Brambles, a leading logistics solutions company operating primarily through the CHEP and IFCO brands, has recently received the “Learning Programme of Excellence” 2018 by the internationally respected Learning & Performance Institute (LPI) for its Commercial Academy focused on attracting and retaining talent.
Beginning life in 1995, the LPI has become today’s leading authority on workplace learning. In 2017 it introduced the Learning Programmes of Excellence, a prestigious award recognising exceptional, state-of-the-art learning programmes across the globe.
LPI CEO, Edmund Monk, said: “This Learning Programme of Excellence Award is a huge achievement and recognises the strides Brambles has made in attracting, engaging and empowering employees. The individuals and organisations recognised with this award are inspirations to us all and deserve the fullest praise for their achievements. We have been impressed by Brambles’ Commercial Academy, which places Brambles among the very best companies in the world for innovative, leading talent development”.
Brambles’ Commercial Academy supports the company’s continuous improvement across areas like customer support, account management, field service and asset protection. Over the last 12 months alone 1,180 people in Brambles commercial teams globally completed 16,482 learning hours in the programmes that form the Commercial Academy. Where applicable, programmes were delivered in local languages, using face-to-face, online and virtual methodologies. Commercial teams in Europe and the Middle East also underwent practical in-store experiences with some of Brambles major grocery store customers as part of their development.
Lynne Rutherford, Brambles Group Vice president, Learning & Development, said: “We designed the Academy, firstly to upskill and prepare our commercial teams for our rapidly changing world and the rapidly changing needs of our customers. It is not just for customer-facing teams, but all employees, whether they are in the front lines or in customer support roles. In addition, our learning programmes are also an excellent inducement for new young talent to join us.”
Sebastian Krug, Retail Director, Sales & Services, CHEP Germany, who attended Brambles’ Commercial Academy, says: “With the Retail Immersion Programme, we were able to take the view of our retail customers, to look at process gaps, innovation and offerings not only from a Brambles perspective but from our customers’ side. Doing ‘real work’ at the grocery store shelf helped us push through internally the idea of how our learning system can help retailers.”
Brambles employs over 12,000 people in more than 60 countries and in the last couple of years it has been ranked by the Top Employers Institute as Top Employer in Europe and South Africa. This certification recognises the Group’s collaborative and progressive working practices, specifically around areas of talent management, learning and development, leadership development and employee engagement, from which the Commercial Academy is a good example.