Two Bath-headquartered firms have been named among the top 100 organisations to work for in the UK. They appear in the prestigious Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies lists, which are published this Sunday.
Housing association Curo is ranked 27th in the not-for-profit table and was awarded the Best Companies’ Two-Star ‘Outstanding’ rating for its high score in the survey, which measures how engaged people are at work and how they feel about their employer. 
Law firm Royds Withy King, which has its head office on Midland Bridge and another office off Queen Square, is ranked 30th in the 100 Best Mid-Sized Companies to Work for table and rated ‘extraordinary’ – the top accolade.
Curo is the highest-placed organisation from the West of England in this year’s prestigious table, which was unveiled at an awards ceremony held in London yesterday, while Royds Withy King, formed last year from the merger of regional firm Withy King with London-based Royds, is one of just six law firms from across the UK to be awarded the coveted three star ‘extraordinary’ rating.
Its appearance this year is 15 places above last year’s position.
Curo chief executive Victor da Cunha said: “We’re incredibly proud to win this accolade. At Curo we’re about people, and our number-one priority is delivering great customer service.
“To get this right, an organisation needs great colleagues who share a strong set of values and a clear vision. That’s why we’ve been rated as an outstanding place to work.”
Curo provides more than 13,000 homes in and around Bath. Best Companies said of the housing association: “But this mid-sized organisation aims to go further than simply putting a roof over people’s heads. Entering our list for the first time this year, the housing association has made a significant mark on the Bath community.
“Empowering its workforce is a priority for Curo and employees feel they can make a valuable contribution.”
Curo will celebrate its award by taking part in National Best Companies Day next Friday.
Royds Withy King managing partner Graham Street said: “This award, which is independently judged based on confidential feedback from our lawyers and support staff, is testament to the environment and culture we have worked so hard to achieve and is reflected in the dedicated service every member of our team is committed to providing to our clients and the wider communities we serve.
“Our growing reputation as lawyers ahead of the curve is only possible by nurturing, motivating and developing our most valued asset – our people.”
Other highlights included the announcement that 80% of the 355 lawyers and staff from Royds Withy King who were polled said they ‘wouldn’t leave the job tomorrow’.
Also in the table is regional accountancy firm Bishop Fleming, which has been ranked 42nd. The firm, with a large office in Bath, also gained a coveted two-star status accreditation from Best Companies.
The Sunday Times rated Bishop Fleming as an ‘outstanding’ employer with a clear commitment to workplace engagement and with the determination to strive for the top position.
It is the second time the firm has appeared in the table after being ranked 49th last year.
The firm, which also has offices in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Truro and Worcester, has 29 partners and 330 staff. The accreditation is based on employee feedback and acknowledges those employers that regard employee development as a key element of their success.
Managing partner Matthew Lee said: “This is fantastic news for the firm and is a reflection of the hard work that we put in to make sure that our business is a great place to work.”
It follows Bishop Fleming success in receiving an ‘outstanding’ accreditation for ‘Investors in Customers’ in 2016 for the second assessment in a row.
Launched in 2001, The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For is the most comprehensive analysis of workplace engagement, opinion and satisfaction in the UK.
Royds Withy King employs around 450 people across its offices in Bath, London, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire,
Picture top: Curo staff celebrate outside their Bath headquarters.
Pictured below, Royds Withy King staff collect their award. From left: Rebecca Stevens, Zainab Dakhil, Rhiannon Marzocca, Amanda Dow, head of HR, Graham Street, managing partner, Ruth Bowen, Hazel Phillips, Milan Kapadia, Richard Woodman and Ian Carrier
