The Princess Royal Training Awards (PRTAs) recognise employers whose training and development programmes have had a direct impact on business performance and show compelling, irrefutable evidence of how training has directly influenced business results.

 

Veolia had identified verbal and physical abuse of employees by members of the public as a significant issue, and developed the training programme to help employees manage abuse better. The programme was implemented by the group's dedicated People Development team who travelled across the UK on a dedicated training bus to maximise reach across operational sites. Trainers were additionally supported by a project team with representatives from HR, QHS and Communications.

 

Upon completion of the Respect at Work training programme by 3,500 employees, Veolia received an unprecedented level of positive feedback from 99 per cent of attendees surveyed independently, with 97 per cent also indicating they had learnt a new skill.

 

Speaking at the awards ceremony at St James's Palace in London on Wednesday 30th October, which was attended by HRH Princess Anne, Veolia UK & Ireland Executive Vice-President, Gavin Graveson, said:

"This award is a huge achievement and it shows the commitment Veolia has not only to learning and people development, but for the wellbeing of employees too. With Safety as the first strategic objective of our safety culture , the need for employees to be given the knowledge and training required to protect themselves from incidents of abuse by members of the public is very important."

 

Chris Jones, Chief Executive of the City & Guilds Group, added: 

“The work that HR and L&D teams do to train, upskill and reskill teams is critical; helping individuals to reach their potential and find meaningful employment, while supporting businesses in developing the skills for success, and ultimately producing the productive workforce we so urgently need. The organisations we recognise today all provide compelling evidence that tangibly proves the value that comes from investing in people.”

 

Now in their fourth year, the Princess Royal Training Awards Commission recognised 48 workplace learning programmes for an award in 2019. Established by global skills development body: City & Guilds Group,   the PRTAs recognise employers with outstanding training and development programmes that have had a direct impact on business performance. Organisations that met the standard in 2019 range from global firms such as Veolia, to local businesses with fewer than 50 employees.