A two year investment programme has been unveiled by Ciba Specialty Chemicals.

Last month the Bradford firm was awarded nearly £50,000 by the Department of Trade and Industry to develop company/employee business partnerships on the site.

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe visited the site to learn how the firm is set to spend the money. Mr Sutcliffe said: "Although many organisations in Britain have realised the benefits of a partnership approach to their businesses, there are many others who have not. The fund will be making more organisations aware of the benefits of partnership by supporting projects to spread best practice more widely. I have had very close contact with this part of Ciba for many years and it is particularly pleasing for me to see their success in working together."

Jim McCummiskey, managing director of the Bradford company, added: "We were delighted to welcome Mr Sutcliffe on site. We explained how we intend to use the money by presenting to him a two-year programme of training, development and communications.

"The programme will begin in September 2002 and will be targeted at increasing the involvement of all our employees across the organisation.

"Where partnership is successful, employers and employees have a mutual understanding and a shared goal of winning business."

Ciba gained the money to establish a partnership with the GMB union for business solutions and implementation of strategies at work.

The partnership aims to involve all 1,274 staff to help the firm grow and expand.

Bill Chard, regional organiser GMB, said: "The Partnership at Work fund was set up by the government in 1999.

"This year it received 272 submissions and the Ciba/GMB proposal was one of only 49 successful bids.

"We are delighted to be involved in the various projects on this site, demonstrating the role and benefits of today's modern trade unions."