London/Minneapolis: 1 October 2009 – StepStone, a global leader in talent management solutions, and PDI Ninth House, a global leader in leadership consulting, have partnered to help corporations create and implement world-class talent management programmes and, ultimately, develop stronger leaders and achieve better bottom line results. By blending StepStone’s market-leading technology with the world’s premier integrated competency architecture, customers can quickly and effectively implement real-world talent management initiatives, with easy user adoption and a quick return on investment.

For the partnership’s initial joint offering, PDI Ninth House specifically tailored its content to be utilized effectively and on-demand within StepStone’s software solutions. Together the joint solutions address the need to adopt coherent and integrated performance management, training and succession planning programmes that are based on sound data and analytics. This offering includes pre-packaged, level-specific models that reflect organizational roles ranging from individual contributor through senior executive.

StepStone’s Talent Management solutions, which are delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS), enable organizations to rapidly align, develop, motivate and maintain a high-performance workforce, while providing visibility, accountability and results for the customer. StepStone’s solutions are adaptable to the individual processes of its customers and can be integrated with other software, leveraging existing HCM data and providing continuity of Talent Management processes.

“We are hugely excited by the opportunity to work alongside a global partner who focuses so clearly on the value of talent. Combining the years of expertise within PDI Ninth House with the innovation of the StepStone technology solutions promises to provide real and measurable impact for businesses anywhere in the world”, said Matthew Parker, Group Managing Director at StepStone.

Effective talent strategies are widely acknowledged to be business critical. Increasingly organizations are aware that demographic change, increased mobility of workers with key knowledge, and management skill shortages require effective processes in order to attract, retain and develop the best talent.

“Our partnership with StepStone will bring a tremendous advantage to our global customers,” said R.J. Heckman, Ph.D., CEO and President for PDI Ninth House. “StepStone has the capacity to further reach across the globe through technology and languages, similar to PDI Ninth House. This alliance can help our clients who are truly part of the global economy.”

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About PDI Ninth House:

PDI Ninth House is the premier global leadership solutions company with distinctive expertise in accelerating leadership effectiveness to maximize organizational performance. We have more than 40 years of experience in helping clients identify, manage, develop, and promote superior leaders across all levels of the organization. PDI Ninth House uses a unique combination of innovative, field-tested strategies; state-of-the-art technology; and proven processes to tailor specific solutions for our clients.

PDI Ninth House partners with the world’s leading organizations, enabling them to address critical leadership challenges with innovative solutions. Our aim is simple— the well-placed confidence that clients’ current and future leaders are distinctively stronger than their competition, resulting in sustained, superior performance.

For more information, contact PDI Ninth House at 1.920.997.6995 (in the U.S. 1.800.633.4410) or visit our website at www.pdininthhouse.com.

About StepStone

StepStone helps businesses get increased performance from their people, helps them build and develop global talent pools, and helps people find new jobs that match their talents. Across the world thousands of organisations rely on StepStone every day to improve their business performance and talent development strategies while millions of people rely on StepStone to improve their careers. StepStone delivers world class technology and services for finding, recruiting, retaining, managing and developing talented people.

StepStone operates some of Europe’s largest talent networks, accurately matching employers with potential employees, and provides a complete suite of Human Capital Management software solutions. StepStone’s on-demand (SaaS) software and services enable organisations to implement efficient processes, including; attraction and hiring, post-hire talent management, performance management, compensation management, skills and competency management, career and succession planning, training and development management.

StepStone was founded in Norway in 1996 and listed on the Oslo Børs (Ticker@ STP.NO) in 2000 and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: STPS) in 2008. At the end of June 2009 more than 1,600 organisations, including many of the world’s leading businesses, use StepStone software and services. It operates in 17 countries and employs around 800 people. Its global customers include Aviva, Deloitte, Deutsche Telekom, Lufthansa, McDonald’s, Puma, ThyssenKrupp and Volkswagen.

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