Courier firm FedEx last night carried off Bermuda’s top employer award — for the second year in a row.

The company pipped reinsurance company Validus Holdings for the top spot in The Bottom Line annual awards, with air conditioning firm Air Care in third place — a rerun of last year’s top three.

FedEx senior manager for the British Caribbean islands Chris Heslop said he was delighted the firm had done the double.

He added: “We value our people and we the people, service, profit philosophy — if we look after our people they will provide superior service, we get better returns which we can invest in our people. It’s a continuous cycle.”

Mr Heslop said: “We truly believe our employees are the most important part of the company — without our people we wouldn’t be here.”

Validus Holdings Ltd was the top-rated company from the international business sector.

Chief operating officer Gavin Bishop said: “As we approach a decade in business, both the company and Bermuda continue to be an exciting, dynamic place to work.

“As this award demonstrates, our first class committed team very much appreciate and enjoy coming into the office.”

He added: “We are very much committed to investing in and supporting our employees who are our greatest asset and key to our continued success.”

Air Care chief Robert Platt said it was the fourth time the company had finished in the top ten.

He added: “I’m absolutely thrilled that we can stay at this level and that our team feel this way. This means an awful lot to us — obviously, we have our eyes on the number one spot now.”

The Bottom Line — a sister publication of The Royal Gazette — ran the awards ceremony at the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce in Hamilton with the support of sponsor PwC, the global professional services firm.

The survey, which includes input from employers and employees, is administered by Global Research, which created a sound and statistically valid measurement and selection process for rating entrants on core characteristics of top employers. No judges are involved.

Bermuda Press (Holdings) Ltd CEO Jonathan Howes told the top ten winners that the awards were a testament to their human resources departments — especially in a recession, which had led to so many job losses.

He added: “It’s a true credit to the people who have used programmes like Investors in People or who have strong human resources departments.

“I’m impressed because I have to deal with human resources issues that so many companies have remained in the top ten.”

PwC Bermuda’s Arthur Wightman, recently promoted to territory leader, said: “Huge congratulations to all of you. It’s such a great accomplishment and we, as an organisation, are delighted to sponsor this very important benchmark in how you manage your people.”

Mr Wightman added that, as sponsors, PwC could not enter the competition.

But he said: “We really do try and live the values of our organisation in everything we do. We are proud and delighted and we really do think you have done a wonderful thing with your organisations and the people inside them.”

Jonathan Kent, editor of The Bottom Line, told the audience: “You have done a terrific job and a lot of you have been to this evening before, which shows you are keeping up standards.”

He said employees of the winning entrants had highlighted non-financial benefits like flexibility, personal development, training and recognition among the reasons they liked to work for their companies.

Mr Kent added: “Employers who shine in such a gloomy economic environment deserve an extra pat on the back. Our survey tries to compute what makes a great employer and it goes beyond money.”

Fourth place was taken by the Argus insurance group, followed by legal firm Marshall, Diel & Myers in fifth spot.

They were followed by reinsurance company Montpelier Re and drinks giant Bacardi in sixth and seventh place respectively.

The Fairmont Hamilton Princess took eighth position, with insurance firm BF&M came in ninth, while the anchor spot was taken by another insurance company, the Freisenbruch Meyer Group.

Guest speaker Eric Jenkinson, a consultant and specialist in International Investors in People (IiP), said three of the top ten were gold accredited by IiP.

He added: “You all have put time, effort and money into training your people — this is nothing small. It really is a major, major achievement to get on this list.”