Portmeirion is first UK company to receive youth development award

STOKE-ON-TRENT pottery group, Portmeirion, has become the first company in the country to be awarded the Investment in Young People (IiYP) award.

The award was presented to employee Ben Foster at a ceremony staged by the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce.

Foster has recently completed his engineering apprenticeship at the company and was chosen to receive the award as he represented the company’s commitment to the development of young people, the focus of this new award.
 
The IiYP Award has been developed by the youth organisation within the chamber – Young Chamber – to recognise the time and effort made by UK SMEs towards the development of employment skills and identification of potential career options by young people.
 
The award recognises the practical support provided by companies in nine separate areas and each application is independently verified prior to Young Chamber approving the award.

Sara Williams, chief executive of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “We would like to congratulate Portmeirion Group on being named the first company in the country to receive this award.

“We are delighted a Staffordshire company is the first to receive the award. It’ll bring many benefits for Portmeirion Group and demonstrates to customers and the wider community their commitment to investing in and supporting young people into employment.”
 
Neville Reyer, chairman of Young Chamber, added: “I would wholeheartedly congratulate Portmeirion on becoming the first company in the UK to be recognised in achieving the new ‘Investment in Young People’ accreditation and for leading the way for UK business from across the country to follow.”