Investors in People is the national standard which sets out a level of good practice for the training and development of people in order to achieve business goals.  The expansion of the standard is a key element of the Government's Skills Strategy. The Investors in People Standard has been a major UK success story in schools and other organisations since its introduction in 1991.

Background 

The Investors in People Standard was developed in 1990 by the National Training Task Force, in partnership with leading business, personnel, professional and employees organisations.  The Standard provides a national framework for improving business performance and competitiveness through a planned approach to setting and communicating business objectives and developing people to meet these objectives.  The result is what people can and are motivated to do matches what the organisation needs them to do.  

The Standard is based on three main principals:

• Plan - develop strategies to improve performance
• Do - take action to improve the performance 
• Review - evaluate the impact 

These three key principles are broken down into 10 indicators, against which organisations wishing to be recognised as an Investor in People are assessed.  Investors in People UK was set up in 1993 to take ownership of the Standard and every three years it reviews this to make sure that it is still relevant, accessible and beneficial to organisations of all types and sizes

The Investors in People Standard gives us a framework to ensure that we improve the way we work. We have to meet the same criteria – or 'indicators' – as other organisations, but the Standard recognises that you will meet them in your own way. Investors in People recognises that organisations use different means to achieve success through their people. It does not prescribe any one method but provides a framework to help you find the most suitable means for achieving success through your people