NHBC, (the National House-Building Council), is the standard setting body and leading warranty and insurance provider for new and newly converted homes in the UK. Our role is to work with the house-building and wider construction industry to provide risk management services that raise the standards of new homes, and to provide consumer protection to new home buyers.

There are approximately 19,000 house builders and developers on NHBC's Register (known as registered builders or registered developers), who agree to comply with our Rules and Standards when building new homes.

More than 85% of new homes built in the UK each year are registered with NHBC and benefit from our 10-year warranty and insurance policy called 'Buildmark'. Around 1.6 million homeowners are currently covered by Buildmark policies, and over the past 40 years, NHBC has protected more than 30% of existing homes in the UK.

The Investors in People Standard is a business improvement tool designed to advance an organisation's performance through its people.
Developed in 1990 by a partnership of leading businesses and national organisations, the Standard helps organisations to improve performance and realise objectives through the management and development of their people. Since it was developed the Standard has been reviewed every three years to ensure that it remains relevant, accessible and attractive to all. The most recent review was completed in November 2004.
A proven framework for business improvement
Investors in People provides a flexible framework, which any organisation can adapt for its own requirements. It mirrors the business planning cycle (plan, do, review) making it clear for organisations to follow and implement in their own planning cycle.
The framework involves:
• Plan – developing strategies to improve the performance of the organisation
• Do – taking action to improve the performance of the organisation
• Review – evaluating the impact on the performance of the organisation.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is the UK’s largest lobby organisation representing the self-employed and owners of small businesses. Founded in 1974, it now has over 195,000 members
across all industries, trades and services. It is a non-party political lobby group that exists to promote and protect the interests of all those who own and manage their own businesses.

FSB members together employ 1.3 million people and turnover in
excess of £10 billion a year.