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 SurveyorsMagherafelt
Agri-Food and Biosciences InstituteBelfast
Allied Bakeries IrelandBelfast
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
Kilkeel High School, Kilkeel
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 AssociatesBelfast
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.