by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Southeastern has become only the second railway operator to win gold for the way it treats staff.

The company, which provokes mixed opinion from its Kent passengers, joins an elite UK group of businesses to reach the standard.

Until now, Virgin was the only company with the coveted gold award for Investors in People accreditation.

Just 3% of UK companies have achieved an accolade which recognises continued improvement in staff performance and development.

Southeastern has invested £12m in training since winning the Kent franchise.

It.employs nearly 4,000 staff and employees from all grades across every department were involved in the process.

To win gold, the operator had to demonstrate outstanding performance, inspirational leadership and management, a high level of employee engagement, innovative opportunities for learning and development, concern for staff welfare and the wider community, and commitment to continuous improvement.

Charles Horton, managing director for Southeastern, said he was proud of the achievement but admitted there was "more room for improvement."

He said: "We can see very clearly the direct link between empowering our workforce with the skills and knowledge to do their jobs well and how this translates into an improved service for our passengers.

"We have already achieved the best ever customer satisfaction and punctuality, but we have more room for improvement. Investors in People will help us to find continued improvement and we'll not be resting on our laurels - next year we're going to reach champion status."

Andy Bindon, Southeastern's human resources director, added: "Like all businesses, our employees play a vital role in the service we offer our customers and that's why we are committed to investing in our people."