AARP, the US-based non-profit organisation representing nearly 40 million members aged 50 and over, and TAEN – The Age and Employment Network, the UK centre of expertise on age and employment issues, have announced the four winners from the UK and Guernsey of the 2010 AARP International Innovative Employer Award.
The award is designed to promote innovative human resource and workforce practices around the world. Scooping this year’s award are:
- BT, the telecommunications giant, recognised for its flexible working policies and career support for older workers
- Centrica, the multinational utilities company, recognised for their efforts to address their ageing workforce, their flexible working options and their promotion of age-awareness issues within the company
- The University of Central Lancashire, who were commended for raising awareness of the needs of their older workers
- Guernsey Post, the Channel Island’s postal service provider, who were recognised for their occupational health policies, pre-retirement support and the redeployment of older workers who wish to take up less demanding roles.
Candidates are evaluated on practices that meet the needs of mature workers. Key areas of consideration include: recruiting practices; opportunities for training, education and career development; workplace accommodations; alternative work options, such as flexible scheduling, job sharing, and phased retirement; employee health and retirement benefits; and retiree relations.
Chris Ball, TAEN Chief Executive, says: “The AARP International Innovative Employer Award goes from strength to strength; the number and variety of applicants increases year by year. This year’s entrants have shown impressive awareness of the value of older workers. They are growing in the sophistication of their strategies to retain older workers and exploit their potential. The Award has provided much inspiration to draw on in our discussions of workforce ageing in the months to come.”
“Older workers are an asset to companies in good times and also in challenging times, and companies who recognise these benefits put themselves in a position to succeed,” said AARP Executive Vice President John Rother. “Our winners’ innovative workforce policies offer best practices for retaining mature and experienced employees and ultimately using them to keep a competitive edge in today’s marketplace, as well as tomorrow’s.”
AARP teamed with a network of international collaborating organisations with expertise on age and employment issues to promote the international award programme. TAEN worked with AARP to identify the UK and Channel Islands winners. The other winners are from Austria, Canada, Germany and Singapore They include:
- Adecco Employment Services Limited (Canada)
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Germany)
- Galeria Kaufhof GmbH (Germany)
- Hansgrohe AG (Germany)
- Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Germany)
- Salzburg AG (Austria)
- SICK AG (Germany)
- Sozial-Holding der Stadt Mönchengladbach GmbH (Germany)
- Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Germany)
- National University Hospital (Singapore)
- PUB (Singapore)
The winners will be honoured at an award ceremony in Brussels on Wednesday 24 November.
The network of international collaborating organisations teaming with AARP to promote the international award programme, include 50&Piú (Italy); BAGSO (Germany); CARP (Canada); Council for Third Age (Singapore); DaneAge (Denmark); DDN – The Demography Network (Germany); Gerontology Institute at Technische Universität Dortmund (Germany); and TAEN – The Age and Employment Network (United Kingdom).
The AARP International Innovative Employer Award is open to all non-US-based employers. For more information about the AARP International Innovative Employer Award, please visit: www.aarpinternational.org/2010employeraward
