Regional accountancy firm Bishop Fleming is celebrating its rapid progress on an acclaimed ‘responsible business tracker’ as it seeks to build on its Better Growth initiative.
The firm, which has one of its eight offices in Bath, achieved an increase in its overall score from 20% in 2022 to 48% this year on the Business in the Community (BITC) run assessment tool – a significant step on its path to becoming a more sustainable and responsible business approach.
BITC’s Responsible Business Tracker enables firms to measure their progress against a roadmap derived from the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and is tailored to meet the most relevant areas for businesses.
It not only helps businesses recognise strengths and opportunities for improvement but also facilitates benchmarking against peers.
Bishop Fleming’s overall score increase of 140% places it above the average score of other respondents who have undergone benchmarking on the tracker during the past year.
BITC said Bishop Fleming’s progress highlighted the transformational change driven by the firm's “deep sense of purpose and good levels of stakeholder engagement”.
The firm also excelled in aligning its purpose and values through training and inclusion within its personnel appraisals.
At the same time, it mapped the impact of its services to identify opportunities and risks across the entire value chain.
Bishop Fleming partner and responsible business lead Fleur Lewis said: “We are extremely encouraged by the progress we have made, 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.”
Bishop Fleming’s newly appointed head of responsible business, Ewan McClymont, described the firm’s progress in the BITC Responsible Business Tracker as testament to the hard work and dedication of its team.
“We are proud of the positive impact we are creating and will continue to push boundaries for a more responsible and sustainable future,” he added.
Business in the Community advisory and member services director Harriet Walker added: “Having a robust responsible business strategy in place is no longer a nice-to-have for businesses – it’s a necessity.
“Results from Bishop Fleming’s 2023 participation in BITC’s Responsible Business Tracker demonstrates real progress and shows the firm’s commitment to being responsible.
“We look forward to supporting Bishop Fleming to take this work even further.”
Bishop Fleming, which employs more than 500 staff, is ranked fifth in the Accountancy Age UK Mid-Tier Power Rankings and fifth in the inaugural UK Accountancy Age Mid-Tier Power Index.
It is also certified as a Great Place to Work and is in 14th place in the UK’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers rankings.
As well as Bath, it also has offices in Truro, Plymouth, Torquay, Exeter, Bristol, Cheltenham and Worcester.
