AS WORKING ENVIRONMENTS go, the UK headquarters of business intelligence software and services firm SAS is hard to beat. Set in the grounds of the 110-acre Wittington Estate on the banks of the River Thames in Buckinghamshire, it boasts a Grade II-listed mansion, an arboretum, a boathouse-turned-meeting room and staff allotments created by the company's gardeners in response to a suggestion from an employee. SAS, which opens its grounds to the public to fundraise for charity under the National Gardens Scheme, gets a big thumbs-up from its people for its approach to corporate social responsibility. The firm has installed energy-efficient boilers in Wittington House and solar panels in its cricket pavilion, which is used by the local community. It wins a top-10 positive score of 81% for genuinely caring about the environment, ranking it ninth. It also encourages charitable activities (87%) by matching the funds raised by colleagues and giving them three extra days off each year to do charity work. There are 466 people in five offices across the UK, which make up part of a global network of 400 branches in 50 countries. Staff say they are proud to work for the company (83%) and they love their jobs (76%). The firm's philosophy is a simple one: satisfied employees create satisfied customers. So it pays its workers decent wages and helps them grow professionally. Consultants can expect a basic salary of £48,238, and half the team earn £55,000 or more a year. The personnel are happy with their pay and benefits (63%), which include free private healthcare, free sports facilities and a “lifestyle” benefit worth £500, and they find the experience they gain valuable for the future (78%). The fact that nine of the 16 senior managers were promoted from within is good news for staff. Everyone is given access to a huge selection of learning methods, both internally and externally. They receive financial support and time off to study, and social media courses are laid on. Employees find the training to be of great personal benefit to them (67%) and the firm wins our special award this year for Innovation in Engagement Practice. SAS, which last year staged its own rock festival, “SAS in the park”, to reinforce company goals and illustrate how each individual can play their part, takes its top performers and their partners for a long weekend to a five-star luxury spa hotel in Ireland. www.sas.com/uk
