Positive About Inclusion is delighted to announce we have been awarded Shine Foundation status by the North East Combined Authority for our commitment to responsible business.
Shine is the North East Combined Authority’s new employer accreditation scheme recognising organisations that lead with fairness, opportunity and respect. It replaced the Good Work Pledge in June 2025 and is now the region’s benchmark for responsible, inclusive employment practice. The accreditation recognises employers who demonstrate strong commitments across five ‘beams’:
- Health and wellbeing
- Social responsibility
- Employee voice and communication
- Balanced and inclusive workforce
- Valuing and rewarding staff
For an organisation like Positive About Inclusion whose core mission is inclusion, fairness and social impact, Shine is more than just a badge, it’s a signal of our commitment to the region and the ambitions of the Combined Authority.
There are three strategic reasons that motivated our engagement with Shine. Firstly as a consultancy and training provider specialising in inclusive workplaces, being Shine accredited demonstrates our commitment and positions us as a regional leader in responsible business. This strengthens our influence and credibility with partners, boards and commissioners. Secondly, Shine members gain access to events, tools and a growing network of like-minded responsible employers. This access is valuable not just for collaboration and staying connected but this visibility raises our profile which in turn maximises the social impact we achieve in our region.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Shine recognises employers who have authentically and genuinely embedded fairness, inclusion and positive practice into how they do things. For Positive About Inclusion, this external verification of our values reinforces that we walk the talk and model the standards we help others achieve.
Having moved from Subscriber to Foundation level, work will now begin on moving through the levels of accreditation to achieve Intermediate and then Advanced Shine status.
For more information on simple ways to enhance your organisational approach to being a responsible employer, book a free discover call with Lucy and Karen. You can contact us here.
