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SAFC Achieves Investors in People Award

Sunderland AFC has become one of the first Premier League football clubs to be awarded Investors in People status, after working towards the prestigious accreditation in recent months.

As well as achieving the Standard, the club was also awarded Investors in People Bronze , which places them at the leading edge of best people management practice, with only 5% of Investors in People organisations achieving the status.

Launched in 1991, Investors in People is the UK’s leading people management standard. It is a proven organisational development framework that helps organisations to realise people potential and improve performance. Over a third of the UK’s workforce uses Investors in People today, and employers do so because they see a number of real business benefits.

In April 2010, strategic ownership of Investors in People transferred to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, which is now responsible for developing and maintaining its integrity.

Speaking about the award Sunderland AFC’s chief executive, Margaret Byrne, said:

“The Board, management and staff have been all working together to achieve best practice in line with the IiP framework and I am delighted that we have not only been formally recognised for our commitment to our staff, but that we have demonstrated a commitment above the norm with the additional level of the Bronze award.“

Mandy Goulden, the club’s Head of Human Resources added:

“As a business our people are central to everything we do and this award has given us a fantastic opportunity to look at the business strategy within a structured framework, ensuring that all of our best practice is recognised and validated by an independent outside organisation.“

Steve Burrows, Managing Director of idg, the official partner for Investors in People in the North of England, said:

“Investors in People is all about developing people and helping them to realise their potential - which in turn supports improved performance for the whole organisation. As a Premier League football club, Sunderland AFC will already know about the crucial links between development, teamwork, inspiring leadership and great performance – so it’s fantastic that the principles they apply with players on the pitch are just as relevant to their team off the pitch too. Congratulations to all!“

If you would like to find out more about Investors in People and how it can help your organisation to realise people potential, visit the Investors in People North of England website at www.iipnorth.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by idg .