Charter Mark

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(Graphic: Charter Mark Logo)

Charter Mark is a Government national standard for excellence in customer service. The standard is unique among quality schemes in its concentration on results - the service the customer actually receives. Charter Mark is about putting customers first and promoting choice, flexibility and innovation.

The standard is a useful tool in helping to assist public service organisations, to focus on and improve their quality of service and responsiveness to customers' needs.

Registered and owned by the Cabinet Office, recognition of achievement of Charter Mark by an organisation, is only made following a successful assessment by one of the Cabinet Office's registered certification bodies.

Charter Mark applicants are assessed against six criteria. These are:

setting standards and performing well;
actively engaging with your customers, partners and staff;
being fair and accessible;
continuously developing and improving
using resources effectively and imaginatively; and
contributing to improving the opportunities and quality of life in the communities you serve.

Since 1998 West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has consistently attained the Charter Mark standard, which is recognised by awarding the fire service the right to display the coveted Charter Mark logo.

The Authority underwent an annual assessment in April 2008 and again maintained the Charter Mark standard, with continued high standards in delivery of customer - focused services. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) achieved Five 'Best Practice' awards and 58 'Full Compliance', against stringent criteria.

The Best Practice awards were for the following criteria:

Monitoring our performance against standards
Use of technology to provide information about, and access to, services where appropriate
Improvement of services and facilities over the last three years, and ability to measure or demonstrate the improvements
Giving corporate support and investing appropriate resources for involvement with the community
Positive involvement with the community for six months or more

The Charter Mark assessor was particularly delighted to highlight that WYFRS is one of only a few services to have gone through the Charter Mark process who have no partial compliances. This means that the service is meeting, or in the areas of best practice exceeding, all requirements of the Charter Mark criteria, which is an indication of the committment and excellent service provided by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

In 2005, Cabinet Office Ministers commissioned an independent review of the Charter Mark scheme, by the then Chief Executive of the Passport Service. Upon completion, in June 2006 the published review recommended a new customer service standard be developed to replace Charter Mark.

In March 2008 the new standard, 'Customer Service Excellence' was launched. The Standard contains new concepts, with emphasis based on key drivers of satisfaction with particular focus on delivery, timeliness, information, professionalism and staff attitude.