9.05.2003 ET

(CSRwire) LONDON - The Financial Times, Great Place to Work® Europe and AccountAbility are looking for UK’s “Best Workplaces”. Entries for the 2004 Awards are welcomed from any private, public or voluntary sector organisation with a minimum of 50 employees in the UK. Anyone can nominate an organisation, you don’t have to be manager or even an employee. The deadline to nominate an organisation for the 2004 contest is September 8th, with the awards announced early next year.

Chrystia Freeland Deputy Editor of the Financial Times said: "We want to highlight the very best places to work in the UK. A great working environment, with motivated and committed people, is vital for the economic well-being of the country and the UK's international competitiveness."

Last year's UK award was won by Asda Stores, whilst 13 UK organisations, including Flight Centre and Timpson ranked in Europe's Top 100, making the UK the best place to work in the European Union.

Dr Kim Moller, CEO of Great Place to Work® Europe said: “2003 showed the Best in the UK are the Best in Europe. UK organisations realise that when an organisation sets the objective of becoming a great place to work, they will become one. Along the way to becoming a great place to work, these organisations also enjoy financial benefits. Great Places to Work has found that Best workplaces strongly out-perform any average stock index you can find.”

Among the UK best workplaces recognised last year was the National Asthma Campaign. Jenny Downes, NAC's Human Resources Manager said being placed in the list has benefited her organisation in several ways; "It heightened the charity's profile as a professional, well run organisation in the eyes of current and potential donors, which increases our ability to secure funding from corporates and charitable trusts, but by informing potential job candidates about our achievement in recruitment literature, it has also helped us to secure several senior appointments.”

Organisations selected as 2004 UK’s “Best Workplaces” will be announced in the Financial Times early next year. Special awards will also be granted to UK organisations that demonstrate unique or innovative best workplace practices. The UK entries will also be automatically entered into the European Commission's “100 Best Workplaces in the EU”.


Notes to Editors

1. To nominate an organisation for the 2004 contest send an email to gp2w@accountability.org.uk with the name of your organisation and contact details. Nominations close 8th September 2004.

2. UK’s Best Workplaces survey uses the original Great Place to Work® methodology, which has been tried and tested for over 20 years and is now used in 23 countries worldwide. Selection of the list involves organisations:

Completing the Culture Audit© (management survey).
The employee-driven survey is based on the premise that a great workplace is one where you can TRUST the people you work for, have PRIDE in what you do and ENJOY the people you work with.

3. 100 “Best Workplaces in the EU” is part of a European Commission initiative create a European framework of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In a July 2001 Green Paper, the Commission found best workplaces relates to quality in work issues relating to CSR. By honouring organisations in the 100 “Best Workplaces in the EU” list and awarding special prizes to progressive workplaces for Lifelong Learning, Gender Equality and Diversity, the Commission’s objective is to raise workplace standards in Europe. The 2003 100 EU contest was the largest the largest ever EU labour force survey - 1054 organisations contested the list and 125,000 surveys were completed. 13 UK organisations graced the 2003 EU list, with the UK’s top-10 “Best Workplaces” outperforming every other EU country’s top-10. Results of the 2004 EU contest will be announced at a high-profile event in Brussels next March. Further information about the EU contest visit: www.eu100best.org

4. The Financial Times, one of the world’s leading business newspapers, which is recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. Providing extensive news, comment and analysis, the newspaper is printed in 20 cities across the globe, has a daily circulation of over 450,000 and a readership of more than 1.6 million people worldwide.

5. AccountAbility’s mission is to promote accountability for sustainable development. As a leading international professional institute, AccountAbility provides effective assurance and accountability management tools and standards through its AA1000 Series, offers professional development and certification, and undertakes leading-edge research and related public policy advocacy. AccountAbility has embraced an innovative, multi-stakeholder governance model, enabling the direct participation of its organisational and individual members who span business, civil society organisations, and the public sector from different countries across the world. AccountAbility has been selected as the UK research partner for Great Place to Work® Europe’s for the second consecutive year. For further information on this or other areas of AccountAbility’s work visit www.accountability.org.uk.

For more information please contact:

Madeleine Mauwer or Samantha Huddle , AccountAbility
+44-020 7549 0404

For more CSR news and information from this organization:

Corporate Social Responsibility Profile for AccountAbility

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