Mearns & Company, a Chartered wealth management and employee benefits consultancy based in Edinburgh, has been awarded Investors in People Platinum accreditation for its commitment to staff development, customer service and continuous improvement.

The company is the second financial services firm in Scotland to be awarded Investors in People Platinum accreditation and the fourth across the UK.

Mearns & Company was awarded the accreditation for its commitment to staff development, and a company culture that empowers its employees and fosters a ‘client comes first’ ethos. The company also has an innovative continuous improvement and performance management strategy, where corporate objectives are linked directly to each individual.

The Platinum Accreditation is the highest accolade that can be achieved against the Investors in People Standard and is currently held by only 0.5% of IIP accredited organisations.

Catherine Bell, Managing Director of Mearns & Company said: “We are absolutely delighted to have achieved Investors in People Platinum accreditation.  Since our Investors in People journey started in 2014, we have worked hard to continually improve by implementing all of the recommendations that our Investors in People advisers have made to us.  Our company values of treating people fairly, striving for excellence and making a difference, underpin our culture at Mearns & Company and align well with the aims of the Investors in People framework.  We believe that this external recognition that we are successfully leading the way in our people practices, will give reassurance to our current and future clients, that we are committed to excellence and delivering outstanding results.”

Peter Russian, Chief Executive of Remarkable, the organisation licensed to deliver Investors in People in Scotland, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Mearns & Company. Investors in People recognises organisations who are truly committed to their people, continuous improvement and customer service. We have supported Mearns & Company since 2014 and we’re delighted to see their ongoing dedication recognised with this Platinum award. Many congratulations!”

For over 30 years, Investors in People has been recognised internationally as the premium standard for people management, defining what it takes to lead, support and manage people effectively to achieve sustainable results. Underpinning the standard is the Investors in People framework, reflecting the latest workplace trends, essential skills and effective structures required to outperform in any industry. Investors in People enables organisations to benchmark against the best in the business on an international scale.

Founded in 1994, Mearns & Company is a firm of fee based Chartered financial planners and employee benefits advisers, providing award winning financial advice to a range of private clients, employers, trustees and professional partners. The company employs 32 people and has a long and successful history in providing industry leading people management solutions for its staff. The company has achieved the Gold Standard for Independent Financial Advice no less than eight times since 2009 and achieved Gold Investors in People accreditation in 2014, and Silver Investors in Young People accreditation in 2015.