Bayer CropScience Ltd inNorwich, has received a prestigious Roll of Honour Certificate in recognition of its commitment to the Gold Standard, the industry skills benchmark for world class performance, from Cogent, the Sector Skills Council for the chemical industry.

The Gold Standard, which was also signed up by Europe in April this year, is a national framework for continuing professional development, setting out the skills required for world class performance in key job roles in the process industries.

It encompasses job role skills, knowledge and behaviours and requires participating employees to achieve high levels of understanding regarding the theory, principles and practices associated with a variety of appropriate business improvement techniques as well as the concepts of Resource Efficiency applied to energy, water and waste.

As part of the process, Bayer went through the ASET (Assessment System for Employer Training) procedure, one of a suite of National Skills Academy Assessment Tools designed to allow employers to have their own in-house training benchmarked against the national Gold Standard.  The result of this exercise revealed that in-house training met and exceeded Gold Standard requirements.

The Bayer Training Team, led by Hilary Wright, is delighted to have achieved the Award: "We have been very focused on working towards the standard, to ensure that employees are trained in high-value skills, aligned to business need, and ultimately to increase the company's competitive advantage. Also, in providing clear progression routes and career pathways which allow individuals to reach their full potential. We are very happy to have achieved this Nationally recognised standard."

Jenny Clucasfrom Cogent, who presented the Certificate, added: "I have been very impressed with Bayer's investment in the site itself and equally, having met some of the people, by their positive attitude and competence.  Bayer is clearly committed to the development of their workforce in line with their company strategy and the Gold Standard Framework, and to train personnel to be highly-skilled business aware individuals."

Roger Langford from the National Skills Academy Process Industries was also at the presentation and commented: "Bayer has demonstrated that companies can take up and develop a competency based programme using their own in-house resources.  I couldn't have done it better myself.  The Academy is structured to deliver such outcomes but Bayer CropScience is fortunate to have the resource to facilitate delivery internally."

Plant tour: l-r: Colin Dann , Bayer CropScience; Jenny Clucas, Cogent; Roger Langford,  National Skills Academy Process Industries and Chris Perry, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce