The site currently features:-
- details of the 2003 winners.
- the methodology relating to the Standard.
- the background to those passing judgement on the entries.
- progress in the judging of the 2004 awards.
- news relating to the Standard and the financial services sector.
- useful links with the press, regulatory and advisory organisations.
- a feedback facility for consumers to express their views.
Future developments will include:-
- the ability to click through to those companies with the Gold Standard.
- access to the Daily Express, co-sponsors of the awards, and its personal finance pages.
- articles on current personal finance issues relating to investment and protection products, mortgages, the economy, companies, regulation, The Budget etc.
- a comment board with a view to gauging the public’s view of personal finance issues.
- guest comment from companies and organisations.
Deborah Benn, the Chairman of the Gold Standards, commented,
"The website will continue to be improved with a view to assisting consumers differentiate between those companies applying best practice to the running of their businesses and in doing so giving consumers better value for money and service than their competitors.
"In order to restore long term confidence in the financial services sector people need access to information but in a form that is jargon free.
"We intend to develop the Standard and its website with the express intention of giving people a clearer guide to the quality of the organisations they are dealing with and the solutions offered by them."
The website address is:- www.goldstandardawards.com
Now in its second year, Gold Standard Awards are for financial services companies demonstrating excellence in five key areas – financial strength, capability, service, fair value and trust.
Last year only six financial services groups in the UK achieved a Gold Standard Award. These were Fidelity Investments for Fund Management, Friends Provident for Life and Protection, JP Morgan Fleming for Fund Management, M&G for Fund Management, Scottish Provident for Protection and Standard Life Healthcare for Protection. Gold Standard Awards are the only awards that show consumers, both retail and professional, that the financial services company they are dealing with operate extremely high standards across all five key areas.
The Gold Standard can be achieved in the following categories:
Banking
Fund Management
Independent Financial Advice
Life
Mortgages
Pensions
Protection
Entries for the 2004 Awards closed in July and the assessment is now underway.
The Awards, which for the second year are being run in association with The Daily Express, will be announced on Thursday 25th November 2004 at lunchtime at the Victoria Park Plaza Hotel in London
