14 November 2006
DRIVING THE ECONOMY BY INVESTING IN PEOPLE
Forty four local organisations were today presented with their Investors in People awards at a ceremony in Hillsborough Castle.
To become a recognised Investor in People, organisations must demonstrate that they have aligned the skills development of their people with the achievement of business objectives.
Paying tribute to those organisations receiving awards, Minister for Employment and Learning Maria Eagle MP said:
"Uptake of the Investors in People Standard in Northern Ireland is a promising sign for the local economy and should serve as an example to other employers not yet capitalising on the benefits, such as increased quality, turnover and profit, that flow from a motivated, engaged and well informed workforce. Effective leadership, management and the development of a skilled and knowledgeable workforce is one of the most significant contributors to the growth of the Northern Ireland economy."
The Standard currently in its 15th year of operation has been achieved by over 1,300 small, medium and large organisations throughout Northern Ireland
The Minister continued: "The durability of the Standard is testimony to the bottom-line business benefits this framework of good business practice continues to bring to organisations of all sizes and from all sectors of business."
Stressing that Investors in People recognition was not the end of the journey for the award recipients, she added:
"Investors in People recognition should not be seen as the culmination of a project, but rather the beginning of a sustained commitment to positive long-term business performance through employee development, with benefits for the individual as well as business and the local economy."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. Investors in People is a business improvement tool that helps organisations to compete and succeed through improved people performance. The framework is designed to help organisations develop the knowledge and skills of their people so that what they can do, is what the business needs them to do. A new version of the Standard, designed to meet the changing needs of business and industry, was launched on 17 November 2004 and came into effect in January 2005.
2. The organisations receiving Awards as Investors in People during this special ceremony were:
AD Chartered Surveyors Magherafelt Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute Belfast Allied Bakeries Ireland Belfast Belfast Aircraft Stress Engineers Ltd Belfast Belfast City Council - Community & Leisure Services Finance & IT Section
Belfast Breico Retail Group
Londonderry Causeway Health & Social Services Trust
Ballymoney Centra
Omagh Craigavon and Banbridge Community Health and Social Services Trust
Gilford Derry City Council - Development Department - Leisure Services Londonderry Dolan's Centra
Enniskillen DR:NK
Belfast Durnien.com Ltd
Belfast East Belfast Enterprise
Belfast Educational Guidance Service for Adults
Belfast Falls Community Council
Belfast Homefirst Community Trust
Ballymena James Neill
Belfast Kesh Primary School
Kesh Knockbreda High School
Belfast Lagan Watersports
Belfast Lestas Consulting
Coleraine Lough View Integrated Primary School
Belfast Martin Holley Optometrist
Coleraine McAuley Botanic (Centra)
Belfast Murray 's Dental Practice
Omagh Northern Ireland Guardian ad Litem Agency
Belfast O'Kane Supermarkets Ltd (SuperValu)
Magherafelt Omagh Independent Advice Services
Omagh Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
Belfast St Comgall's College
Larne SuperValu
Cookstown Supplies Team (ROI)
Dublin The Clinton Centre
Enniskillen Time Associates
Belfast Transition Training Ltd
Belfast Translink - Infrastructure & Property Division
Belfast Translink - Parcel Link
Belfast Translink - Ulsterbus Tours
Belfast Volunteer Development Agency
Belfast Woods Centra (Tandragee)
Tandragee Zing Design & Print Coleraine 3. Media queries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872.
Click here to print this press release.
