Cirencester Friendly has been awarded a ‘Gold Accreditation’ by Investors in People.
This achievement improves on the ‘Silver Accreditation’ gained by the Society in 2020 during their initial assessment.
Since Investors in People was founded in 1991 thousands of companies have been assessed around the world with 16% achieving gold accreditation.
The assessment looks at three key areas – improving, leadership and supporting – each split into three subsections.
Cirencester Friendly achieved an advanced status in eight out of the nine criteria, with an overall score of 775 out of a possible 900.
This is significantly higher than both the industry average of 738 and the Investor in People average of 728.
Mike Hazell, director of human resources at Cirencester Friendly, said: “This Gold Accreditation is a fantastic collective achievement for the Society and is something that everyone in the organisation should be proud of.
“It shows that our initiatives to create a true dialogue between employees and senior leaders are more than words and have real substance.”
He continued: “It is encouraging to see the progression we’ve made over the last three years and the difference in creating a positive, healthy working environment for our employees, our members and the advisers we work with.
“We are determined to keep up the momentum and will work with Investors in People to make Cirencester Friendly a recognised employer of choice.”
Howard Jones, Investors in People practitioner, added: “Based on a rigorous assessment process, involving a confidential online survey issued to all staff, a review of the Society’s people policies and processes, and interviews with a cross-section of the team, Cirencester Friendly achieved the prestigious Gold We Invest in People Standard.
“The exercise highlighted a number of strengths, including effective communication of the Society’s vision and purpose, HEART Values which positively influence people’s day-to-day behaviours, and a focus on delivering continuous improvement for members and other stakeholders.”
