Show you’re serious about the strategic value and impact of your people function by becoming a People Development Partner today.  

What is a People Development Partner?

It’s a status that your organisation works towards to demonstrate and prove their holistic approach to embedding and sustaining world-class people practices across your people community.

How long it takes and what’s involved depends on your organisation, where you’re at, and what you’re aiming to be.

The work we do with you is completely tailored to help you:

  • Benchmark teams and their capability against internationally recognised
  • standards
  • Professionalise people teams to drive performance and engagement
  • Embed continuing professional development to meet future challenges
  • Give back to the profession and wider community.

Why become a People Development Partner?

People Development Partner status demonstrates that your organisation supports and values its people community. That it’s willing to invest in accreditation, in HR capability frameworks and in learning and development, all aligned to the global standard for the People Profession.

It shows that your organisation is committed to setting people up for sustainable success.

Meet our People Development Partners

Case study

Tesco

Tesco employs more than 400,000 people nationwide and has a people team of 800. The company has worked closely with the CIPD for a number of years, helping to develop its HR capabilities through various different ways.

Case study

Civil Service HR

Civil Service HR (CSHR), the overarching people function encompassing all civil servants working in HR and L&D across all government departments, agencies and other public bodies, have been working closely with the CIPD since 2016 and leading the way on raising the capability and credibility of its people function.

Case study

Taking pride in being people experts

Introducing our People Development Partner, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

Case study

Natwest Group

NatWest Group are the first Financial Services organisation to become a CIPD People Development Partner (PDP). Learn how our partnership has worked as a collaborative and invaluable force for change within their HR Teams.

News article

20 May, 2024
The NHS in England announced as CIPD People Development Partner

On International HR Day the CIPD has announced the NHS in England, one of the UK’s largest employers, as its latest People Development Partner 

Case study

Network Rail

Network Rail owns, operates and develops the UK’s rail infrastructure – that’s 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and many thousands of signals and level crossings. The company has a 40,000 strong workforce, and since 2016 they have been working with the CIPD to further strengthen their people function of 400–500 professionals.

News article

7 Feb, 2023
Petroleum Development Oman awarded first CIPD Middle East People Development Partner

Petroleum Development Oman has become the first Middle Eastern organisation to achieve People Development Partner status.

News article

3 Aug, 2023
Department for Work and Pensions achieves CIPD People Development Partner (PDP) status

Read how the UK’s biggest civil service department is investing in and transforming its people function

Case study

Peabody

Peabody has helped people make the most of their lives for almost 160 years by providing safe and affordable housing. Today it is responsible for over 67,000 homes in London and the South East and has 17,500 care and support customers. The organisation's People Team has 57 employees spread across six specialisms

News article

23 Nov, 2023
Royal Navy announced as CIPD People Development Partner

The Royal Navy becomes a valued military People Development Partner, joining the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Air Force

News article

19 Oct, 2023
Met Office recognised for commitment to empowering people to be the best they can be

The most trusted weather forecaster in the world becomes the CIPD’s latest People Development Partner.

Case study

Neath Port Talbot County Council

The council have exhibited exceptional commitment to the development and empowerment of their workforce. Here’s more on how our PDP Partnership has worked with them to endorse their fantastic work.

News article

6 Jun, 2024
Ciphr achieves CIPD People Development Partner status

The CIPD has recognised the HR software and payroll provider for its commitment to professionalism

Case study

Ministry of Defence

The Ministry of Defence employs 60,000 civil servants and has a core Civilian HR function of 180 people. Over the last three years, they have been working hard to boost their professional standards and plug capability gaps.

News article

24 Nov, 2022
The Royal Air Force are awarded CIPD People Development Partner

The Royal Air Force has become the latest People Development Partner (PDP) by aligning with our industry standard of excellence.

News article

23 May, 2023
The CIPD recognises Defence, Equipment & Support for commitment to developing its people

Defence, Equipment and Support (DE&S), the procurement arm of the UK Armed Forces, becomes the CIPD’s latest People Development Partner

News article

19 Jul, 2023
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero achieves CIPD People Development Partner status

The department has adopted the CIPD profession map and standards in its HR training plans and recruitment processes

Case study

Home Office

The Home Office (HO) HR function includes 620 dedicated people, many with a HR professional anchor, working alongside colleagues from health and safety, learning and development, programme management and many more.

Case study

ESB

Ireland’s premier energy provider ESB has a workforce of 7,900 people, of which around 200 are HR professionals, and operates across the electricity markets in Ireland and the UK, from generation and distribution through to supplying power to businesses and households.

Case study

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

DCMS has undergone significant change over the last few years and has set a high bar for professionalism in HR. It employs 2,000 people and its team of 70 HR professionals plays a fundamental role in supporting an innovative, data-driven, modernised and diverse government department.

News article

9 Oct, 2023
Cardiff Metropolitan University’s People Services team becomes first CIPD People Development Partner in the university sector

By aligning their development plan to the CIPD Profession Map, the People Services team has built credibility and capability as internal partners in people, work, and change

News article

29 Aug, 2023
CIPD announces PETRONAS as the first People Development Partner (PDP) in Asia

The global energy solutions partner has used the CIPD profession map to foster a culture of continuous learning