_SPACE GROUP IS ONLY ARCHITECTS IN TOP 25 BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR

The _space team "wear it pink" on Breast Cancer Awareness day last year

National architectural firm, _space group, has become the only architectural firm in the UK to rank in the top 25 of the ‘Sunday Times Best Small Companies To Work For’ list.

The company, which employs 130 people across offices in Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds, placed 24^th, a 23 place jump from 2010.

_space group is also the only architectural firm to be awarded three star accreditation status by the Sunday Times ‘Best Companies’ projects team, and one of only 84 organisations in the UK to receive this accolade.

_space group chief executive, Rob Charlton, said: “It is absolutely incredible to think that we are highest ranking architectural firm in the UK in the ‘Sunday Times Best Small Companies To Work For’ list.

“We aren’t the sort of organisation that looks to be validated by how many awards are on our mantelpiece, but we do judge ourselves on the happiness of our people, as we know this has a marked effect on how well we perform as a business, and the high level of service we’re able to provide our clients.

“That our team thinks _space group is worthy of being a ‘Best Company’, and that this opinion is shared externally, is incredibly heartwarming. I am very proud of each and every person who works for _space group and hope that we are able to continue performing to this high a standard.”

Best Companies accreditation is based on eight different categories – my manager, leadership, my company, personal growth, my team, giving something back, fair deal, wellbeing.

_space group achieved its highest ranking in the ‘giving something back’ category, with the most common response being “my organisation makes a positive difference to the world we live in.”

The company, which has the vision of making life better for the communities in which it works, contributes time, resources and money to charity organisations in the North East, Yorkshire and Humberside and the North West, and has fostered a special relationship with organisations such as Children:North East, and Young Enterprise, working with the latter to coach teenagers on business and enterprise skills.

Janet Woodhouse, development officer, Young Enterprise North East, said: “We’ve been working with _space group since 2008 and they have consistently helped to make a positive difference to our students and their projects, encouraging them to think differently and creatively. Their high ranking comes as no surprise and we are very pleased for them.”