Lancaster firm wins top title at Red Rose Awards 2021

This prestigious award acknowledges and celebrates businesses who go the extra mile and demonstrate their commitment to their employees.

Group CEO Phil Wilkinson said: “At Ascentis we have been working hard to make our company a truly fantastic place to work. We expect a lot from our people – great skill, loyalty and hard work – and in return we rightly give a lot back with excellent conditions of service, an amazing and creative new office and a good work-life balance.

"We are all so proud that our achievements have now been recognised through our Red Rose Employer of the Year Award.”

Judges at the Red Rose Awards said: “Ascentis has a demonstrable focus on its staff with a comprehensive approach to employee engagement resulting in 100% feedback from their people recommending Ascentis as a great place to work.”

An Ascentis spokesman added: "We couldn’t have made this happen without listening to our employees and their needs. We were able to do so through initiatives such as the ‘One Thing’ scheme in which we asked employees what they wanted in the new office and incorporated their feedback. We are proud to say that 98 per cent of employees felt we had fully listened to their needs."

Ascentis made a significant investment in a brand new office, partnering with Opus 4 to create a fantastic building which was also shortlisted for an award. Their new building features a pool table, a Harry Potter room, an Xbox, a netball/basketball hoop and more.

One Ascentis employee said: “I have always been proud to work for Ascentis. I think the new building is setting the bar for office culture in the north west.”

Ascentis is a registered education charity and award-winning provider of cutting edge qualifications for education, training and business in the UK and overseas.

Ascentis was formed in 1975 by tutors in a small number of further education colleges and universities, who decided they were not satisfied with the qualifications available for adults wanting to go to university.

Ascentis was known as the Open College of the North West until August 2009 when it became Ascentis.