RNIB College Loughborough is delighted to announce the achievement of Investors in People's highest level of recognition – The Gold Standard. Achieving Gold Standard puts RNIB College into the top 1% of Investors in People accredited organisations in the UK. Only one in 400 employees works for an organisation with the IIP Gold Award and RNIB College is the only independent specialist college in the UK to achieve it.

Investors in People is an established and highly regarded national standard that is only awarded to companies who meet stringent assessment criteria. Organisations who can demonstrate excellence that surpasses the standard award can achieve bronze, silver or gold standard. Only those reaching in excess of 165 out of a possible 196 points can be awarded the Gold standard. RNIB College Loughborough received 186 points in total, a huge achievement.

The award recognises the achievements of businesses who provide high standards of people development support for their team and is assessed across a number of key areas including; teamwork, supportive learning, innovative learning and continuous improvement.

Commenting on the Gold standard status, Norma Curtis, Quality and Improvement Manager at RNIB College states:

'This is an excellent result for the RNIB College - we are delighted. The Gold award is the highest possible accreditation for training and developing staff and we passed a rigorous assessment process with flying colours!' The College would like to congratulate all staff on their enthusiastic commitment to developing themselves and extending their skills so they are best placed to deliver an outstanding learning and living environment for our learners."

Achieving the Gold standard is a huge factor in contributing to the College's overall plan to achieve an Outstanding Ofsted rating for education and care at the next inspection.

College Principal, Tony Warren states:

"Developing the skills and motivation of our staff and volunteers is critical to our aim to become recognised as an outstanding provider of education and care. Aiming for and achieving the top Gold award gave us the challenge to ensure that we were not just good, but excellent."

Sean Read, Director of EMB Excellence Ltd, (emb-x), the leading enterprise and economic development company that delivers a range of business improvement services, including Investors in People across Central England congratulated RNIB College Loughborough on their achievements.

"The Gold Award reinforces the success of the organisation and demonstrates how the Investors in People framework can help to bring about business improvement. The organisation is an excellent example of what can be achieved with a focused team, robust policies and clear leadership. By matching what people can do, and are motivated to do, with what the organisation needs them to do, RNIB College Loughborough has shown how employees can improve performance and realise objectives through the management and development of their people."