We recognise that our business success depends on the capabilities and dedication of our people. As a result, we are committed to developing employees in the most effective way, identifying their potential and providing development and career opportunities.

British Gas Engineering Academy

We are investing £24 million each year in the British Gas Engineering Academy to continue our industry-leading training for engineers. The Academy achieved 'grade one' performance in a 2007 Ofsted inspection. We have also aligned our apprentice scheme to the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award, providing greater personal development and life skills for our trainees. In 2007, more than 300 apprentices participated in the scheme, collectively contributing around 3,000 hours.

Find out more by visiting the British Gas Engineering Academy site

Academy of Customer Excellence

Customer service sets us apart in our marketplace. The British Gas Academy of Customer Excellence underpins our aim to put customers at the heart of everything we do. The Academy provides training for front-line employees in British Gas Residential and British Gas Services.

Building on the success of our engineering academy, the customer service academy encourages best practice and knowledge sharing. By co-ordinating activities nationally, this new structure improves the consistency of our training design and delivery.

Occupational Health

Our occupational health (OH) programme aims to prevent ill heath arising from work activities and promote wellness among our employees. This includes ensuring a good fit between the person and the job and recommending any suitable adjustments.

Our approach is to take action through practical support and training by raising awareness of work-related health issues and encouraging personal responsibility for all aspects of health, at work and more widely.

Diversity and inclusion

We are committed to pursuing equality and diversity in all our activities and we continue to support initiatives to provide employment opportunities for people from minority groups in the community, including people with a disability, carers and lone parents. We work with a number of partner organisations on diversity, enabling us to share best practice and tackle key issues. Ofsted has commended our efforts to recruit from under represented groups, with female trainees accounting for almost 13% of all those recruited in 2007.

We also promote activity across the company that enables us to understand, reflect and serve the breadth of diversity in the communities in which we operate. For example, we provide advice on working sensitively in a home where the customer has a disability.