Regional accountancy firm Bishop Fleming, which has its largest office in Bristol, has been named Business of the Year at the prestigious British Chambers of Commerce Awards.
As well as the flagship accolade, Bishop Fleming made it a double on the night by also winning the national Workplace Wellbeing Award.
The awards, now in their 16th year, recognise the key role that local businesses play in driving the UK economy forward.
The double win for the firm, which is currently celebrating its centenary year, means it will perform the opening ceremony that starts trading at the London Stock Exchange next March – when the 2020 British Chambers of Commerce Awards will also be launched – as well as receiving a unique staff development experience from awards sponsors Facebook.
The awards come at the end of a busy 12 months for Bishop Fleming as it marks its 100-year milestone. It has already raised nearly £150,000 through various sporting and wellbeing activities, including The Bath Half and National Three Peaks Challenge. The money raised will benefit more than 70 charities across the UK.
The Workplace Wellbeing Award recognises Bishop Fleming’s wellbeing strategy, which is aimed at improving the working environment across its seven offices and investing in its employees’ health and wellbeing.
The strategy was designed and implemented by the firm’s Bright Futures initiative, which encourages its young talent from across its offices to work on a different project each year.
The firm said it underpinned its belief that having fit, healthy and happy employees provides a better client service and attracts and retains the best people.
Bishop Fleming chair Ian Smith said: “We are so incredibly proud to have won Business of The Year and the Workplace Wellbeing awards. The double-win speaks volumes about the people and culture we have here at Bishop Fleming.
“As we come to the end of our centenary year, we have ambitious plans for the future and these awards will help us attract more talented people to enable us to continue to grow and achieve our ambition to be recognised as the most rewarding accountancy firm in the UK for our people, our clients and our communities.”
British Chamber of Commerce chair Sarah Howard added: “Bishop Fleming is a trusted advisor and strategic partner that has delivered exceptional services to its clients. A highly profitable firm, it reinvests profits in the business to the benefit of its people, technology and clients, and the wider community.
“Congratulations to the team at Bishop Fleming. Your investment in the business and its people makes you a truly deserving recipient of this award.”
Bishop Fleming, whose offices are spread across the South West and Midlands, is ranked 30th in the UK’s national league table of accountancy firms and also listed in The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For in 2019.
The awards ceremony took place at Tobacco Dock, London, last week.
Pictured: The Bishop Fleming team with their Business of The Year trophy at British Chambers of Commerce Awards
