Our purpose and vision

Championing better work and working lives

We believe work can and should benefit everyone - not just businesses and economies, but the people that drive them and the societies they form part of too.

As a registered Charity, we were established to promote the art and science of the management and development of people for public benefit. Ever since we were founded in 1913 by a group of people responsible for the well-being of factory workers, we've stayed true to the same purpose: we exist to champion better work and working lives for the benefit of individuals, businesses, economies and society.

We’re committed not only to finding and championing ways of defining, organising and managing work that benefit business and create economic value, but also to promoting ways of improving individual working lives that contribute to a fairer and more prosperous society.

We want to create a world of work that's more human. By changing hearts and minds about the purpose of work, the value of people and the role of people professionals, we'll help ensure that work creates value for everyone.

We'll do this by:

• influencing policy and practice to convince decision makers that when you put people first in decisions about work, everyone stands to gain
  
• establishing an internationally recognised gold standard for HR and people development, to ensure that the people profession is universally trusted and valued as principles-led, evidence-based and outcomes-driven community of experts who can make work generate value for everyone.