Tag Archives: accreditation

Business, Construction, Construction News, Mid Wales

Premier Forecourts and Construction achieves RISQS accreditation, enters rail infrastructure market

Premier Forecourts and Construction, a leading provider of forecourt and infrastructure solutions, has secured RISQS (Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme) accreditation. This key achievement marks the company’s entry into the rail infrastructure sector, expanding its service offerings alongside its established proficiency in EV charging hubs and traditional fuel stations.

The RISQS accreditation is a critical step in the company’s development strategy, enabling it to work alongside major contractors, on projects that focus on infrastructure surrounding the rail network, such as stations, adjoining amenities, and car parks. Leveraging decades of experience delivering comprehensive service station solutions, Premier Forecourts and Construction is uniquely equipped to meet the challenges of the rail sector with precision and innovation.

A key factor in the South Wales-based company’s successful accreditation is its unwavering commitment to compliance and quality. The company’s achievements in attaining ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety), and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) certifications have laid the foundation for this latest success.

Supporting these efforts is Premier Forecourts and Construction’s newly formed Compliance Team, an all-encompassing function designed to ensure that the company’s operations continue to meet and exceed the highest industry standards. The team is led by Ashley Davies, who has been with the business for 14 years and was recently promoted to Head of Compliance. Previously serving as Health & Safety Manager, Davies now oversees all aspects of Compliance, Health & Safety, Environment, and Quality Assurance, supported by Iesha Llewellyn and Leigh New.

Ashley Davies, Head of Compliance at Premier Forecourts and Construction, said:

“Compliance is vital to everything we do. Our RISQS accreditation is a testament to the team’s hard work and the systems we’ve developed over the years. It represents not just a certification but our ongoing commitment to excellence in every aspect of our operations.”

This strategic expansion builds on Premier Forecourts and Construction’s decades of success in delivering complex projects for service stations nationwide. As the only company of its size with the capability to execute both electric vehicle (EV) and traditional fuel projects, the business now applies its unique skillset to meet the specific demands of rail infrastructure.

Steve Evans, Managing Director of Premier Forecourts and Construction, said:

“Our ability to pivot into new sectors like rail is a testament to the depth of talent and experience we have within our business. Our strong foundation in compliance, combined with our reputation for delivering high-quality infrastructure solutions, positions us perfectly to support the needs of the rail sector while continuing to excel in our core markets.”

Premier Forecourts and Construction’s expertise positions it uniquely to address the evolving needs of transportation infrastructure. The company’s commitment to sustainability and forward-thinking designs ensures it remains a trusted partner for both existing and new sectors, offering innovative solutions tailored to client needs.

News

IPI receives ‘Best Companies to Work For’ accreditation for second consecutive year

 Company awarded three-star rating in recognition of “world-class” workplace

IPI, the contact centre specialist, today announced that it has been named as one of the Best Companies to Work for 2022, for a second consecutive year. This year IPI has progressed to a three-star rating, the highest accreditation possible, in reflection of its “world-class” workplace engagement practices, an accolade only given to organisations who truly excel.

The Best Companies Accreditation is considered the de facto standard for assessing workplace engagement and IPI’s advancement from a two-star rating in the rankings this year comes after 12 months of continued focus on its people- and purpose-led culture.

“We are hugely proud of what we have achieved in progressing from a two- to a three-star accreditation. It is our exceptional people that make IPI, and the fact that we have achieved this recognition as a result of their feedback makes it even more meaningful for us as an organisation,” said Lisa Fradin, Chief People Officer at IPI.

IPI has launched a number of new people initiatives this year which have included an enhanced focus on wellbeing with the inaugural company Wellness Day focusing on educating everyone on mental and physical wellbeing. Learning and development have also been high on the agenda with monthly workshops and “skill pill” sessions being made available for all. IPI’s charitable work has also continued with employees running a “5k your way” initiative to fundraise for IPI’s charity partner, UK Youth, as well as providing mentoring opportunities to young people to help them progress their careers.

CEO Sat Sanghera and the People Experience team have been at the helm of developing and running learning and development workshops, hosting and leading collaboration roundtables to discuss and explore initiatives such as inclusivity in the workplace and meeting one-on-one with new joiners to welcome them to IPI and introduce them to IPI’s purpose and values.

“Achieving the three-star rating is testament to all the hard work, dedication and focus we have put into creating a purpose- and people-led culture here at IPI,” said Sat Sanghera, CEO at IPI. “I feel humbled, privileged and proud to work with such an exceptional group of people who are focused on fulfilling our purpose of Exceptional Customer Contact and consistently demonstrating our values of succeeding together, aiming higher, and owning it, whilst always evolving. Thank you to the IPI team and to Best Companies for this recognition.”

IPI received its accreditation following a survey of its employees covering eight key workplace factors, including assessments of managers, leadership, the company, personal growth, the wider team, pay/benefits, wellbeing and charitable initiatives.

“IP Integration should be very proud of their achievement, demonstrating world-class levels of engagement. This accreditation is recognition of all they have done to be a best company to work for, and always putting their people first,” said Jonathan Austin, Founder and CEO at Best Companies.

Education, News, North of England

Durham University Business School achieves five-year EQUIS re-accreditation

Durham University Business School has been awarded a five-year extension to its accreditation from EQUIS – the leading international system of quality assessment, improvement and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration.

The re-accreditation places Durham University Business School on a high-calibre shortlist of UK institutions to secure such recognition. There are fewer than 21 UK schools which have received EQUIS’ “Gold Standard” of five years’ accreditation status, and less than 55 institutions in the rest of Europe.

Professor Kieran Fernandes, Interim Executive Dean of Durham University Business School, said;

“The re-accreditation is testimony to our position as a leading international business school, with excellence across our key strategic areas of research, education and student experience.”

The extension of the Business School’s accreditation, which was last awarded in 2017, was confirmed following a comprehensive assessment by EQUIS, which took place in March 2022. The accreditation focuses on evaluating the balance between academic quality and professional relevance, with particular importance placed on the development of students’ managerial and entrepreneurial skills, and the School’s ability to provide opportunities and connections to the business world.

The Peer Review Team recognised that Durham University Business School has upheld the high standards that were acknowledged by EQUIS in 2017, and identified a number of areas where the School’s performance has exceeded the required standards.  These include:

  • The embedding of Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability across its programme portfolio – an objective which sits close to the heart of the School’s ethos,
  • The provision of student support and counselling services,
  • The quality and internationalisation of faculty members,
  • The impact of research, with international research leadership also clearly evident

The Peer Review Team also commended the School’s staff and students for their engagement with the wider community through a wide variety of outreach activities and public service initiatives.

Professor Karen O’Brien, Vice-Chancellor and Warden at Durham University, said;

“This is a wonderful achievement and a credit to all our colleagues in the Business School. The re-accreditation from EQUIS comes at an exciting time for Durham, where we are looking to enhance our strengths as a leading University renowned for the excellence and impact of its research, the quality of its education and student support, and the richness of its student experience.”

Durham University Business School has a substantial track record in providing internationally recognised degree programmes and MBAs. It has been ranked within the European Top 50 Schools by the Financial Times in 2021, as well as its Online MBA programme being placed 7th in the world by the Financial Times earlier this year. In addition, the School is also ranked 2nd in the UK and 37th in the world in The Economist Which MBA Ranking 2022.

Within the three departments of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Management and Marketing, the School’s research spans a broad range of timely and important topics, such as accountability, economic and sustainable development, cyber security, energy and environmental economics, international business, entrepreneurship, consumer research and supply chains, among others.

It’s commitment to supporting outstanding research was most recently demonstrated in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), a UK-wide assessment of university research.

 

About Durham University Business School

Durham University Business School is part of Durham University, one of the oldest established universities in the UK and is one of an elite group of business schools in the UK to hold triple accreditation. Triple accreditation, or the “Triple Crown”, is only achieved by a select few of the best business schools in Europe. Durham University Business School has the privilege of being accredited by the three most important accreditation organisations AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), AMBA (Association of MBAs) and EFMD/EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System).

The School offers a range of acclaimed programmes and attracts considerable levels of external research funding, enjoying extensive links within both the business and academic worlds. The School is also an internationally renowned research-led institution with a network of over 36,000 alumni from more than 140 countries.

The School is a top 50 European Business School, as confirmed once again by the most recent Financial Times ranking in December 2021. Last month, The Economist Which MBA also ranked Durham 67th globally and 2nd in the UK for the most recent ranking of the flagship Full Time MBA programme. Within this ranking, for the key domain of ‘Personal development and Educational experience’ Durham placed 10th globally and 1st in the UK. For ‘Student quality’ Durham ranked 4th globally and were also 1st in the UK.

For more information on Durham University Business School visit: www.dur.ac.uk/business

 

About EQUIS

EQUIS is the leading international system of quality assessment, improvement and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration.

EQUIS is run by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and its fundamental objective, linked to the mission of the EFMD, is to raise the standard of management education worldwide.

News

Keysource supports Datum in DCA certification renewal

Keysource, the global datacentre and critical environment specialist, was engaged by Datum Datacentres, a leading provider of datacentre and colocations services, to provide approved assessment services to support the renewal of their DCA certification. Prior to undertaking the formal audit Keysource also assisted Datum in understanding the current requirements of the DCA certification scheme and identifying any gaps which required addressing prior to the audit itself.

Upon completion of the assessment, Datum was then independently audited by the DCA, covering key areas of the facility design, build and operation which include; Infrastructure Resilience Classification, Operational Management & Maintenance, Physical Security and Access Control, and Energy Efficiency. The outcome of the assessment and independent audit graded Datum FRN1 facility in Farnborough as Class 3 for the EN 50600 Availability, Protection and Efficiency Enablement classifications.

The DCA certification requires annual surveillance assessments and a full re-certification assessment and audit every three years.

Stephen Lorimer Associate Director at Keysource, said: “As a DCA approved assessor we are required to be able to apply the correct levels of skill and expertise coupled with the required business strategy and technical knowledge. Our 40 years plus experience across all aspects of datacentre design, build and operation makes us an ideal choice for organisations like Datum that need to ensure that their facilities are resilient, efficient and secure.”

Dominic Phillips, CEO of Datum, said: “Our recertification as a fully operational Class 3 data centre is an endorsement of our drive for operational excellence across the board. We are very pleased to have been reaccredited and will continue to strive for the very best in resilience, security, energy efficiency and operational professionalism.”