this great achievement.

Anita: Congratulations on the ISO 9001-2008 certification!Rabih: This congratulation goes out to all of GCCS employees in Uganda. It’s through their hard work we were able to achieve this goal.

Anita: What does this certification mean for GCCS Uganda?Rabih: This certification means that GCCS Uganda will continue to follow procedures and enhance on customer service.

Anita: What should we expect from the team after the certification? Rabih: After this certification, the team will have to continue working hard to make sure that all procedures are followed and administered.

Anita: What impact will the certification have on GCCS Uganda? Rabih: This certification for us in Uganda will have a great effect on maintaining proper customer satisfaction and attribute to proper documentation and follow up.

Anita: To what would you attribute this success?Rabih: This success is for sure attributed to our staff here at GCCS Uganda.

Anita: How many more certificates and audits of this kind should we expect?Rabih: We are planning for 3 more certifications to be achieved, these are ISO 14001 (Environment Management Systems), ISO 18001 (Occupational Health & Safety) and ISO 22000 (Food Safety Management Systems).

Anita: In conclusion, what word would you leave with the team?Rabih: Again, I would like to congratulate the team for this great achievement and to re-emphasize that this is only the start of continued hard work and we look forward to the next certification which is ISO 14001.

“Some people dream of great accomplishments, while others stay awake and do them.” -Danielle Luedtk

We recount this quote for our Management Representative, Ms. Chantal Rutakaza, who worked tirelessly to accomplish the ISO 9001-2008 dream. Her efforts cannot go unnoticed. Much appreciated.

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GCCS Uganda on Corporate Social Responsibility: bringing Christmas Joy to Kireka Children’s HomeBy Anita Atwine

Imagine not being able to hold a pencil even though you have hands or not being able to speak with your mouth or having legs that don’t allow you to walk. These challenges were recognized by Kireka Home, a school catering to children with special educational needs which was founded in 1984. They are on a mission to help children facing these challenges and lives with their motto, “With Time and Care I Learn”.

Currently, the school looks after 71 children with their ages ranging from infants to 20+ years old. The school runs on donations from the government and charitable organizations. Children are divided in five groups based on their learning difficulty, having 1 teacher focusing on at most 6 children. Through activities such as coloring, dancing, making puzzles and building with blocks, the children gradually become more adept at basic skills like moving around and holding everyday items like a cup or a pencil – though sometimes these items are held with their mouths or feet or elbows.

Children around the world know that Christmas is synonymous with gifts. The

children who call Kireka their home are no different. This year, all the children were asked to put their name at the back of their photos and the ‘one thing’ they would like to have for Christmas. Their photos were to become special ornaments that will be hung on the big Christmas tree in the lobby of the 5-Star Serena Hotel in Kampala. Kampala is Uganda’s capital city, the same city that GCCS Uganda calls home. With this, GCCS teamed up with Serena Hotel and bought each child the gift they requested for Christmas. A day was arranged for the gifts to be distributed.

I was fortunate to see how this gesture made the children happy, displaying ear-to-ear smiles. The children and the teachers with the school staff were so grateful for the special time their students could have this Christmas.

At GCCS Uganda, we are grateful not just for our jobs and being able to represent GCCS, but also for the opportunity to give back to our community.

As many countries celebrate the holiday season, we hope that everyone will look around for ways on how they can bring smiles to the faces of children and families around the world – not just during Christmas or festive seasons but throughout the year.

Happy Holidays and may the New Year bring prosperity and good health to all!

The Joys of Giving Back

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2013 in Retrospect & 2014 on the HorizonBy Asea Pacific Group (Bill Gibson / Donna Pearce / Sara May / Tim Cork)

2013 has been an unusual year and at times, unstable financial year in Queensland and Australia. With state elections in Queensland in late 2012 and federal elections this year we have seen many changes. There has been a large reduction in the job market during 2013 and uncertainty with both the carbon and mining taxes.

The new federal government is striving to reform both these taxes. The mining industry has appeared (in part) to be taking a wait-and-see attitude regarding the mining tax which was introduced by the previous government. The outcome should be known very soon and hopefully place confidence back into the mining and local sectors.

This year we have had to move away from our core business of Project Management. We are currently finding that companies we are dealing with project manage and install the camps within their own ranks. Companies such as Leighton have their own construction division.

We have been successful during this year by keeping our current camps (2 locations, total of 242 beds) on constant hire.We secured a hire contract of 100 rooms with Leighton in March 2012. This has been expanded by a further 132 rooms, making a total of 232 rooms for Leighton. The hire of these rooms are predicted to continue until at least mid-2014. Our current tally of rooms on hire is 474.

All indicators tell us that this will continue throughout 2014.

We are currently in negotiation to manufacture a further 30 rooms for delivery March 2014, which we will offer to the exploration and civil contractors.

Confidence appears to be returning as we are receiving some good quality inquiries. We feel that 2014 will be a busy and profitable year.

During November our two male colleagues, Tim & Bill have participated in a fundraising event for charity. Movember is a promotion to raise money for men’s health and prostate cancer research. The goal is to have sponsors donate to the charity. As the name implies, sponsors had to grow a moustache. This charity is well supported throughout the country.

We have made preparations for our shut down over the Christmas period. The celebrations started on Friday, 6th December. The staff and partners went Barefoot Bowling. We had a wonderful evening of bowling and dining. There are some potential future champions in our ranks however, more practise will be needed.

From our Team to the entire GCCS Team, Good luck and best wishes for the coming year!

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Tribute to GCC SERVICES Libya EmployeesBy Ekram Mahmood, HR Specialist

While struggling with the current situation of the country, and trying to keep up with pace of the growing Catering Industry in Libya, GCC SERVICES Libya* has been able to break all the walls and fight through the odds and rise up again. This would not have been possible without the teamwork exhibited by our employees throughout these challenges.

With our strong and motivated Business Development and Operations Departments, we have been able to gain several, very promising new projects to add to our existing 17 projects. The newly acquired projects are:

1. KCA T-19 Rig: Located in Zella, Opening date: August 29, 2013

2. British Embassy Sub Contactor- DATT Villa 3: Located in Seraj, Tripoli, Opening date: November 16, 2013

3. British Embassy Sub Contractor- Faulty Towers: Located in Al Janzour, Tripoli, Opening date: November 18, 2013

The best is yet to come, with 3 new offered tenders, one of them being Libya-based UNICEF. To add, we have the ISO inspection just around the corner to secure the ISO 9001 Certificate. We are keeping our fingers crossed with high hopes.

Looking at this year’s performance, we cannot forget the pride of our company, our Banquet and Functions Team, who was serving up to 5,000 Plates in about 40 events per month for our distinct clients. They all stood up to the challenge of meeting all our clients’ individual and unique requirements under restricted resources. All of these would not have been possible without the hard work of our company’s most valuable asset, OUR EMPLOYEES, that’s with the continuous support of the back bone and the founder of Al Zad our Managing Director, Mr. Saddik Soussi.

The devotion and hard work of our employees, in offering our clients superb service, are amazing and worth the admiration of all, especially during hard and challenging times. And personally, I am very proud to state that during the hard time that Libya faced these past months, starting with the military and civilian clash in Tripoli last November, to the bad weather conditions that led to all roads being closed, our operations pushed on and continued. And for these reasons, I salute the GCC SERVICES Libya Team for its dedication and keeping its spirit high at all times. Thank you and may we continue to press on and succeed in all that we have set to do.

*GCC SERVICES Libya, registered in Libya as Gulf Mediterranean Co. for Touristic Investment, is a unique company formed from bringing together the expertise and skills of Al Zad Allibi for Catering Services and the global experience of GCC SERVICES.

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Spotlight is on EGCL’s SebastianFor this edition of GCCS Bites, we will meet and get to know one of our dedicated staff in Emdad Gulf Catering Logistic, LLC (EGCL). Spotlight is on Sebastian Ambrose, Store Keeper, EGCL.

GCCS Bites: Hi, Sebastian. Could you please tell us when did you join EGCL? And how has been your working experience so far? Any remarkable experiences when you first joined?

SA: It was a right decision to accept the opportunity which I got from EGCL: on 4th August 2012, I joined EGCL. It is a wonderful experience to work with a good and experienced team that I found in Saadiyat Accommodation Village. As they say, team stands for Together Everyone Achieves More and I believe we make a good team here. “Work done by several associates with each doing a part but all contributing personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole”, this best describes our team in Saadiyat. The team is headed by Mr. Peter Prochaski who is a great leader and we all look up to learn something from him every time.

One of the remarkable experiences I had was meeting the Finance team from EGCL’s main office. I recollect spending some time with EGCL Finance team when I started. During that time, it was clear to me that the company has good systems and procedures. I learned several things from a group of experienced professionals in the main office.

GCCS Bites: Tell us more about your involvement in the Saadiyat Accommodation Project and what it means to you?SA: I have been entrusted with the responsibilities of handling and managing over all stores functions. It is an honor and I always look forward to developing different ways of improving and maintaining higher standards of store functions by monitoring quality and providing materials on time without any delay.

Being given the chance to work in a huge location like Saadiyat Accommodation Village is a great opportunity for me. I got a chance to learn and to contribute to the prestige of our company which stands for creating a Home Away From Home.

GCCS Bites: After more than a year of being with the company, what would you consider your greatest learning?

SA: I got a wonderful opportunity to implement my knowledge and efforts to our Saadiyat Project. We formed and developed a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Team for the HACCP implementation and certification. At the same time, we ensured suppliers complied with

the HACCP standards such as vehicle hygiene, personal hygiene, temperature requirements, proper packing, proper batch numbering as per (Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority) ADFCA rules and quality standards.

When we mobilized Saadiyat Project, there was an approximate of 3,000 clients and has grown since. As the clients increased day by day, we adjusted our inventory management strategies and consequently we didn’t face any problems. Not to mention, at that same time, we mobilized one shop and a saloon. For me, these were very good experiences and I found them very helpful in developing myself in this career.

GCCS Bites: Wow, you have had wonderful learning experiences in just a short span of time. We are sure you would learn more and develop yourself as you move along. So, Sebastian, how would you describe your working experience overall and what EGCL has brought to your life?

SA: It is a pleasure to work with EGCL. I am very interested in learning more from different people. I feel my background is a strong fit for the team. Thanks for the opportunity to work with EGCL. I believe EGCL is fertile soil for me to cultivate my ambitions and future career progression. This goes not only for me, but all employees who want to grow in their careers with the company. I wish and pray for the success of the company and its future endeavors.

Thank you, Sebastian for taking time to share with us your experiences and insights. May you have a successful and fulfilling career in our organization. We wish you all the best.

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Salade Niçoiseby Madhawee Perera

In this edition, we are bringing to your table a healthy, savory salad which hails from the city of Nice, France. Salade Niçoise (pronounced as sah/lahd nee/swahz) has evolved and is prepared in different ways, making this traditional Mediterranean gastronomic delight a dish that transcends borders. As easy as 1-2-3, we will show you how to prepare this salad.

Here’s what we will need:

Method:

Prepare the salad dressing. Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Peel and cut the boiled potatoes in cubes and put in a bowl. Combine vinegar, chicken broth, scallion & parsley; mix together and pour over potatoes. Set aside for 2-3 minutes to allow marinade to seep into the potatoes.

Make the salad. In a serving platter, make a bed of lettuce and arrange all the other ingredients. Make sure before you combine the potatoes, you drain any excess marinade mixture. Be creative on how you would like your salad to be presented. Drizzle dressing over prepared salad. Garnish with parsley and scallions just before serving.

And presto! You are now ready to serve this salad either with bread, any other dish or just by itself.

Bon Appétit!

I took the opportunity to let a French critic in the office taste my dish. And when asked how many stars he would give out of a five based on taste, I received five stars! So, why don’t you try it and see how many stars you could get?

For Salad Dressing:4 tsp. lemon juice1 tsp. vinegar1 tsp. mustard2 tsp. extra virgin olive oilSalt and pepper to taste

For Potato Marinade:4 tsp. chicken broth 1 Tbsp. vinegarChopped scallion/parsley

For Salad:3 pcs. small potatoes, boiled until tender10 pcs. green beans, steamed2 pcs. tomatoes, quarteredLettuce (your choice, lollo rosso/ biondi, etc.)1/4 cup black olives4 pcs. small radishes, trimmed & thinly sliced150g of canned tuna, drained2 hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthwise1 pc. red, green & yellow capsicum, thinly slicedChopped parsley leaves, to garnishThinly sliced scallions, to garnish

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The ISO technical committee working on the ISO 9000 standards had published a document detailing the quality management principles and application guidelines. (This article is based on the said document). The latest revision (version 2008) of ISO9000 standards are based on these principles.

Definition of Quality Management Principle: “A quality management principle is a comprehensive and fundamental rule / belief, for leading and operating an organization, aimed at continually improving performance over the long term by focusing on customers while addressing the needs of all other stake holders”.

The eight principles are: 1. Customer-Focused Organization 2. Leadership 3. Involvement of People 4. Process Approach 5. System Approach to Management 6. Continual Improvement 7. Factual Approach to Decision Making 8. Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationships

Now let us examine the principles in detail. But for this issue, we will discuss the first Four Principles and Tackle the rest in the next issue.

Principle 1 - Customer-Focused Organization

“Organizations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer needs, meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations.”

Steps in application of this principle are:• Understand customer needs and expectations for

products, delivery, price, dependability, etc.• Ensure a balanced approach among customers’ and

other stake holders’ (owners, people, suppliers, local communities and society at large) needs and expectations.• Communicate these needs and expectations through

out the organization.• Measure customer satisfaction and act on results.• Manage customer relationships.

Principle 2 - Leadership

“Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of the organization. They should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization’s objectives.”

Steps in application of this principle are:• Be proactive and lead by example.• Understand and respond to changes in the external

environment.• Consider the needs of all stake holders including

customers, owners, people, suppliers, local communities and society at large.• Establish a clear vision of the organization’s future.• Establish shared values and ethical role models at all

levels of the organization.• Build trust and eliminate fear.• Provide people with the required resources and

freedom to act with responsibility and accountability.• Inspire, encourage and recognize people’s

contributions.• Promote open and honest communication.• Educate, train and coach people.• Set challenging goals and targets.Implement a strategy to achieve these goals and targets.

continued to page 20

The Eight Principles of Quality Management By: Saji Varghese

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GCC SERVICES Iraq is proud to announce that 52 of its team members have successfully fulfilled the training for Level 2 Award in Principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). Now it is time for the whole team to move to Level 3!

Our employees are trained to GCC SERVICES’ hygiene standards and practices. In fact, our senior site management already hold bespoke HACCP qualifications through the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health which ensures expertise in the continuous verification of company food practices.

At GCC SERVICES, Quality Health Safety and Environment (QHSE) is not confined to any one level. Throughout our projects, it remains the number one operational necessity and we ensure full compliance throughout our structure, at all levels.

HACCP to a Higher Level

One of GCCS Iraq’s HACCP Training in action

The Eight Principles of Quality Management continued from page 19

Principle 3 - Involvement of People

“People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organization’s benefit”.

Steps in application of this principle are:• Accept ownership and responsibility to solve problems.• Actively seek opportunities to make improvements and enhance competencies, knowledge and experience.• Freely share knowledge and experience within teams.• Focus on the creation of value for customers.• Be innovative in furthering the organization’s objectives.• Improve the way of representing the organization to customers, local communities and society at large.• Help people derive satisfaction from their work.• Make people enthusiastic and proud to be part of the organization.

Principle 4 - Process Approach

“A desired result is achieved more efficiently when related resources and activities are managed as a process.”

Steps in application of this principle are: • Define the process to achieve the desired result.• Identify and measure the inputs and outputs of the process.• Identify the interfaces of the process with the functions of the organization.• Evaluate possible risks, consequences and impacts of processes on customers, suppliers and other stake holders of

the process.• Establish clear responsibility, authority and accountability for managing the process.• Identify internal and external customers, suppliers and other stake holders of the process.• When designing processes, consider process steps, activities, flows, control measures, training needs, equipment,

methods, information, materials and other resources to achieve the desired result.

So, how are you applying the first four principles in your daily task? We will discuss the other four principles in the next issue.

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GCCS’ Artists ExtraordinaireMost of the time, we are not aware of the talents within organization. It is quite surprising when we discover that a colleague of ours who is in charge of certain tasks in the office or in the field, is also a master of a different craft. That is why in the articles to follow, we celebrate our employees’ other talents. Hopefully in the coming years, we see more and more employees’ making known their other talents.

The Painting Competition at Saadiyat Accommodation VillageBy Manjeet Sahota, HR Manager

The future Louvre Abu Dhabi will be a universal museum in the Arab world. The Louvre Abu Dhabi will be a fine arts museum whose purpose and scope are universal. It will present paintings, drawings, sculptures, manuscripts, archaeological findings and decorative arts, created and collected all over the world. The galleries will showcase art from different civilizations, cultures and eras, while overstepping boundaries between techniques and geographic regions.

On the occasion of National Day celebrations, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) in tandem with the vision of the Louvre museum organized a painting competition in Saadiyat Accommodation village, where Emdad Gulf Catering Logistic, LLC (EGCL) currently provides catering services. This was not only an opportunity to participate as a contractor but also an occasion to showcase talents of our team who, so far, are known only for the art of culinary skills.

Winner of the competition is Mr. Ajij Dhabak for his beautiful piece artwork of depicting a traveler in the Arabian Desert. Mr. Dhabak, who is one of our Kitchen brigade, made himself and our company proud. His creation not only won him a cash prize but the highlight is: his artwork will have its place in the highly anticipated museum.

EGCL management and team members congratulate Ajij for his great achievement and for bringing another laurel to our company.

Hidden Talents Awaiting To Be DiscoveredBy Anita Atwine

Normally when companies need a sign for their building or camp, they call upon the nearest commercial advertising company to produce one using computers or big machines. Needless to say, that type of equipment is not readily available in the oil fields of Uganda which are a 3-hour drive from the nearest city and a 6-hour drive from the capital city of Kampala.

Fortunately, GCC SERVICES Uganda has many talented staffs and it is a good thing we have discovered them. Among our talented staff includes Emmanuel Asiimwe, our Sign Writer. He personally hand painted a 1 meter by 1 meter sign with the Tullow logo. The client was so pleased at the perfectly hand painted logo and sign welcoming everyone to their Bulisa camp, that they singled him out for recognition.

continued to page 22

Ajij poses with his winning masterpiece

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GCCS Corporate Office Gets ISO Recertified Truly, getting ISO certified for the first time is not the end. It is just the beginning of the journey in making sure we adhere to the highest standards of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment management systems.

Last November 2013, our Corporate office with our Iraq Team underwent a rigorous process of external audit by LRQA with its representative, Mr. Murali Kannan. It was a challenging and significant one. Not only did we undergo a lot of changes in terms of structure, the whole process of moving people and the office from Kuwait to Dubai was added to the aspects being considered for the audit. Different departments demonstrated their commitment to ensure we maintain our ISO certification. And last December 2013, it brought us great pleasure to know that we have been awarded recertification for four ISO standards, namely: ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management Systems), ISO 14001:2004 (Environment Management Systems), ISO 18001:2007 (Occupational Health & Safety and Safety Assessment Series) and ISO 22000:2005 (Food Safety Management Systems).

What a way to conclude the year! Again, congratulations to all for this achievement and may we continue the journey towards efficient and safe QHSE Journey.

Hidden Talents Awaiting To Be Discoveredcontinued from page 21

At the end of year party, GCC Services Uganda also recognized him with a special certificate for his outstanding efforts.

We, at GCCS Uganda strive to support and promote internal talents. In fact in our office, instead of looking out in the market for paintings to decorate our office with, our Country Manager, Rabih Jaber purchased two paintings from our employee, Emmanuel Asiimwe. Even Mr. Saji Varghese from Corporate office took notice during his recent visit.

He truly is an achiever in his profession and his masterpieces are a testament to that. Keep it up, Emmanuel! GCCS Uganda is proud to have an employee like Emmanuel, a true artist

His paintings (left & right photos) & hand-painted client sign (center Photo)

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Corporate Office Holds Picnic Brunch with a Blastby Roda March Collado

This year, we break away from the formal year end gathering and opt for a relaxed, picnic brunch. It was held in Al Badia Golf Course, Festival City, Dubai last 14th of December 2013. The weather was perfect, surrounding was picturesque. Picnic tables were arranged facing the 9th hole of the golf course with a man-made waterfall and lush greeneries to match.

Just about noon, employees with their families arrived one by one, greeting other employees and their families with much delight and warmth. The approaching holiday festivities heightened the excitement for the event even further.

Eric Déru, Director of HR led the opening remarks, g r e e t i n g , welcoming all who have come for the event and thanked all who have been part of the Events Team. Afterwards, Eric together with our CEO, Rashad Sinokrot, continued with the awards ceremony.

Every year, we recognize the loyal service and commitment of our employees who have completed five, ten (and so on) years with the company. Five-year service awardees were Ailyn Aguilar, Catalina Bibat, P. Saleem Sanil, Saji Varghese and Taufiq Ossman. Ten-year service awards were given to Aksam Ibrahim Ali and Biju Raman. Service Awardees were given a certificate, plaque and a gift in recognition to their service. But the recognition of employees did not end

with that, our CEO announced that he has prepared special awards for some employees. He added that the criteria were simple, people who after he leaves the office, he knows will manage and made his life easier. Everyone gave out a giggle or a nod while he expounded on the characteristics of each of the special awardees. Director of the Year 2013 were given to Noel Mullins (Engineering & Construction), Saji Varghese (QHSE) and Gail Camillo (Government Relations). They were handed with a certificate, plaque and a personal gift from our CEO. Everyone applauded all the employees who were given recognition.

As the program progressed, everyone could not help but notice the appetizing smell of the grilled food being prepared just across the lawn. That is why just after the awards were given, employees and their families were invited to help themselves with the food at the live cooking stations.

Just about the time when the guests were enjoying their hearty meals, they were caught with a surprise. Santa Claus made an appearance that delighted not only the children but the adults, too! He came with his wonderful team and with a bag full of gifts. With the help of Madhawee, my colleague, they called on the kids who were nice year-round and handed them their much deserved gifts. You could see their delight seeing Santa personally hand them their gifts (despite the not-so-North Pole-weather). Not only did the kids get gifts, the employees exchanged gifts during the event, too. Santa even joined

our very own GCCS Carolers to further brighten the event. All were enjoined to sing carols and to just enjoy the moment.

continued to page 24...

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GCCS Uganda Celebrates Year EndBy Anita Atwine

It was yet another fun packed day at GCCS Uganda as the Team celebrated the Year End Party in style. Last December 13, 2013, GCCS Uganda Management hosted the team with their families to an unforgettable event with food, music, cake, lots of laughter and special awards. The occasion also saw the recognition of employees with outstanding performance in year 2013. They awarded with certificates and a hearty handshake from Mr. Rabih Jaber, our Country Manager.

2013 has been a very good year for everyone in terms of individual and team performance. Indeed, these deserve to be celebrated this year end and continued to the next year.

Corporate Office Holds Picnic Brunch with a Blastcontinued from page 23

Towards the third song, Santa with the carolers started to parade around the place and gave out sweets to everyone. All enjoyed the merriment along with the sumptuous food that was served throughout the event.

The program was concluded by our CEO’s words of encouragement for the next year to come. He concluded to say we will continue to be as one, united, winning team.

What a way to conclude 2013 and anticipate 2014.

Go Team GCC SERVICES!

Year End Reflections

It is the time of year when we look back and see how far we have gone, at the same time looking

forward to what lies ahead.

This is the perfect opportunity to celebrate triumphs & be true to one’s self, about one’s

shortcomings. Knowing that another year will bring another opportunity to turn defeats into

wins and wins into lasting legacies.

This is our chance to express unspoken gratitude to each one who has journeyed with GCC

Services.

With a new challenging year fast approaching, we will continue to be united as One Team, going

to Fight as One to achieve One Vision.

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Wor

d Se

arch

Solu

tion

Coffee Break Riddles

Answers to last issue’s Coffee RiddlesQ1: There weren’y any stairs, it was a one story house. Q2: Short Q3: If you answered Nunu, you are wrong. It’s Mary! Q4: Silence Q5: Secret Q6: The letter M Q7: Add the letter G and it’s “GONE”

I hope you had fun solving the riddles from the last issue. In case you want to check how good you did from last time, the solutions from last issue’s riddles are revealed at the bottom of this page. Ready for another set of riddles? Here are some more you could challenge a colleague with while you are on coffee break. I have included the answers somewhere but hey, try first and see if you’d figure them out. Have fun!

Q1: A man was driving his truck. His lights were not on. The moon was not out. Up ahead, a woman was crossing the street. How did he see her?

Q2: What comes down but never goes up?

Q3: I’m tall when I’m young and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?

Q4: What has hands but cannot clap?

Q5: What starts with the letter “t”, is filled with “t” and ends in “t”?

Q6: What can you catch but not throw?

Q7: How many months have 28 days?

Answers to this issue’s Coffee RiddlesQ1: It was a bright and sunny day! Q2: Rain Q3: Candle Q4: Clock Q5: Teapot Q6: Cold Q7: All 12 months!

Big Thanks To All

GCCS Bites would like to thank all contributors who have conscientiously worked with us to ensure the latest news within GCC SERVICES are relayed through our newsletter. To our Management Team throughout the organization, thank you for your continued support and encouragement in every issue we publish. To everyone who has contributed in one way or

another, thank you. To all our dear readers for your continued patronage, thank you.

We will look forward and continue to strive to make our newsletter better each issue.

Sincerely Yours,GCCS Bites Editorial Team