Accountancy and advisory firm Bishop Fleming has underlined its commitment to responsible business practices in its third annual report on the issue, saying it had become a key factor in the way it now operates.
The Responsible Business Impact report underscores the firm’s ongoing commitment to fostering a sustainable future, while also highlighting its key achievements. 
In addition, it reflects on areas for growth and outlines future goals across three core areas – healthy business, healthy communities and healthy environment for the firm.
Its publication comes shortly after Bishop Fleming, which has one of its eight offices in Bath, was awarded the PRIDE – ESG Award at the prestigious Accounting Excellence Awards – recognising its internal environmental, social and governance (ESG) journey.
Bishop Fleming partner and responsible business lead Fleur Lewis, pictured, said: “Responsible Business isn’t something that sits on the side of the business but is very much part of our day-to-day ethos, reflecting our ambition, values and the lens through which the majority of our business decisions are made. 
“Our people play a crucial role in bringing this commitment to life, driving positive impact through their actions, insights, and dedication across all levels of the firm.
“The detail of our report really demonstrates the depth to which responsible business practices are now integrated into the fabric of our business, thanks to the passion and engagement of our people.”
Key achievements outlined in the report are:
1% for Communities: Bishop Fleming has launched a major new responsible business initiative – a pledge to give back the equivalent of 1% of its turnover through impactful community-focused volunteering, fundraising and related activities. Inspired by the firm’s core belief in giving back to its local communities, this initiative has significantly increased its volunteering hours. Last year its offices collectively raised more than £50,000 for partner charities.
Nurturing talent: On the back of another record intake of apprentices, the firm’s apprentice training programme received an ‘Outstanding’ in all five categories from Ofsted – one of only 18 employer providers to achieve the rating. This complements the firm’s 27th place in the prestigious 2024 Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in the UK rankings.
Great Place to Work Certification: For the second year running, the firm achieved certification as a Great Place to Work, by the Best Workplaces Programme, demonstrating its commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture that engages and empowers its employees.
Advancing gender equality: Bishop Fleming has again been listed among the UK's Best Workplaces for Women™ in the large organisations category, reflecting its commitment to gender equality and diversity.
Embracing social mobility: Bishop Fleming has made significant strides in championing social mobility by investing in its employee wellbeing, advancing education and skills development, and enhancing its environmental practices.
Supplier support: The firm joined the Prompt Payment Code and launched a new Supplier Code of Conduct based on its eight material United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, reinforcing its dedication to ethical business operations.
Environmental stewardship: In its third consecutive year of carbon footprint calculations, Bishop Fleming continues to redefine its environmental objectives to further reduce its impact and set ambitious sustainability targets for the future.
Industry recognition: The firm has been recognised with several awards, including four prestigious Accounting Excellence Awards for Large Firm of the Year, Large Employer of the Year, Pride-ESG of the Year, and Client Service of the Year, demonstrating its excellence within the industry and its alignment with stakeholder expectations.
Growing a healthy, sustainable business: Bishop Fleming celebrated another year of double-digit growth and surpassed the milestone of 500 staff members for the first time, showing its robust and sustainable expansion.
In line with its commitment to responsible business, the firm is an active member of Business in the Community (BITC), the largest and longest-established business-led membership organisation dedicated to responsible business practices.
It uses BITC's responsible business framework to implement actions that contribute to the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Bishop Fleming head of responsible business Ewan McClymont said being a responsible business was central to the firm’s Better Growth strategy and was a commitment to managing the business to deliver a positive impact on the communities in which it operates.
“We're proud of our achievements, but we're mindful of the challenges and still have much to do,” he added.
Bishop Fleming has 40 partners and 500 staff across its offices in Bath, Bristol, Cheltenham, Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Truro and Worcester.
