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What Makes An Organisation Eligible For Best Companies Accreditation And Lists?

The b-Heard Survey is available globally.  If entering for Best Companies accreditation and/or lists, there is a certain criteria that must be met to ensure that the comparisons between organisations are consistent and that the competition is fair.

We offer the ability to survey globally, so why not survey your entire workforce to provide you with a comprehensive picture of engagement across your organisation.

At present, our accolades recognise UK-based employees only, so if entering for Best Companies accreditation and/or lists, there is a certain criteria that must be met to ensure that the comparisons between organisations are consistent and that the competition is fair. This is detailed below: 

Organisation Headcount

A minimum of 25 full-time equivalent (FTE) UK-based employees are required for entering any Best Companies accreditation or lists. All eligible employees within the organisation must be surveyed, with no groups or departments excluded.

At least 50% of your eligible employees must have a minimum of 6 months service within your organisation at the time of the survey. We may ask you to confirm your eligibility in writing and/or provide an externally audited certificate.

In addition to the eligibility of employees, it's important that your organisation is entering in the correct way. If you are entering as a private company, your headcount will determine which list you are eligible for. Private companies include those who are Registered Societies for the benefit of their members.  

List Size Thresholds

Our Best Companies lists are comprised of:

  • 25 FTE – 99 = Small list

  • 100 – 249  = Medium list

  • 250 - 1999 = Large list

  • 2000 + = Big list

Organisation Founded Date

Your organisation must have been in existence as a legal entity for a minimum of 24 months by the point your survey launches. This is to ensure the company culture is formed and the employee environment has been well established.

Mergers, De-Mergers, Acquisitions and Sales of Parts of the Business

When a company is acquired, merged or de-merged, it can involve the movement of employees. A large amount of movement could provide an unreliable survey result.

Any contemplated management buyouts or proposed mergers, de-mergers or acquisitions must have been completed and fully integrated prior to the commencement of the survey process. Any that are not completed or anticipated to take place before the publication of the survey results must be notified to Best Companies in writing, as it may affect eligibility.

Organisation Type

 An organisation must be one of the following:

  • Private Limited Company

  • Public Limited Company

  • Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)

  • Registered Society for the Benefit of its Members (formerly known as ‘industrial and provident society). Businesses that are run for the benefit of their members, distributing profits between their members (e.g. Co-operatives)

  • Other Mutual Society (e.g. Building Societies)

To register for the Best Not for Profit to Work For list, an organisation must be one of the following:

  • Private Company Limited by guarantee 

  • Charity (Registered in England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man)

  • Public Sector (i.e. Organisations more than 50% owned by a Government body, the majority of directors appointed by Government, business plans are approved/determined by government or they are a corporation created via an Act of Parliament)

  • Registered Society for the Benefit of the Community, formerly known as ‘industrial and provident society’ (i.e. businesses that are run for the benefit of the wider community, re-investing profits in the community; and organisations found on the FCA Mutual Register https://mutuals.fca.org.uk/

  • Other Not for Profit (e.g. Community Interest Companies (CIC) and Royal Charter Companies)

  • Other Mutual Society (e.g. Friendly Societies & Credit Unions)

Participation Type

An organisation can participate in one of three ways. These are:

  • Group: Under this scenario all trading divisions within the UK will need to be included in the survey process. Employees from all divisions in the group must be included and data provided in the overall submission must reflect the organisation as a whole. A division includes any organisation wholly owned or where there is more than 50% ownership.

  • Division: This requires that each trading division entering operates as a separate legal entity from any other organisation or division in the parent organisation, complete with its own board of directors, MD or CEO and its own policies and procedures. An individual trading division is not eligible to enter if the group it belongs to has also entered the project. All employees from this division must be included, but it must not be combined with any other legal entity from within the group for the purpose of this entry.

  • Single: If an organisation is not entering as a group, is not a parent company to any subsidiaries, or is not a division of a group then they are a single entity. 

For additional support please email support@b.co.uk, call us on 01978 856222, or click the 'Get in Touch' button at the top of this page.