Smiling – all year round UMi style
This EO Day we are reflecting on what is important to us as business and what makes us smile.
We know that businesses are more than just brick and mortar or numbers on a spreadsheet, they’re powered by people – just like our own. UMi is all about helping businesses go further, not only to achieve their own ambitions but because we believe business has a major role to play in making the world around us a better one.
Recognising the power of individuals, and the great things that can be achieved when those individuals come together, is embedded within our rallying cry. As a result, we’re really proud of being recognised as a business where talent thrives.
Leanne Miller, UMi Senior Project Manager says: “I always feel like we’re working as one big team to support the people we work with – and it has felt like this for the ten years I’ve worked here, well before Employee Ownership came into place. We’re encouraged to be our real selves, people helping people, and I think that’s what makes a real difference to the businesses and communities we support.”
Employee Ownership is about long term value and benefit for everyone in the UMi team, as well as celebrating our short term successes. It enables us to reward one another in creative ways, and it also enables us to run our business in a way that works for us. Good examples of this are how our investment decisions and risks are assessed based on long term value, and not just the short term gain.
Nicki Clark, UMi Chief Executive says: “Together we’ve recently reset our ambition for the future. We took the bold step of refreshing how we describe what we do and what makes us special – and of course we continue to do what others say can’t be done.”
2019 is an exciting year for UMi in so many ways. We’ve just rebranded – and we’re also enhancing the impact we make in the communities where we work and live. UMi loves the work being done by Founders4Schools, a national charity dedicated to improving the life chances of young people by connecting them to successful business leaders in their local community. We’re working right now with Founders4Schools to get a process in place to roll this out across our networks. UMi also supports local charities working to combat loneliness and social isolation across the areas where we work via the Community Foundation network; and each year we all commit to each raise £200 either in money or kind for the Foundation.
Liz Hall, Business Support Adviser at UMi, says: “The thing that makes UMi special is the people. It sounds corny but it really is true. I’ve never worked anywhere else that has the same camaraderie, and the same ‘We are all in this together’ attitude. It really is this unique approach that makes UMi a great place to be.”
Employee Ownership is integral to UMi’s reputation as a visionary, innovative and responsible business – and the confidence this 100% shared ownership engenders in everyone right across the business makes us smile all year round.