Home Group secures ‘milestone’ Investors in People accolade

A social enterprise has been named one of the UK’s top performing companies for workforce investment.

Home Group has received ‘we invest in people’ platinum accreditation.

Awarded by Investors in People, bosses say the accolade reflects Home Group’s support for staff, particularly since the outbreak of COVID-19.

They added the award represents the highest level of accreditation possible, revealing just three per cent of companies go on to achieve the feat.

Susan Fulton, director of people at Gosforth-based Home Group, which is one of the UK’s largest providers of housing and integrated care, described the honour as a “really important milestone”.

She said: “It combines our excellent customer satisfaction ratings, which are above the sector average, our continued and increasing investment in communities and our brilliant work to recruit more apprentices.

“We’ve also been named in the top 10 best UK workplaces and workplaces for women, and the fourth best place to work in the North East – add to this our top 20 Stonewall Index placing and it certainly shows we’re heading in the right direction.

Susan added: “The wellbeing of colleagues has been an integral part of our work since COVID-19.

“Early on we made the decision that those who could work from home, should, and have always ensured we provided a safe working environment for our frontline colleagues too.

“As well as ensuring everyone had the right kit, there have been weekly updates from the chief executive – both in emails and through video – to help everyone feel informed and work effectively and safely.”

Praising Home Group, Paul Devoy, chief executive at Investors in People, added: “Platinum accreditation is a remarkable effort for any organisation.

“It places Home Group in fine company with a host of organisations that understand the value of people.”

Home Group’s 2,600-strong workforce supports more than 125,000 customers across 55,000 properties in England and Scotland.

The figure includes around 26,000 people with mental and physical health issues.