Winner: Lorraine Taylor

Lorraine Taylor, who is head of organisation learning, global support functions & UK, Europe and Americas at Standard Chartered Bank, has been given ACCA's 2007 Achievement Award for her tireless commitment to the cause of professional training and development.

She is global head of learning for all the bank's support functions including finance, human resources, legal and compliance, and corporate affairs. Lorraine also heads up the region of UK, Europe and the Americas, and is responsible for driving forward learning across all functions in many countries.

Earlier in 2007, Standard Chartered launched a new online platform called Learning@SCB to promote a learning culture across the bank.

The aim is to empower individuals to develop and drive their own learning plans - covering personal, technical and management skills - and leverage the range of options open to them.

Lorraine is keen that staff realise that training is not just about going on courses, but about exploring a variety of ways in which to develop professionally. Standard Chartered, which has a global network in more than 50 countries, has been given accreditation by ACCA for the quality of its Continuing Professional Development programmes. The Bank has also received a study support accreditation for its international graduate programme, where all those joining the finance function will study for the ACCA qualification.

The dedication shown by Lorraine and her colleagues to the cause of excellence in training provision is mirrored by ACCA's own commitment, both to students in terms of the major relaunch of its professional qualification in 2007 and to its members via the global career development programme.

Lorraine, by her work at Standard Chartered, is a perfect illustration of ACCA's values of providing opportunity and is a worthy winner of its Achievement Award.'