FIVE CHOICE REASONS TO CHEER IN A CHALLENGING YEAR

Written by: Sue - 5^th May 2021

If the past year has taught us anything it is the value of choice; to choose to take an hour's walk each day, or if not in the mood to opt to head for the gym, the pool or the high street instead. We didn't escape the huge impact on our sector, but here we exercise our power of choice to focus on five highlights which helped keep us motivated and of which we are very proud.

1 We Clinched Five More External ISO Audits and Certifications

Last November we shared news that, when our sector hit a stand-still, we had been motoring on in the background - from the outset in March - working to improve our standards further across all business areas. We secured external ISO audits and certifications in the following areas:

ISO9001 Quality

ISO27001 Security

ISO22301 Business Continuity

ISO14001 Environment

Cyber Essentials

We were delighted that some areas of best practice were particularly applauded, such as ...

"Top management have created a positive culture, valuing employees, recognising achievement with compliance, promoting a positive strategy for change and improvement."

2 We're An Accredited Real Living Wage Employer

"A hard day's work deserves a fair day's pay" became more than a slogan recently, as Calder achieved accreditation as a Living Wage Employer. The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not merely the government minimum.  Yorkshire and the Humber region has one of the highest proportions of non-living wage jobs in the country (22%) with over 465,000 jobs paying less than the real Living Wage, which makes our commitment feel all the more significant.

We join the ranks of over 7,000 UK organisations - including Burberry, Barclays and Everton Football Club to name a few - who recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer.

3 Making Sense of Today for Tomorrow with Touchstone

An industry-first initiative devised by the Meetings Industry Association in response to the pandemic impact was a shot of positivity and will allow our clients and venue partners to harness significant benefits. By adopting the miaTouchstone platform - a privilege offered to all AIM Secure accredited venues - we can instantly share and demonstrate evidence of legal compliance and safety protocols across our network to prospective bookers. Specifically designed to help drive business improvement and standards, this innovative platform efficiently manages client feedback - both pre- and post-event - and allows venues to track their real-time Net Promoter Score.

A crucial feature which will aid fine-tuning into the future, is the ability to benchmark a venue's performance against their tailored competitor set and highlight areas in which to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Wide benefits for the whole sector!

 4 Responsible, Trustworthy, Family Values - Good Business Charter Approved

Hot on the heels of our Real Living Wage commitment came our accreditation to the Good Business Charter - an accolade which confirms our place as one of the UK's most ethically-minded businesses. In pursuit of responsible business practices, we underwent an audit and the findings confirmed that our ethos and systems align with the charter in all areas of operation but significantly over 10 key components - from ethical sourcing, diversity and inclusion, to employee well-being and commitment to a Real Living Wage. Launched in February 2020, the charter counts large and smaller organisations in its number: we're in the good company of TSB, Brompton Bicycles, Deloitte, Oxfam and Amnesty International, to name a handful.

5 Celebrating Good Conduct in Our Valued Partners

A perfect illustration of our ethical commitment required by the Good Business Charter lies in the hotel chain partners we choose to work with and venues we source. As demanding as the past year was, it was punctuated by several wow moments alongside our partner Hilton, as they were honoured in a string of significant ethical, social and governance accolades, including:

* named the 2020 Global Industry Leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for a second consecutive year - the most prestigious ranking for corporate responsibility and sustainability performance

* recognised as the number 3 World's Best Workplace by Great Place to Work Institute and Fortune Magazine, as well as the number 3 Best Workplace in Europe and the UK

* ranked number 2 on DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity list

* named on the 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2020 list - the only global hotel brand to be recognised.

We have chosen just five milestones to share as a signpost to potential employees and clients that we collaborate with partners - and a wider sector force - which are actively devoted to further good, safe and reliable business conduct. We will continue to take our own steps in long-term pursuit of good standards and business practice and, ultimately, for a more inclusive, ethical society in the UK and globally.