The Olive Barnett award, organised by Springboard UK, is now open to anyone under the age of 30 committed to a career in hospitality, leisure, travel or tourism who are ambitious and hungry to meet a challenge!

Open to those working in one of the most important roles in the industry – customer service, the award was first created by the Savoy Gaastronomes in recognition of Olive Barnett who pioneered excellence in training at the Savoy.

The winner will enjoy the benefit of a £1,000 a year grant for three years to assist with their career development.

Alongside this, a place will be available on the prestigious weeklong Lausanne Executive Education Summer Programme, at the world famous Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, to be taken in the summer of 2008.

The Langham hotel is the key sponsor this year, with prizes supplied by the Savoy Educational Trust and the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne.

So how do you enter? You simply answer the question below in 500 words and this year it’s very topical!

“Climate change, the environment, ‘going green’ and being a ‘good’ employer, are increasingly on everyone’s agenda. If you were asked to put together a strategy for your company to embrace these issues as part of a Corporate Social Responsibility programme, what would your top four priorities be and why? Explain how you would ensure that you were balancing the interests of the business with a more altruistic approach, particularly how you would demonstrate value to the customer?”

An up to date CV and an employer reference or testimonial must accompany the entry.

Eight finalists will be chosen to make a career presentation on the 18 and 19 May 2008 with the presentation being held at Claridge’s in the evening. Entries close on Friday 28 March 2008.

For further information please contact Gabriele Burgath on either telephone: +44 (0)20 7497 8654 or email: [email protected]

For full entry details and to enter visit www.springboard.org.uk/olive