I'm delighted to announce that in June 2005, Blagdon Pump Holdings Limited successfully achieved the 'Investors in People' award.

The Investors in People Standard is a tried and tested flexible framework that helps companies succeed and compete through improved people performance. To date over 32,000 organisations have formally achieved the Standard. These organisations employ over 27% of the UK workforce across all sectors of the UK economy. (IIP Website, June 05)

Over the last 10 months Blagdon has worked towards IIP recognition, and has buy-in from Senior Managers and all other members of staff.

"IIP has allowed us to realise the untapped potential of our employee's. Whilst we have always been a company who values continuous process improvement and customer service we did not pay enough attention to what makes this happen...the great people we employ.

We feel that the changes we have made are having a positive effect on both our internal and external customers and are contributing to the considerable organic growth we are experiencing within Blagdon Pump in 2005." (Jeff Sill General Manager June 2005)

Samantha Scott, Human Resources Manager said "We used the investors in people standard to help strengthen and identify our weaknesses within our human resources process. The standard has helped us put into place an appraisal, training and objectives and target systems, which is beneficial to the Company, the employee and subsequently our valued customers.

We are fully committed to developing our workforce skills in order to achieve our business objectives and targets. Everyone understands the Company Business Plan and how their contribution is needed to help Blagdon achieve this.

As a company we acknowledge the benefits of holding a recognised standard and IIP compliments the current standards we already hold". (ISO 9000:2000 and ISO 14001:2004.)

"The organisation has totally embraced the ethos of the IIP Standard demonstrating that the business belongs to its people."

"The culture of the organisation is one of openness, ownership and inclusion ensuring that all staff buy-in and help drive change."

"An informal and relaxed atmosphere is complemented by a variety of rigorous and systematic procedures and systems ensuring that training and development is planned and evaluated and hence identified as key to the operation of the business." (Lynn Carr-Woodward IIP Assessor)

"Blagdon Pump Holdings, is an inspiring business. Through a mix of rigorous processes and systems, complemented by a culture of openness and ownership, they have successfully achieved IIP accreditation - Congratulations and may your success continue". (Mandy Dowson, Workforce Development Advisor, Business Link Tyne & Wear)