Remploy wins APM Programme of the year 2009

On 21st October, Remploy’s Modernisation Programme won the APM’s Programme of the Year Award – recognition of the work to carry through the most significant transformation in the company’s 60 year history of supporting disabled people into employment.

Remploy faced the huge challenge of rationalising its national network of factories, set up in the aftermath of the Second World War.  As a result Remploy can use its skills to support many more disabled people into work each year, not just on its own sites but in companies throughout the country.

Recognising the need to strengthen its change management expertise, Remploy engaged project and programme specialists CITI to help in planning and managing this complex and challenging change programme.  As a key part of the process, CITI helped Remploy to develop the project and programme skills of its own staff, building a new in-house capability to manage change.  This places the company in a strong position for current and future challenges, such as the newly competitive welfare-to-work market in which it now successfully operates.  In making the award, the APM judges gave special mention to the development of change capability.  Remploy did not have any previous programme experience, and has won this national award with its first major change initiative.

The work needed to deliver this programme was far from routine. This essential but highly sensitive modernisation programme had to operate under close scrutiny by government, unions and others, and in the full glare of national and local media attention.  There were strict constraints on the treatment of vulnerable employees, the scheduling and the finance of the programme.  Despite all these challenges the Modernisation Programme met all its requirements and completed on time, and well within budget.  As a result, over a five year period Remploy will be able to quadruple the number of disabled people it supports into work to 20,000 each year. 

The programme is delivering savings of more than £150 million over the life of the plan, which can be invested in placing more disabled people in productive work.  In addition to the financial benefits, Remploy has regained strategic control over its business.  Remploy’s management now has the ability to focus the company’s efforts where they can be most effective, delivering its mission in a way that best meets current economic and social needs.

Nigel Hopkins, Remploy’s Executive Director, Finance said: “We are very pleased to have won this prestigious award.  It is a recognition of the hard work that was put in by all those at Remploy and CITI, and an acknowledgement that this programme of change has successfully set Remploy on a new path.  We trust this will allow us to continue serving the needs of disabled people well in the future.”

CITI’s Chairman Tom Docker said: “Following the success of Eurostar in 2008, clients of CITI have now, with our help, won the Programme of the Year Award two years running.  We are pleased to have helped both Remploy and Eurostar achieve difficult and challenging goals of great public importance.  Drawing on this success, CITI is now expanding its programme support team to help more UK organisations apply this proven approach to major change.  For both public and private organisations, taking the initiative to manage change in this way is essential to powering our way out of recession, and regaining control over our economic future.”