Cirencester Friendly retains Gold Accreditation by Investors in People

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

27 May 2026

Cirencester Friendly has retained its gold accreditation awarded by Investors in People. The Society first achieved Gold Accreditation in 2023 and has built on this with a notably higher score in 2026. This improvement demonstrates the continued focus Cirencester has placed on nurturing employees, ensuring they feel trusted and valued working for an organisation with a clear purpose.

Only 17% of organisations assessed globally achieve gold accreditation. Cirencester Friendly achieved an overall score of 804 out of a possible 900, beating their previous score of 775 gained in 2023. This is significantly higher than both the industry average of 740 and the Investors in People average of 728.

Areas of strength

The score is attained through an independent assessment looking at the key areas of improvement, leadership and support. Cirencester Friendly achieved consistently high scores in all three areas. Notably, employees appreciate the values held by the Society and the work it does to support Members. Over 90% agree that Cirencester Friendly is a great place to work, has a positive impact on society and that it has clear values. Employees also appreciate the trust placed in them, with 96% saying they are encouraged to use their initiative.

Supporting employees helps to put Members first

Implementing practices that attract and retain employees creates a stable and motivated workforce who are focused on helping and supporting their Members. This is underlined by the impressive feedback gained through The Institute of Customer Service. The Society is one of only 23 UK organisations who have achieved ServiceMark Accreditation with Distinction and the only one who has been awarded it in the protection industry.

Andy Morris, CEO at Cirencester Friendly said: “We are delighted to have retained our Gold Accreditation and to have achieved an even higher score than three years ago. The Society places strong focus on building a culture that both attracts and retains employees. The introduction of employee feedback forums has given people a platform to share their views and ideas and ensures voices are listened to and act as a catalyst to drive continuous improvement. I am very proud that we have created a supportive and nurturing environment, facilitating the best conditions to help our Members when they need us the most.”

Howard Jones, Investors in People Practitioner said: “It was an absolute pleasure facilitating the Society’s Investors in People assessment. Everyone I met was open and honest and happy to share their experience of working at Cirencester Friendly. The survey scores and overall assessment results improved on those achieved in 2023. Congratulations to the Board, leaders, managers, and everyone in the team on retaining Gold Accreditation – a tremendous outcome!"