Cirencester Friendly has been awarded ‘We Invest in People Gold Accreditation’ by Investors in People.
This improves on the Silver Accreditation gained in 2020 during the initial assessment. This higher level demonstrates the emphasis the Society places on nurturing and developing its talent and is a key part of the growth strategy.
Since Investors in People was founded in 1991, with the mission to make work better, thousands of companies have been assessed around the world with only 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.
The assessment highlights the initiatives that Cirencester Friendly has created to promote employee development, along with additional opportunities for career progression. By encouraging teamwork and collaboration throughout the whole organisation, the assessment underlines how positively committed employees are to the Society’s strategic objectives and core Values.
Cirencester Friendly says it seeks to create a place where people want to work and grow, where engaged employees thrive in providing exceptional service to its members and financial advisers. Employees want to do all they can to make a difference, which is also demonstrated by an increase in the external Institute of Customer Service rating for 2022, putting the Society in the top quartile for financial services in the UK.
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.
“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.”