The National Training Board is the first local organisation to attain the Gold Award for Investors in People (IIP), announced Minister of Labour David Burch yesterday.

IIP is a business improvement tool in the United Kingdom which allows companies to develop performance through their people. While 13 other companies locally have an IIP Award — none has reached the gold level.

The Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing announced the honour yesterday and said: "I could not be more pleased and congratulate the entire NTB team on a job well done."

IIP was first introduced in the UK in 1991. Less than one percent of 35,000 organisations worldwide have achieved the gold standard.

Companies at this level are known to have highly capable managers with an extensive level of knowledge, skill and experience. The organisations also have the ability to create a good learning and development environment and deliver a high quality of customer service and satisfaction.

Executive Officer Pandora Glasford, of NTB, said it took her ten-strong team 18 months to reach the final stage of the assessment.

Yesterday she said: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank my team. They have worked very hard and tirelessly to attain this achievement.

"We are very proud and we hope that other organisations in Bermuda will help to keep the pace going. We like to be the pace setters but of course we wouldn't mind some company as well."

Minister Burch added: "The department identified the importance of getting away from a culture of 'it's always been done this way — to how can we do things better?" IIP is a useful tool in assisting an organisation to follow best practices and manage change processes.

"Achieving the gold standard means that, the National Training Board is the only organisation locally that has attained this level of recognition."

He said the "next group at the top of the list in our Ministry" to try and reach the gold level would be the Department of Immigration.

The NTB had the vision of becoming the premier training and certification organisation on the Island, said Mr. Burch. They plan to do this by ensuring Bermuda's technical workforce meets internationally recognised standards.

Organisations interested in attaining the gold award are expected to meet 126 evidence requirements in areas such as business strategy, learning and development and continuous improvement.

The accreditation is valid for three years and the NTB hopes that through regular reviews they can continue to get successful recertification.