Public Libraries Boost - GLL Awarded Gold Standard By Investors in People

GLL – the UK’s foremost, charitable leisure and cultural social enterprise - has been awarded Investors in People Gold status. 

 

IiP is an international best-practice standard that recognises companies that commit to good people management and development of their people.  Used in about 70 countries around the world, about 50,000 organisations have attained it. Achieving Gold puts GLL in the top 15% of IiP accredited organisations. 

 

GLL People Director, Lorraine Patrinos said: 

 

“We are a friendly organisation that cares about its people. Gold standard means we are independently acknowledged as a good employer – one that excels in creating an organisational culture that provides a clear vision for the future, values and develops its people and creates high degrees of trust. To get IiP Gold Standard is a fantastic achievement and caps off an amazing 30th anniversary year for GLL’s staff-owned social enterprise."

 

GLL Head of Libraries, Rebecca Gediking said:  

 

“GLL’s highly trained and engaged library, archives and museum staff are deeply passionate about the great work they do to deliver the multiple services that our customers rely on. We are committed to staff development and providing the culture and environment that supports growth and success. It is wonderful for all of our staff to receive recognition by achieving IiP Gold standard.” 

 

GLL’s staff continually modify library services to meet local needs. An example is applying for and being awarded European Cultural Foundation funding to deliver a programme in Greenwich supporting engagement with the democratic process from hard to reach groups - including masterclasses and voter registration. 

 

As part of the assessment for Gold standard, all GLL staff were surveyed this autumn and 200 staff completed face to face interviews. GLL employs 11,000 people in England, Cardiff and Belfast and operates over 350 facilities including 120 libraries in five partnerships – Bromley, Dudley, Greenwich, Lincolnshire and Wandsworth. 

 

During Covid, GLL protected and rewarded its workforce using the Government’s Retention Scheme to keep all staff on the books for when the business reopened.  Recently, it has made a stronger strategic focus on culture and values and built leadership and management capability. GLL is an accredited Real Living Wage Employer and believes in harnessing all the talents of its diverse workforce in decision making – including offering places on its Worker Board.