As one of the south west's leading accountancy firms, Bishop Fleming finished last year on an all-time high.
It opened its eighth office and welcomed a dedicated Gloucestershire team to the newly renovated Regency Chapel Spa building on North Place in Cheltenham; took home a number of awards and accolades; and revealed the results of its second annual Responsible Business Impact Report.
Accomplishments the firm are particularly proud of is national recognition as a Great Place to Work and Great Place to Work 'Best Workplaces for Women'; securing a prominent spot at number 14 on the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list; and being ranked fifth in the Mid-Tier Power Index 2022 from Accountancy Age, an industry ranking that seeks to reward and recognise mid-tier firms in the UK that champion true accountancy excellence.
In the business world, a Responsible Business Impact Report is recognised as a benchmark for a company's responsible business journey, not just for how it conducts the running of its day-to-day practices, but for how it takes care of its staff, stakeholders and the wider community and environment.
An impact report demonstrates a company's commitment to transparency and allows stakeholders to see how a company is performing in terms of social and environmental impact. Bishop Fleming's impact report highlighted a number of standout areas.
Inside the business, Bishop Fleming has made a commitment to nurturing local talent, fostering an inclusive workplace culture and championing social mobility, earning praise for its strides in gender equality. In 2022, the company set up a menopause group open to all and offering advice and experiences; it also partnered with a sleep specialist company and presented a webinar for employees on better sleep and its benefits; and released online classes such as yoga, meditation and HIIT for all of its staff.
In its outreach programs, the company is striving to nurture a sustainable future, but also strengthening its commitment to responsible business practices and taking them into the local community, getting involved with and supporting as many local community projects and initiatives as possible.
And in environmental terms, the company is committed to a carbon zero future and has partnered with carbon reduction specialists, Net Zero Now, to help it measure its carbon footprint for the first time, as well as develop a sustainable reduction plan with a net zero ambition.
Fleur Lewis, partner and responsible business lead at Bishop Fleming, said: 'We were particularly pleased to be certified as a Great Place to Work by the Best Workplaces Programme in our first application. This globally recognised independent employee survey is built on a Trust Index and achieving this certification reflects the focus we have placed on making our organisation one that attracts and retains the very best talent.
'Our ongoing efforts to define workplace culture and promoting gender equality and inclusion has been recognised with a listing in the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women for large organisations.
'We are extremely encouraged by our progress, but we also recognise that there is more work to be done. We are committed to continuously monitoring and measuring our progress and setting forward-looking objectives to enhance our responsible business framework.'
For more information on Bishop Fleming's achievements and responsible business goals, visit bishopfleming.co.uk/stories/impact-report.
