Our Passions

Glasstap is a business that is driven by five key passions.

We don’t just play lip-service to our Passions, they are fundamental to the way we run our business. Every member of staff is involved in developing our annual strategy, which involves establishing clear objectives around each of our Passions. And no one passion is given greater importance than any other. We believe they are all interrelated anyway, so progress in one area is likely to have a positive impact elsewhere. (For example, if our customers are happy, they’ll stay with us, generating more income (financial strength) for the business.

Customer Focused:
Our customers are our most important asset. Without you, we simply wouldn’t exist.

This passion in action:

• Trainers’ Library has a customer satisfaction rating of 96%.
• All of our customers have a dedicated customer relationship manager, who they can contact with feedback or questions.
• We respond as quickly as possible to any email enquiries, and always within 24 hours (including weekends and bank holidays).

Financially Strong:
Financial strength means we can afford to invest in new products for our customers, and in improving those we already offer.

This passion in action:

• Glasstap’s Trainers’ Library service has active members in over 40 countries and has become one of the leading brands in the UK training industry.
• We’ve seen sustained growth over seven years.

Innovative:
We want to be a business that leads the way, with solutions that offer a unique combination of service, quality and value.

This passion in action:

• We're constantly investing in new products and enhancements to existing products. We’re investing more than ever before.
• As far as we know, Trainers’ Library was the first subscription based service of its kind in the world.
• In 2005 we added Trainers’ Market to the portfolio, and we’re currently working on more exciting services for the training industry.
• Trainers' Talk is the only forum of its type that allows users to specify the types of responses they want, creating better opportunities for effective networking and marketing.
• Teambuilding games such as 'Murder at Glasstap Grange' and 'Jack Fruggle's Treasure' have set new standards in involving, fun learning with a serious edge.

Socially Responsible:
We recognise that we have a responsibility that stretches beyond our immediate contacts. We’re determined to provide a leading example of how businesses can have a positive impact on the wider community.

This passion in action:

• We’ve created sustainable, technology based jobs in a remote rural area, creating new opportunities for local people, and helping to keep the local community alive.
• Up to 10% of our annual profits go to our charities and good causes pot that is used to support activities that help people achieve their full potential, support the local community and protect the natural environment.
• We aim to become a "carbon neutral" company by the end of 2008.
• All of the energy used by our Alston office comes from renewable sources (e.g., wind, wave, solar) supplied by Good Energy (www.good-energy.co.uk). This has enabled us to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by about 10,000kg per year.
• We've reduced the number of flourescent tubes we use to light the office.
• All cleaning materials used in the office are green; as a minimum, they are fully biodegradable.
• We recycle what we can, including all cardboard. Waste paper is shredded and recycled (some is used locally as animal bedding), and we’ve even found another use for our old teabags; they go to a local gardener. (Anyone trying to grow flowers and vegetables on Alston Moor needs all the help they can get!).
• We use recycled paper for all correspondence and our brochures. In most cases, we use ‘Evolve’ paper from M-Real who have an impressive environmentally sensitive approach to paper making. (They are also a Trainers' Library customer).

Team Spirited:
We spend a lot of our time at work, and believe it should be an enjoyable experience for all concerned, be they staff, customers or suppliers.

This passion in action:

• Glasstap involves every single member of its staff in developing our annual objectives.
• We achieved Investor in People recognition in 2005.
• We have a clear equal opportunities policy.
• We've introduced upward appraisal, which supports our constructive appraisal process.
• We’ve worked hard to help staff create a healthy work-life balance, for example through ‘term-time’ contracts and extended unpaid leave for staff who wanted to take time out to travel.