PROPERTY firm Commercial Express has been awarded the highly-coveted Gold Investors in People award.

The accolade putting the business within the top seven per cent of UK businesses recognised for world class business performance through its people.

The Investors in People scheme recognises businesses that show continued focus on the development of their people; in the way they are led, managed, developed and supported in order to help achieve improved business performance.

As the only quality standard that focuses exclusively on improving performance through people management in the UK, The Investors in People accreditation framework assesses companies against a set of criteria that include working culture, employee engagement and leadership.

Having previously been assessed in November 2015, at that time Commercial Express achieved the Silver award.

However, as a business not to rest on its laurels, Commercial Express subsequently endeavoured to make a number of changes to improve its performance further.

This followed an  aidit by Investor In People assessors in May 2016 who evaluated the business’ approach to its people through ten key areas which include Leadership and Management, Continuous Improvement, Recognition and Reward and Performance Management.

Commercial Express has now been awarded the Gold status. Key strengths were noted as a clearly articulated set of organisational values, a talent management approach to development and the introduction of a career development plan, to name but a few.

Commercial Express’s founder and managing director Duncan Pritchard said: “We are immensely proud to have won this award which is the highest acknowledgement of the first-class standard of motivation, support and development we provides to our employees.

“Our staff are at the heart of our business and investing in their needs and ambitions is, and has always been, a crucial part of our business model. We look forward to continuing to work with Investors in People to maintain our high standard of people management.”

Martin Smith, at Investors in People said: “The attainment of the Gold Award reflects a tremendous achievement, and there is a very real sense that the organisation is continuing to plan further improvements.”

For further information about Commercial Express visit www.commercialexpress.co.uk.