STAFF WORKING FOR Mott MacDonald, the management, engineering and development consultancy, certainly aren't short of a challenge. Their work ranges from designing bridges and buildings to securing and supervising finance and project management. Formed in 1989 through the merger of two engineering firms with roots in the early 20th century, Mott MacDonald has grown with 45 acquisitions over the past two decades and now operates in the energy, environment, health, education and communications sectors. The second largest firm of its kind headquartered in Britain, Mott MacDonald's portfolio of 12,000 current projects includes the world's largest tunnel in America, a 40-hectare urban quarter devoted to arts and culture in Hong Kong, post-conflict reconstruction in Southern Sudan and Afghanistan, and the £10m central Felixstowe coastal protection scheme. Staff give it a top score (75% positive) for making a difference to the world in our employee questionnaire, and say the experience they gain is valuable for their future (74%). Run on sound values by chairman Keith Howells, (73%, a top 10 score), Mott MacDonald is a wholly employee-owned company which returns everything it earns to the 5,131 people who work for it through a monthly performance pay scheme worth an additional 6.5% on top of basic pay last year. Staff are also invited to buy shares once they reach middle management. About one in five of the workforce is now a shareholder. Team spirit is strong, with an annual sports day for the past 23 years that had 400 staff taking part last year. Workers care about each other (75%) and are not disruptive (71%, sixth). People say colleagues don't use intimidation to get what they want (70%, in fourth place). Mott MacDonald gets its highest scores for Giving Something Back, ranking fifth overall, with projects such as the reconstruction of a school in Bangladesh destroyed by a cyclone. The firm cares about the environment (76%) and does plenty to protect it (73%), say staff. Their work is an important part of their lives (77%). www.mottmac.com
