Hot on the heels of our B Corp certification, the internationally-recognised award is the culmination of 10 years of hard work at Genuine Solutions to rise up the IIP ranks, achieving silver and gold before the latest commendation.
Only 7% of the 50,000 businesses that are assessed by Investors In People achieve Platinum accreditation, and this drops down to just 3% across the technology industry.
And when you see how IIP assesses businesses it’s clear why it’s such a challenge. For IIP to truly assess our business, they survey all of our employees and select any member of staff they choose from all areas of the company to accurately judge our culture.
Sabrina Willabus, HR director at Genuine Solutions, said: “No other business I’ve worked for has had the confidence to apply for platinum accreditation.
“With Investors in People it is not just doing something once and saying, ‘Okay, you tick a box’. It has to be continuous. That means promises are followed through, our processes are developed and our employees are truly engaged.”
How we achieved IIP Platinum accreditation
Genuine Solutions, which recovers and repurposes mobile technology products for the mobile telecoms industry, first embarked on achieving silver accreditation a decade ago.
Our aim: to raise standards in how we manage and develop our people, but also show the wider industry what could be done.
We’re a big advocate of the growth mindset – believing a person’s abilities aren’t innate but can be improved through dedication and hard work. So we’ve built a culture where we embrace challenges, love to learn, and do so with a smile on our faces.
As well as professional training and development, we offer a wide range of courses on personal interests, such as baking, photography and massage. Genuine Solutions has even sponsored two members of staff to learn to drive.
We support staff through degree-level apprenticeships, encourage innovation, reward hard work and build a solid team culture through company events and charity work.
Ms Willabus added: “I feel very, very proud and privileged to work in a business where people are genuinely empowered. They’re developed, they can hold their own and they have creative space.
“Knowing this is a space and a business you can work in and where you are empowered to challenge and change is very rare and a great place to be.”
The key to sustainable growth
Paul Crossman, chief executive of Genuine Solutions said: “Achieving the Investors In People Platinum accreditation represents a monumental milestone for our entire team at Genuine Solutions. Everyone should be extremely proud of this exceptional accomplishment as it reflects our collective commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.
“As CEO, I reflect on the decade-long journey we have embarked upon with Investors In People. It was a key strategic move to develop a robust framework that empowers our team members—our most valuable asset—to create a culture of engagement, to encourage personal development and help everyone to be the best version of themselves.
“The benefits for our business have been numerous but working with an engaged and inspiring team that works as one is simply unbeatable!”
Benefits of working with an IIP Platinum accredited company
Partnering with an IIP Platinum accredited company puts you in a very exclusive club because so few businesses achieve the standard.
The rigorous process shows we don’t just talk the talk but we put our money where our mouth is to strive for excellence – and an independent body agrees.
We had to show we excelled in three areas:
Leading – inspiring and empowering staff and sharing company values.
Supporting – managing performance, structuring roles, and rewarding a job well done.
Improving – building an environment to thrive, with continuous improvement and staying ahead of changes in the world to remain sustainable.
Anyone who works with us gets access to our highly engaged and innovative workforce who are constantly trying to improve and innovate.
We attract the best talent by being a brilliant place to work, sparking innovation, creativity and problem solving.
