When I got the news of our nomination, I took a moment to reflect not just on ForrestBrown’s journey but the philosophy that our business is built on.
From day one, we strived to create an environment at ForrestBrown where motivated, ambitious people can thrive, develop, do amazing work – and have fun, too. This balance doesn’t occur naturally: it’s been a feat of deliberate engineering.
We pride ourselves on our technical excellence. The R&D tax incentive is all that we do: one thing, done brilliantly. And every single person at ForrestBrown has seen the power that R&D tax credits have to help UK businesses grow and thrive.
I fundamentally believe that it’s not necessary to choose between technical excellence or creating a fun workplace filled with happy, satisfied people that feel valued, that are recognised for hard work, that understand their contribution to ForrestBrown. The one is tied to the other.
In a certain respect, our investment in people is quite similar to the philosophy that underpins the R&D tax credit. According to HMRC, for every pound a business gets in tax relief, up to £2.35 will be generated in extra R&D investment.
In much the same way, every penny we’ve spent on our people has been returned to us ten times over. And despite the challenges we’ve faced so far this year with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I’m confident we’ll push ahead in 2020.
We’re extremely ambitious at ForrestBrown, and it’s easy to always go full throttle, tearing towards the horizon. It’s sometimes good, however, to stop ever so briefly and look at not just what we’ve built together – but how we did it.
In 2019, we took our recruitment to a new level. We hired 42 staff members, 77% of whom were hired from direct applications – a testament to how desirable ForrestBrown is as a place to work.
There are many reasons to enter awards like this one. First, it’s nice to have our hard work recognised! But, at a deeper level, being nominated for an award like ‘Best employer in tax’ also prompts us to stop and reflect.
We’re extremely ambitious at ForrestBrown, and it’s easy to always go full throttle, tearing towards the horizon. It’s sometimes good, however, to stop ever so briefly and look at not just what we’ve built together – but how we did it.
As ForrestBrown forges ahead, I’m proud to say the spirit in which this company was built still sustains it. Long may it continue!
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, this year’s Taxation Awards will be virtual. To tune in, just head over to the Taxation Awards’ website and watch the live stream at 4 PM on 14 May.