THE SMALL INDIAN town of Phaltan wouldn't normally expect to attract highly qualified consultants. But thanks to the charity Engineers Without Borders (EWB) and sponsorship from his employer Newton Europe, James Morton went there last year to train volunteers on a project to generate and use biogas. Newton Europe is keen not to be called a management consultancy — it employs qualified engineers to help clients improve performance by 10% to 50% without any capital expenditure — and it boldly claims on its website: "No results, no fee." There's a head office in Southmoor, Oxfordshire, but most of its 62 employees are working elsewhere. Some, like Morton, are a world away, since the firm sponsored three EWB projects last year. Work ranges from helping increase quality of care in NHS operating theatres to improving aerospace precision machinery and people find such variety stimulating (an 89% positive score). Jobs at Newton Europe are unbeatable for personal growth (94%, the highest score of any company for this question), and employees say the experience of working here is valuable for their future (90%). Typically people become lead consultants after three or four years, and there are no limits to the chances to learn and grow (87%, the second highest score). There are no limits to the frankness of employee suggestions either, thanks to an anonymous route to a whingeing and improvement committee. There's more fun than frustration, though (93%). People give a top 10 positive score of 90% for questions about their teams, and feel a buzz about working together (87%). Every second Thursday they get together for a social evening at a hotel and the following day have a meeting to share project results and discuss problems. There's an activity day once a quarter, three sporty days in Newquay in the summer and long winter weekend skiing in the French Alps. People believe senior managers truly live the values of the firm, the highest positive score of 94%. These leaders are inspiring (91%) and everyone is treated fairly (87%). newtoneurope.com
