Eight organisations have been named as this year's Investors in People Champions.

The programme recognises those employers that have boosted the performance of their businesses through the way they manage and develop their employees.

This year's successful Champions range from large businesses including, Prudential UK and Yell to smaller employers such as Friends Road Medical Practice in Croydon, and Rivington and Blackrod High School in Bolton. Each has demonstrated consistent commitment to people development as a way of delivering their organisational goals, now and in the future.

Announcing the successful organisations, Skills Minister Phil Hope said that all eight were "at the cutting edge of workforce development".

"These organisations are a group where valuing employees and their contribution is the start, not the end and where they aspire to being the best of the best. Not only that, they want to share the best of what they do too," he said.

This is the second year of the Champions scheme, and the eight will now work with Investors in People over the next three years to share their expertise with other employers through activities such as presentations, mentoring and site visits to the Champion organisation.

Ruth Spellman, Chief Executive of Investors in People, said: "Following our rigorous applications process, all of this year's Champions have proved themselves to be exemplar employers and will be a valuable addition to the programme. I look forward to working with them over the next few years."

The eight organisations are:

• Café Spice Namaste, London


• Carpentry Management Contracting (CMC) Ltd, Bedfordshire


• Friends Road Medical Practice, Croydon


• Lyness Group, Birmingham


• Prudential UK


• Rivington and Blackrod High School, Bolton


• Thomson Directories Limited


• Yell

To contact any of the Champions or for further information visit www.investorsinpeoplechampions.co.uk
or email champions@iipuk.co.uk.