The Platinum Accreditation is the highest accolade that can be achieved against the Investors in People Standard and is currently held by only 1% of IIP accredited organisations.

IIP is the international standard for people management, defining what it takes to lead, support and manage people effectively to achieve sustainable results.

Hardies’ senior partner, Danny McArthur, said: “As a very people orientated business with our core values all centred around our people, we have long regarded Investors in People as synonymous with the way we run the business.

“We see this accreditation as further evidence of our reputation as a company that greatly values its people and so help us attract and retain staff by illustrating that joining Hardies is an astute great career choice because our employees are well looked after throughout their careers.”

Indeed, in response to significant growth realised over recent years, Hardies recently invested more than £250k in doubling its annual trainee and graduate surveyor recruitment intake.

That investment will see the firm recruit an additional 11 new trainees and graduate surveyors in the first half of this year, taking its total number of graduates across Scotland to 34 across its network of offices throughout Scotland.

The new recruits are sought across all disciplines, namely: project management; building surveying; quantity surveying and principal designer services and will comprise school leavers, apprentices and graduates.

Mr McArthur said: “Hardies can offer graduate and trainees secure employment, an excellent training programme, a solid career path with progression, the opportunity to work on a range of exciting UK-wide projects and the opportunity to work within a dynamic business environment as part of a growing community of trainees and graduates all learning together.

“In addition to doubling its trainee and graduate surveyor recruitment intake, we have identified a requirement for a further 17 qualified staff members to facilitate our increased workload.”

Bonnie Clarke, CEO Remarkable – home of Investors in People in Scotland, added: “Hardies has proved over a number of years that its people are truly at the heart of its business. The trust and transparency that comes from the top down is a foundation stone for how the values are lived.

“I am delighted to share this important celebration with its entire team as a Platinum Investors in People award really is the pinnacle of recognition for the business. Seeing how the whole team is encouraged to participate and contribute at every level of the organisation is only one element of a finely woven tapestry of how a great people-focused culture has been created. All credit to Hardies for leading the way in the sector.”