Staff Training NI is proud to announce that Cathedral Quarter BID (CQ BID) has become the first organisation to achieve the prestigious BlueZONE accreditation.
The BlueZONE accreditation, developed by Staff Nursing Ltd – Staff Training NI, is a groundbreaking scheme that recognises organisations and spaces for their outstanding commitment to three core pillars: Safety, Security, and Wellbeing.
For several years, Staff Training NI and CQ BID have worked closely together on a variety of safety and wellbeing initiatives. These efforts are independently assessed to ensure they meet the highest standards. The achievement of BlueZONE accreditation is not just a milestone in our partnership, but also a reflection of CQ BID’s ongoing commitment to maintaining excellence in the areas of safety, security, and wellbeing for all within the district.
BlueZONE accreditation serves as an independent, trusted mark that identifies places where safety, security, and wellbeing are paramount. Accredited spaces must meet rigorous criteria, provide real evidence of their efforts, and pass an expert evaluation. To further ensure transparency, the scores and reports of each accredited space are publicly available, so everyone can make informed decisions about where they visit, work & socialise. Once accredited, organisations are authorised to display the BlueZONE mark along with a QR code, which gives access to a live, detailed report of their safety and wellbeing standards.
CQ BID has long demonstrated a strong commitment to improving safety for all its stakeholders—businesses, workers, residents, and visitors alike. In line with their 2021-2026 business strategy, their overarching goal is to make Cathedral Quarter the safest, cleanest, and greenest place to live, work, and visit. This includes extensive training programs for hundreds of employees in key areas such as Emergency First Aid, AED use, Mental Health, Fire Safety & Evacuation Procedures, Wellbeing Awareness, Trauma-Informed Practice, and Naloxone (opioid overdose reversal) training. These initiatives equip members of the Cathedral Quarter community with the essential skills needed to confidently handle emergencies, support vulnerable individuals, and contribute to a safer environment for everyone. Additionally, CQ BID has taken further steps to enhance public safety by working to install a network of defibrillators across the area, ensuring that life-saving equipment is within easy reach for everyone.
The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly, expressed her support, saying, “As part of the Belfast Agenda, the city’s key strategic plan, we are collectively committed to ensuring that Belfast is a welcoming, clean, safe, and inclusive city. The BlueZONE accreditation clearly demonstrates that Cathedral Quarter BID is taking these issues seriously by investing in training and initiatives that enhance the safety and security of the area. I’d like to extend my congratulations to the team for all their hard work in becoming the first organisation to achieve this standard.”
CQ BID Manager Damien Corr also shared his thoughts on the achievement: “Our BlueZONE accreditation enables us to not only focus on compliance but also on providing the highest level of care for all. BlueZONE isn’t just about policies—it’s about creating spaces where people feel safe, valued, and supported. In addition to the hundreds of Cathedral Quarter employees we have trained, we are thrilled to announce the final phase of our defibrillator installation. Once complete, no one working or visiting Cathedral Quarter will be further than 200 metres from a life-saving device that is accessible 24 hours a day. At Cathedral Quarter, safety is always within reach.”
