This London-based nursery provider has just been honoured with a prestigious workplace award

The formal recognition from CIPD celebrates Bright Horizons’ exceptional, people-first approach, demonstrating a holistic, sustainable commitment to embedding world-class people practices across every level of the organisation.

The official signing and presentation ceremony was held with senior leaders from both organisations in attendance on Wednesday April 16th at Bright Horizons Clapham Day Nursery and Pre-School. Phil Smith, Janine Leightley and Zoe Austen represented Bright Horizons at the event, alongside key representatives from CIPD, marking this significant milestone with a certificate handover and celebration of shared values.

Janine Leightley, HR Director at Bright Horizons UK, stated: “We’re proud to lead the way in the Early Years Sector. Our ‘You’re the Difference’ approach works to ensure our colleagues feel valued, supported, and motivated to thrive. This recognition confirms what we already know – our people are at the heart of everything we do.”

The CIPD’s People Development Partner Status is awarded only to organisations that demonstrate a deep, long-term investment in people development, HR capability frameworks, and learning, all aligned to the global standard for the people profession. It signals a clear commitment to setting employees up for sustainable success.

Adam Stanbury, Director of Employer Solutions, CIPD: “On behalf of CIPD and the Employer Solutions team, I’d like to offer our warmest congratulations to Bright Horizons on becoming a CIPD People Development Partner. This achievement reflects your deep commitment to nurturing not only the children in your care but also the incredible people who support them every day. By investing in your workforce, you’re helping to shape the future of early years education—and setting a powerful example for the sector.”

This achievement builds on a year of continued recognition for Bright Horizons, following its ranking as one of the UK’s top five Best Workplaces in Education & Training™ and its 20th consecutive appearance on the UK’s Best Workplaces™ List.

As the first in the sector to receive PDP status, Bright Horizons continues to set the benchmark for excellence in people practices and early years education. To learn more about a career at Bright Horizons, visit our website.