Best Companies Factors: Giving Something Back

Leisure & Hospitality

Cornish Bakery

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The company prioritises Wellbeing through an Employee Assistance Programme and a 24/7 GP line for quick medical access. Staff also receive an Employer funded healthcare cash plan and discounted gym memberships, supported by a culture that honours work-life balance by avoiding stressful, late-night shift patterns.

Leadership transparency is maintained through monthly Zoom calls and a weekly Dragon’s Den session, where any employee can pitch ideas directly to Directors. This ensures senior management remains accessible and that every team member’s voice can spark significant investment and innovation within the business.

Rather than a corporate-led approach, the company empowers each site to support local causes. Notable examples include the Padstow team raising £1,700 for the Mermaid Centre Trust and Sidmouth’s static cycle event raising over £2,000 for the YMCA, fostering deep community connections and pride.

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Leisure & Hospitality

Capital Theatres

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Wellbeing is a priority at Capital Theatres and there’s a dedicated employee-led group focusing on how to make a difference. Recent initiatives include a monthly meet-up hosted by different departments, where staff can take a moment to enjoy homemade cakes and chat with others. A staff choir offers the chance to connect and have fun.

The Leadership team ensures that all employees receive regular communications through a variety of different mediums. This includes organisation-wide 'Town Hall' meetings, where Directors hold question and answer sessions so employees can find out more about what matters to them.

Capital Theatres is committed to supporting access to the arts for everyone. It engages over 25,000 people of all ages in its ‘Creative Engagement’ programme, which enriches the lives of those in the local community. Employees volunteer at a relaxed panto for children with additional support needs, and there’s opportunities on offer for young creatives.

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Technology

Transparity

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The Winning From Anywhere® model supports work-life balance, allowing employees to work flexibly, which positively impacts their wellbeing.

Transparity’s leadership consistently communicates organisational health metrics and reinforces the value of each employee's role in the company's success.

Transparity's social responsibility is evident through initiatives like tree planting with The Woodland Trust and participating in charitable activities such as Boycott your Bed for Action for Children.

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Housing Associations

Saffron Housing Trust

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Saffron Housing Trust fosters team building and collaboration by encourage employees to work together to help create its Inspirational Strategy. The organisation also arranges regular social functions to help strengthen team relationships such as its Quiz and Chips events.

Strategic objectives are shared with employees under three areas – Inspiring Trust, Inspiring Organisation, and Inspiring Community – these are also aligned to the company values. Colleague’s views and perspectives are important to the Trust and employees are encouraged to provide feedback through the Staff Forum.

All employees have one paid day annually to volunteer for a local charity or community project of their choice. Colleagues partner with local charities to choose from a range of volunteering opportunities, from environmental clean-ups to skill-based support. Teams are also encouraged to volunteer together to build relationships while making a collective impact.

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Not For Profit Body's

NHS Business Services Authority

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NHS Business Services Authority prioritises employee wellbeing through initiatives like the ‘WeCARE cafes’, regular yoga and Pilates sessions and a dedicated wellbeing App. It also offers annual flu vaccinations and a comprehensive wellbeing support system.

NHS Business Services Authority's leadership is highly visible and proactive. The CEO pens a fortnightly blog and holds regular Q&A sessions to foster transparency and engagement. The Leadership Team supports the organisational values and principles, linking them clearly to the strategy.

The organisation is committed to social impact. It aims to deliver 50,000 hours of volunteering by 2029 and has established relationships with organisations like ‘Urban Green’ and ‘The People’s Kitchen’, truly putting back into society.

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Construction & Engineering

M. Lambe Construction

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The company’s apprenticeship programme and investment in employee education, such as the £80,000 spent on upskilling, exemplify its focus on personal growth, offering opportunities for advancement and skill utilisation.

The leadership team actively mentors rising talent and participates in initiatives like the Neuro Linguistic Programming course, fostering a culture of growth and supporting the company’s core values of Sustainability, Collaboration, and Integrity.

The company’s social initiatives, including significant support for charities like Tabor Living and the Lighthouse Club, exemplify its dedication to giving back to society, driven by compassion rather than profit motives.

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Health & Social Care

Inspired Villages

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Inspired Villages' commitment to wellbeing is evident in initiatives such as Time to Talk and the presence of wellbeing buddies. The company understands the importance of work-life balance and the impact of stress on personal health and performance.

Inspired Villages' leadership is demonstrated through its ambitious growth plans and commitment to employee engagement and wellbeing. The senior management team's dedication to providing first-class services and fostering a sense of community inspires trust and respect amongst colleagues.

Employees at Inspired Villages are given three days off each year to volunteer, demonstrating the company’s commitment to giving back to society. This, alongside the organisation’s aim to achieve Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2030, shows a genuine effort to contribute positively to society.

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Charity's

Contact

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Contact collaborates with other charities. It chairs the Disabled Children’s Partnership, a coalition of 100 charities, and uses the relationship to research and campaign. It also works with the Pears Foundation, which provides funding, and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to get grants for smaller charities and parent-led groups.

A "lunch and learn" programme is run for staff by staff. An online learning platform contains mandatory courses as part of the induction process. Staff are encouraged to use the resources regularly. Membership of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations means all staff can access its resources.

The charity has reviewed and expanded its equality and diversity policy and refreshed its recruitment policy to be more actively anti-racist. A head of inclusion and organisational development has been recruited to drive its equality, diversity and inclusion policies. All staff and trustees have completed unconscious bias/anti-racism training.

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Law

Brabners LLP

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Bringing its people together is a vital to Brabners ethos. During the festive period, the organisation holds its annual Winter Wonderland quiz, where its teams and their families can join in with a fun quiz and takeaway. Other team initiatives include weekly running and walking clubs where random groups of colleagues can compete for prizes.

Brabners employs a dedicated Learning and Development team that supports the talent within the organisation on their Brabners Careers Pathways. Colleagues have access to a range of learning resources through the company LMS, its internal development programme, and a blended learning environment encompassing e-modules, classroom learning, and face-to-face sessions.

The Brabners Foundation is a grant-making charity which provides grants to existing, registered charities using funds raised by the firm’s Charity Committee. To date, the Brabners Foundation has donated over £40,000 to charities, including: Eco Therapy Garden, Liverpool in Arms, The Hive Youth Zone, and many more.

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Manufacturing

Croxsons

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The company supports development by listening to employees' interests and providing a management development programme for managers, including workshops on employment law and peer networking. They also recently created a management forum, allowing managers to take a lead by collaboratively solving business challenges and sharing insights.

Croxsons provides managers with management development including workshops to expand capability in areas like understanding themselves and others. The leadership style is open, accessible, and big-hearted, ensuring managers listen and explain the 'why' behind decisions, while 1:1s and informal conversations ensure people feel heard.

Croxsons gives 15% of its net profit to charitable causes, focussing on a generational shift in measurable outcomes. This funding has supported the rebuilding and multi-year funding of salaries for teachers in Kenya and funded social workers locally to help with abject poverty, life skills, and mental health.

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Purpose Boosts Engagement

Cornish Bakery

Capital Theatres

Transparity

Saffron Housing Trust

NHS Business Services Authority

M. Lambe Construction

Inspired Villages

Contact

Brabners LLP

Croxsons

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