Liverpool homeless charity, the Whitechapel Centre, is celebrating as it achieves the highly prestigious Investors in People Gold Award.
(L – R)
David Carter, Chief Executive, Whitechapel Centre
Alison Bryant, IiP Assessor, Liverpool John Moores University
Terry Crolley, Chair of Trustees, Whitechapel Centre
Judith Bulmer, Business Services Manager, Whitechapel Centre
The organisation was put through a rigorous assessment which included lengthy interviews with a large number of staff, managers and volunteers. The Whitechapel Centre now joins the top 3% of organisations across the UK to achieve the GOLD standard. This standard is only given to organisations who can demonstrate excellence in developing and supporting their staff. Organisations must be able to meet over 160 evidence requirements that include commitment to company values, personal and organisational development and social responsibility.
Chief Executive David Carter commented ‘We are absolutely delighted to receive the extremely prestigious GOLD award for Investors in People. This is a fantastic result and the Assessor was most complimentary in the feedback, noting “This dynamic organisation, rightly takes pride in their many achievements. They aspire to be the best in all they undertake; doing everything they can to achieve their goals.’
Whitechapel’s assessment was carried by Liverpool John Moores University’s Alison Bryant. The Whitechapel Centre will continue to build on its partnership with LJMU, with particular emphasis on training and development. The Whitechapel Centre has been a keen supporter and partner of LJMU’s new LGBT Student Mentoring Employability Scheme, as well as facilitating and benefitting from a large number of very successful student placements.
The Whitechapel Centre’s Business Services Manager, Judith Bulmer, said: ‘Our partnership with Liverpool John Moores University has been a very positive experience. Alison our IiP Assessor provided a third party, unbiased view of our organisation which helped us identify gaps we might otherwise have missed and to shape our agenda for improvement. Working to achieve the Investors in People GOLD Standard over the last three years has helped us not only to become more strategically focussed but also to maintain the motivation and commitment of staff through a period of profound change. Staff turnover has fallen to 1%. Investors in People provides a comprehensive and challenging framework for HR practice and business excellence which actively supports our efforts to become an excellent employer.
Investors in People has grown to be the UK’s leading people management business improvement standard. First developed in 1991 thousands of organisations are now accredited with the improved Bronze, Silver and Gold awards for their organisational development.
