Some 34 businesses ranging from prestigious car manufacturers, through healthcare organisations, to animal charities are to receive a Princess Royal Training Award in recognition of their outstanding training and skills development programmes.

The City & Guilds Group launched the Awards in January 2016. They were developed in conjunction with employers, learning and development experts and assessors, and endorsed by the City & Guilds Group’s President, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. In total, 110 organisations applied for the Awards in their inaugural year.

The Awards reflect the Group’s history of recognising achievement in training, as well its commitment to pioneering skills development. The successful organisations all demonstrated that training and skills development can make a significant impact on productivity and business success.

Each application was assessed against three ‘Hallmarks of Excellence’ by the Princess Royal Training Awards Commission. The Commission comprised ten leading figures in the business and learning & development community, as well as HRH The Princess Royal.

All of the recipients will be invited to attend a prestigious awards ceremony at St James’s Palace on 24 November 2016.

Speaking about the winners, City & Guilds Group Chief Executive, Chris Jones said:

‘Excellence doesn’t happen by chance. In today’s uncertain economy, more than ever, employers must align investment in training to the objectives of their business. Whether they’ve addressed a skills gap, improved productivity or developed new leaders to grow their businesses, the awarded organisations deserve to be recognised for their achievements.’

Find out about those who have achieved the standard on the 2016 recipients page.