BORDERS College is once again celebrating after being named as a ‘Best Workplace for Women 22’ for the second year running.

This follows on from being ranked as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing back in February.

Being a significant organisation in the Borders, the College has 288 employees, and an impressive 68% are women.

The figures for the Senior Leadership and Wider Leadership Teams are equally impressive, with over 60% of the staff being female.

Ranked 36 out of 61 in the Large Organisations category, Borders College is in great company when it comes to the award as well-known brands such as Hilton, Adobe, Admiral, and GAP are among those who have been awarded the ‘Best Workplace for Women’ accolade.

Debbie Kerr, Head of HR and Development at Borders College, commented: “It’s fabulous that the College has been awarded this prestigious accolade for the second year running.

“Our inclusive College culture and our values and behaviours help to support women to achieve success, both in their professional careers and in their life/work balance.

“And, I am proud to be a women leader at Borders College and to be able to celebrate the successes that we are achieving.”

College Principal and Chief Executive Angela Cox went on to say: “Our Workforce Strategy links directly to our Strategic Plan and seeks to create a highly talented, diverse and motivated workforce who are empowered and engaged through working in a developmental, collaborative, forward-thinking and dynamic working environment.

“This accolade further highlights that Borders College is truly a forward-thinking organisation, where creating the right talent pool to meet our business needs is not only a priority but is also the norm.”

As an employer, the College is aware of the need to address the gender imbalance and understands the clear requirement to provide women in rural communities, such as the Borders, with access to high quality and meaningful careers and employment.

Offering equal pay and benefits for comparable roles and the same opportunities for all genders ensures that our staff will never face any discrimination because they are male or female, or are undergoing gender reassignment.

The awards, made by the national organisation Great Places to Work™, are awarded after validated employee feedback gathered with Great Place to Work’s™ rigorous, data-driven methodology. 75% of Borders College staff confirmed that they have a consistently positive work experience, which is 10% higher than the threshold to be awarded the Great Place to Work certificate.

Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK, said: “Now in its fifth year, our 2022 list showcases the largest collection of Best WorkplacesTM for Women that the UK has ever recognised.

“These results are based on what women themselves have anonymously reported to us about their workplace experience and how well represented they are in the workforce and management.

“Ensuring people aren’t discriminated against, placing positive value on our differences, creating fair access and advancement for all, and fostering a sense of value and empowerment in employees is what being a Great Place to Work® is all about.

“Only by first identifying the gaps in workers’ experiences can organisations truly take action to close them, which is why analysing employee experience is important. We are proud that the data and insights we provide organisations helps on that continuous journey - and it’s wonderful to celebrate so many Best Workplaces™ for Women this year, across all sectors and organisational sizes.”