IT'S GOOD TO talk. Staff at Bristol-based telephone fundraiser Ethicall have raised more than £60m for charity since it was founded 10 years ago. Ethicall debuts on our list of Best Companies, with employees giving a raft of high scores to questions in the Giving Something Back category. The business has a strong social conscience (93% positive, ranking fifth), encourages charitable activities (97%, seventh) and is not just driven by profit (84%, 10th). A quarter of post-tax profits go to charities nominated by employees (£1.25m so far) and the main incentive reward for top performers is allowing them a fortnight to volunteer for their chosen cause. Past winners have built a school in Nepal and helped on a wildlife reserve in Kenya. Benefits available to the workforce include dental insurance and an employee assistance programme. Most get private healthcare, and maternity and paternity pay beyond the state minimum. Everyone meets at get-togethers twice a year, at “vision” days and at the annual Ethicall party. Staff feel fairly paid compared with their peers (78%). www.ethicall.org.uk
