Investors in People Gold Status for Festo

The award was given following a comprehensive audit by Investor in People assessors, who evaluate a company's performance and approach to its people through ten key areas which include Business Strategy, Leadership and Management, Continuous Improvement, Recognition and Reward and Performance Management. This is then evidenced across 165 sub-criteria through a series of interviews with staff at a variety of levels within the organisation.

Key areas of strength that were identified by assessors included Festo's embedded culture of training and coaching and the quality of leadership was referred to as "inspirational' and "motivational'. The final report states: "All employees at Festo have a sense of inclusion in planning, communications, innovation and operations. Knowledge and skills are shared and information is freely available in an environment where people value being involved and part of the decision making process. People have a strong sense of feeling valued and appreciated. They feel they have constructive and supportive feedback which helps to develop skills and expertise, as well as being well informed and involved."

Gary Wyles, Managing Director of Festo Training and Consulting comments: "We are delighted to have been recognised for the hard work and inclusivity within our organisation. Festo is committed to the development and progression of its staff and being awarded the IiP Gold standard shows how much we value and support our staff with structured training and coaching. This has been instrumental in bringing about strong business performance."

For more information about the Investor in People (IiP) award for Festo, visit www.festo.co.uk.