SINGAPORE: A total of 44 Singapore companies from a range of sectors received accolades for outstanding human resource practices at the Singapore HR Awards 2009 on Friday, at the Raffles City Convention Centre.

The firms included small and medium-sized enterprises, multinational corporations and public sector organisations.

Singapore Human Resource Institute, which organises the annual event, said there was a 19 per cent increase in submissions this year. Newcomers included Singapore Prison Service, Standard Chartered Bank, Starbucks and Chevron.

This year also marks the inaugural launch of two new awards – the HR Advocate Award and Corporate HR Champion Award.

Eleven companies which have demonstrated continuous, creative and effective HR and people management practices were conferred the HR Advocate Award.

McDonald's Restaurants Singapore bagged the Corporate HR Champion Award after having received the Corporate HR Award for three years in a row.

Recipients of the Corporate HR Award this year included IBM Singapore, Singapore General Hospital, Ritz Carlton Millenia, SingTel and Republic Polytechnic.


- CNA/so