Manchester-based FourNet was established with a vision of delivering world-class customer service and market-leading technical innovation. Its mission is underpinned by its goal of being a place where people want to work.

It encourages a culture of teamwork and believes that it's the people that set FourNet apart from the competition. It also listens to staff feedback and, as a result, is working on increasing the number of social activities and community and environment initiatives it runs. Its new social, environmental and community committee has already launched schemes that have included volunteering at a local food bank at Christmas and working with an urban woodland regeneration charity.

The tech company has also completed a carbon-reduction plan and has set a goal of being carbon neutral by the end of this year.

Over the years FourNet has expanded, thanks to its core objectives: "Employ the best people, choose the best partners, focus on the customer and do the right thing." Government departments, emergency services and local authorities rely on the award-winning company. It provides communications, cloud, contact-centre and managed-service systems to more than 200 customers in the corporate and public sectors.

FourNet is still owned and run by its four founders, who established the company in 2005. It now works with some of the most secure, critical and commercially driven customers in the UK, including more than 30 UK government departments and agencies.