Children’s care charity Kibble has won the Fair and Healthy Workplace award at the Glasgow Business Awards 2026 for the support it provides to its 873 staff.
The charity’s employees work across its Paisley-based campus, community services across Scotland and office-based roles. Support includes an in-house counselling service, free on-site physiotherapy and virtual GP access.
The award, run by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, recognises organisations putting policies and practices in place to improve employees’ health and wellbeing and create a fairer workplace.
Judges heard how Kibble has built its wellbeing support around prevention and early access to help. The charity recognises that colleagues supporting children and young people who have experienced trauma undertake emotionally demanding work.
Alongside its Safe Space to Talk service, physiotherapy and virtual GP access, staff can use occupational health, crisis counselling and an employee assistance service. They also receive support to reflect on their work.
Kibble delivers more than 15,700 hours of training each year. Employees can also access specialist courses representing a further 53,600 hours of learning across the organisation.
Career development is supported through funding for university and college courses, professional qualifications and sector networking.
Its Career Start programme provides a paid route into child and youth care for people with no previous experience.
The award follows Kibble achieving Investors in People Platinum, the organisation’s highest level of recognition, alongside Investors in Young People Gold.
According to the release, just 3% of UK organisations assessed by Investors in People achieve Platinum.
Mark Macmillan, chief executive at Kibble, said: “Our people are the backbone of Kibble. Every day our colleagues support some of the most vulnerable children and young people in Scotland, and they can only do that well if they feel valued and supported themselves.
“This award belongs to every one of our 873 staff, and to the wellbeing team who make sure the support is there when people need it. Caring for the people who care for others is not an add-on for us. It is fundamental to the quality of care our children and young people receive.”
Kibble recently achieved Autism Accreditation from the National Autistic Society across all its children’s services.
Its Early Years houses, Ness and Tay, were graded six, ‘Excellent’, by the Care Inspectorate, which described the service as ‘sector leading’.
The charity supports children and young people from birth to 26 who have experienced trauma, adversity or disrupted family circumstances.
Its services include residential care, education, secure care, fostering and adoption, employability and skills training, community housing, housing support and therapeutic interventions.
Kibble has worked with young people since 1859. It has recently appointed a head of people and culture to lead the next phase of its Fair Work programme.
Plans include expanded wellbeing days, mental health awareness campaigns and financial wellbeing sessions.
Headline Photo: Kibble representatives celebrate winning the Fair and Healthy Workplace award at the Glasgow Business Awards. From left: Linda Green, Craig Trousdale, Debbie Robertson, Tracey Jardine, Dan Johnson, Karen Kerr, Ciara Fyles, Michelle Irvine, Ross Fordham, Ellie O’Donnell and Uche Okoli.