Pictured is Dianne Cardwell and Sue Logan from MPRNI.

MUSGRAVE Retail Partners (MRPNI) has been crowned Family Friendly Employer of the Year in the large private sector category at an awards ceremony at Belfast City Hall.

The 2014 Family Friendly Employer Awards, which recognise pioneering family friendly employment practices, were attended by employers from all sectors across Northern Ireland.

MRPNI competed against 11 companies to win the coveted title and was awarded the prestigious accolade due to its innovative approach to family friendly employment initiatives.

As well as offering popular employee benefits such as Childcare Vouchers, the judges felt that MRPNI demonstrated how it improves parents’ work-life balance through its Flexible Working Policy and its employee assistance programme.

MRPNI HR Director, Sandra Mahood said: “It is a huge honour to receive the award for the Family Friendly Employer of the Year in Northern Ireland, amongst the large companies within the private sector.

“We actively promote a number of family friendly initiatives within the company of which the benefits are two-fold – the needs of parents and carers are facilitated whilst the Company retains experienced and committed colleagues,” she added.

MRPNI supports over 250 independent SuperValu, Centra and Mace retail stores in Northern Ireland, with a combined turnover in excess of £600 million.  MRPNI is part of the Musgrave Group, the leading partner to more than 3,500 entrepreneurial retailers and food service professionals in the UK, Ireland and Spain.