Bury-based Pennine is among just three companies left vying for the Medium Business of the Year trophy in the new awards which have been created to celebrate the “outstanding contribution that skills and learning make to businesses across Greater Manchester.”
Hosted by a partnership which includes Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network and New Economy, the awards will climax on July 3rd at a ceremony hosted by comedian Dara O’Briain at Manchester’s Hilton Deansgate hotel.
The Skills For Business Awards organisers have reported that the “number and standard of entries has been extremely high for these inaugural awards” and the reaching the finals is an amazing achievement in itself.”
News of Pennine’s reaching the finals follows its success earlier this month in being shortlisted in the Excellence in Social Responsibility category of the national Investors in People Awards. Marking the best people management practices among IIP accredited businesses, these attracted over 500 entries from across the UK and various business sectors.
Commenting on the company’s latest award final success managing director Andrew Roberts said: “Our nominations for both these awards demonstrated a commitment to developing our people and pursuing ethical and responsible policies that benefit our staff, customers and local community. That two independent judging panels have considered us worthy of shortlisting from among strong fields of entry speaks volumes. It shows we don’t just say the right things but do the right things.”
Among factors cited in Pennine’s Skills for Business Award nomination were its championing of apprenticeships, personal development and training programmes and partnerships with local educational institutions. Among these are Bolton College at which Mr Roberts is a governor and with whom the company worked closely with during the development of its soon-to-open Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics - STEM - Centre.