For EST the communication between its people is of paramount importance as it consists the basic element for the effective implementation of its policies and strategies. Employees’/Marines satisfaction, awareness and commitment to the company are essential ingredients for an excellent performance and for future development and expansion. Having realized the importance of all the above, EST has introduced the Employee/Marine Satisfaction Survey, a valuable tool in order to determine its personnel satisfaction and identify people’s needs and expectations on annual basis. In addition to the employees’/Marines’ opinion survey that takes place once per year and the results are being announced by the Management to all employees, EST has decided to seek further comments and suggestions on a non-stop basis.

For that reason a project called “IDEA” was developed during 2005, aiming at the encouragement of all employees within the office to submit their ideas regarding any aspect of their work. This way, the management team wanted to empower the personnel either in the office or on board vessels to participate actively in the development of innovations and contribute to the overall improvement of the company. Adopting such a system, EST has another alternative to receive comments from its people and understand their present and future needs and expectations. The leaders have the opportunity to communicate in a more effective way with all employees and a well designed way of communication from bottom to top is accomplished. From the other side, that of employees, they are given the opportunity to actively participate to the development of policy and strategy of the company.