The Association was accredited as a Gold Investors in People as well as Silver Investors in Young People.

It was presented with its accreditations by Michael Russell MSP.

Dougie Mackie, West Highland chair, said: “We are delighted to achieve both Investors in People Gold and the Investors in Young People Silver. This is recognition of our commitment to the training and development of our staff, for now and for our future.

“It is particularly pertinent in this the Year of Young People that we have been recognised as an employer of choice for young people.”

Peter Russian, chief executive of Remarkable, the home for Investors in People and Investors in Young People in Scotland, said “This is a fantastic achievement for West Highland. I would like to congratulate the organisation and its people on their ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.

“Investors in People offers a flexible, practical and easy to use business improvement tool designed to help organisations and their people achieve their objectives.

“The Investors in Young People framework not only recognises and supports organisations in the employment of young people, but marks them out as an employer of choice.”

West Highland received the accreditations following an assessment based on various criteria, including a staff survey and interviews as well as customer and stakeholder surveys. This feedback showed significant improvements in some areas including how well staff and customers feel valued and respected by the organisation.

Investors in People is the most successful framework for business improvement through people in the UK. Achieving the Gold award represents a true commitment to employees and demonstrates a solid foundation of good practice which remains challenging and aspirational for many organisations.

Investors in Young People is the only people-management standard that focuses on an employer’s recruitment and retention of young people. This represents a true commitment to the training and development of young people and demonstrates that Link is an employer of choice for young people. The accreditation is offered to all businesses across Scotland and exists to recognise and support organisations across Scotland in the employment of young people.