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SG World Employees Pass “Millennial Mark” Years of Service to Company

Written by Lisa Robinson | Dec 18, 2012 12:00:00 AM

SG World employees cracked a thousand year milestone in 2012 by achieving a combined 1142 years total service to the company.

The Crewe-based health and safety and visitor management solutions company has been in operation since 1969 and in that time has built up its reputation for providing simple solutions to over 20,000 organisations across the UK. With over 134 employees based out of the head offices, the reputation of stability and longevity in the business carries over internally with employees regularly celebrating milestone anniversaries ranging from five years all the way up to 35!

“SG World takes pride in providing excellent products, excellent service and a guarantee of stability; our employees are integral to our reputation and success. We encourage our employees to develop and grow with the company, and our commitment to home-grown talent is clear in our success in recruiting and retaining the best in the industry,” CEO Arnold Haase said.

In 2012, SG World inducted two new members to the Centurion’s Club, the honorary society for employees who have worked with the company for 20 years or longer. The Centurion’s Club has 24 members, who have worked with the company since its inception as an American-owned subsidiary called Safeguard Inc. Members have seen the company move to a purpose-built headquarters in Crewe, the expansion of the sales force nationally and internationally into commercial and public sector markets, and have contributed to the success of the company following a management buy-out and rebranding as SG World Ltd.

Half of SG World’s customer service department has been with the company for 15 years or more, including four Centurion’s Club members. As a company, SG World prides itself on the level of personalised customer service it provides, a standard which is aided greatly by the long-term relationships Customer Services representatives are able to form with the customer base.

“We have many customers who specifically come back to the first person they dealt with. They’ll ring up and ask specifically for us by name. We provide a friendly and helpful service and I think our customers appreciate that – why else would they keep coming back?” Customer Service Advisor Sue Shepherd, who has been with the company for over 32 years, said. “I wouldn’t work anywhere else. It’s so easy to provide great customer service when you have a good team and brilliant customers like ours.”

SG World has shown a commitment to professional development for its staff, providing resources and time for employees to undertake further education or professional certification. In summer 2012, SG World also created its current Apprenticeship Programme, taking on three local young people aged 18 - 22 for a long-term contract that provides access to qualifications and on-the-job training.

Product Manager Russell Barnard is responsible for the development of new SG World products. He began his career with SG World in 1987 in the Customer Service department. “There has always been lots of support from a training point of view,” he said. “My experience is that SG World has always been proactive in supporting talent; I’ve seen many colleagues join me in progressing through the business to become supervisors, managers and even directors.”

The company also maintains a positive social environment with an active social committee planning social events, including a recent all-company darts tournament and the annual Christmas party.

For information about careers with SG World, including vacancies, please visit the careers page.