For the past two decades, CPI has been at the forefront of technological innovation and advancement in the UK. Our impact is multifaceted: we use our collective expertise to empower people, strengthen communities, and protect our environment. Our dual focus on innovation and community enables us to tackle global challenges and provide tangible benefits and support to the communities around us.
Catalysing positive change for communities, society, and the environment
From creating jobs and supporting local community projects to investing in STEM outreach programmes and empowering individuals through education and training, CPI connects the dots between our people and our communities in a myriad of ways. What underpins it all is our commitment to people, places, and our planet. Through CPI’s ESG Framework we aim to develop and support more initiatives that will deliver impact into the world.
Apprenticeships at CPI
CPI has been offering apprenticeships for over 10 years, seeding talent out into the wider industry and, in many cases, back into CPI. Currently, 11% of our workforce are in early career roles, such as apprenticeships, industrial placements or graduate roles. This year, we’ve been awarded Platinum accredited membership via the 5% Club’s 2023 – 24 Employer Audit Scheme. This award recognises our significant contribution to the continued development of all our Employees through our “earn & learn” schemes.
Apprenticeship opportunities at CPI are advertised and available to both new entrants and current employees (regardless of age, role or length of service) to support personal development, learn new skills and sometimes re-skill.
Apprentices can begin at Level 3 (BTEC) and continue right up to Level 7, the equivalent of a Master’s degree, if desired. Some of our team members have even taken on the Senior Leadership apprenticeship, which is equivalent to an MBA. All our apprentices can reap the benefits of having access to a huge wealth of knowledge from our mentors and experts within CPI. As their individual careers flourish and grow, this important knowledge is shared amongst the innovation ecosystem and greatly benefits the industry as a whole.
STEM outreach
In some areas of the North East, there are 5 generations of unemployment. CPI’s STEM outreach programme aims to change this by inspiring future talent to embark on a career in STEM. The potential impact that our outreach will have in the coming years is huge. In fact, since becoming STEM ambassadors in 2016, 100 of our employees have volunteered 776 hours across 178 different activities.
Through our STEM outreach programme, we aim to engage with and inspire local communities, raise aspirations and increase the future talent pipeline. By showing school-aged children what a career in STEM can look like and the types of people that work in those industries, we’re actively removing barriers to entry and giving young people relatable role models.
While the key benefits of this programme are primarily with the children, the advantages are two-fold. Graduates and apprentices at CPI take part in a structured year-long Professional Skills Development Programme, of which STEM outreach can be a part of. By undertaking the outreach, our employees are developing their own professional skills, growing in their roles and achieving the goals set out in the programme.
CPI Boost
Part of CPI’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) activity is about making a difference to our local communities, outside of our day-to-day work. It’s important to us to deliver social value to the communities in the North East, North West and Scotland where we live, work and play.
The CPI Boost Programme was pioneered in July 2023 by our Director of Impact, Louise Barker, as a way to give back to our communities and use our influence for good. The Boost Programme encourages our employees to submit a request to support local community initiatives that meet both CPI’s values and the UN Sustainability Development Goals. If the submission is successful, funding is made available to support a certain activity for the community initiative, which has so far included purchasing gardening equipment for a community centre, sponsorship of shirts for a girls’ football team and equipment for a community litter pick.
Community 20 for 20 challenge
Communities are at the heart of CPI, so to celebrate our 20th anniversary, we’re dedicating 1 week to ‘Giving Back’. From 16 – 20 September 2024, each of our 720+ employees are encouraged to spend a day supporting our local communities through a range of different activities. This will include planting trees, cleaning riverbeds, restoring farms, painting rooms within hospices, providing IT training to volunteers, helping with administrative tasks, and donating blood.
We hope that through supporting our communities, we can strengthen our ties and, in some cases (like the creation of an edible garden at our Sedgefield site), make a long-lasting impact.
What does the future look like?
Our vision for the future is simple. We’ll continue to create positive impacts on both society and the environment: pioneering technological advancements in the lab and delivering meaningful social value to our local communities.
As CPI heads into a third decade, our focus and dedication to creating long-lasting impact remains unchanged.
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