Gwent HR professional Michael Beynon scooped the award for Outstanding Contribution in the Field of People Development at the CIPD Wales Awards 2018.

The awards acknowledge outstanding individuals and teams as the best in HR, learning, and people management practice in businesses across Wales.

Michael Beynon, head of recruitment and vetting services at Celtic Springs Business Park-based Shared Services Connected Limited was honoured for his significant contribution to the justice sector.

The judges commended Michael for his exceptional leadership qualities and a transformative and innovative approach to establish a positive culture for learners and called him 'an exceptional example of HR excellence'.

Michael Beynon, 49, from Cwmbran, said: “This award isn’t about me as an individual. The team at SSCL are the ones who have made it happen.”

The team at SSCL also won the gold award in the Best HR/L&D Consultancy Award while the HR team at Office of National Statistics, Newport, secured the gold award for Best In House Team.

Blaenavon’s Doncasters Forging Ltd was awarded gold for its apprenticeship scheme which saw the business overcome its rural location to recruit apprentices into the sector. Winning silver in the Best Employee Engagement Initiative category was Wales and West Utilities in Newport.

Lesley Richards, head of CIPD Wales, said: “Wales is a great place to do business, and HR and people development are factors affecting every business’ success and it is incredible to see the passion and professionalism for the industry in Wales. The awards recognise and celebrate the companies driving HR practices and learning forward and we have been delighted by the number of entries, and the outstanding quality of work showcased.

“People development is fundamental to how businesses operate and is essential to ensuring employee wellbeing and retaining the best possible talent, as all our Gwent winners showed.”