We’re proud to champion organisations who are pushing the boundaries of what great customer experience looks like and few embody that spirit more than Places for People, the UK’s leading social enterprise.


From transformational change within their Customer Hub to award-winning leadership and a clear long-term strategy, Places for People is setting a benchmark for customer service excellence across the sector.


CCA Excellence Awards

One of the standout stories from the CCA Excellence Awards in April 2025 was Charlotte Straker, who was recognised with the Team Leader of the Year – Gold Award. Charlotte’s people-first leadership style has had a visible impact on both colleagues and customers, with significant improvements in satisfaction scores, reduced absence rates, and a clear emphasis on building trust, clarity, and motivation.


Judges praised Charlotte's value-led approach, broad organisational influence, and refreshing, endearing style. It’s this kind of leadership that exemplifies Places for People’s values and the positive culture they’re building across the organisation. - CCA Excellence Awards Judge


Justin Barrett, Managing Director Customer Hub, Places for People commented:  

'As a member of the CCA network we’re incredibly proud to have attained the Global Standard Accreditation© for our culture roadmap, which continues to drive a brilliant experience for our customers. Nobody brings this approach to life more than our people, and we’re delighted that Charlotte has been recognised for her outstanding value-led approach.'

We're also thrilled to recognise Adam Sumner, who received the Silver Award for Rising Star - a reflection of his outstanding potential and commitment to growth.


A journey of continuous improvement

Since achieving CCA Global Accreditation© in 2023, Places for People has continued to demonstrate what’s possible when vision, leadership, and culture align to drive meaningful change.


Now completing their third successful CCA Global assessment, the organisation has shown remarkable progress across its Customer Hub. This includes the introduction of a restructured leadership team bringing fresh energy and ambition, the centralisation of complaint handling to improve consistency and speed of resolution, the implementation of smarter forecasting and resource planning practices, and the launch of a new five-year customer contact strategy that puts effortless service at the heart of every interaction.


Future of Work Forum - 13 November, Preston

We’re also delighted to announce that Places for People will host the CCA Future of Work Forum on 13th November in Preston.


This is an exciting opportunity for CCA members to visit the team, hear directly from leaders who are driving change, and explore the future of colleague experience, digital transformation, and service delivery. Register your interest here. 


Celebrating success

Please join us in congratulating Places for People on their continued success and for being such a great ambassador of what CCA membership can bring.


We’re looking forward to shining a spotlight on more of their journey in the months ahead and seeing many of you at the November forum in Preston.


Feeling inspired?

If your organisation is on a journey to improve customer and colleague experience - whether you're just getting started or looking to raise the bar - CCA offers a suite of proven frameworks, practical tools, and recognition programmes designed to support your goals.


From benchmarking and peer learning to leadership development and accreditation, we're here to help you build momentum. Get in touch with the team to explore how we can support your next steps.