2021 wrapped up

It’s certainly been another?momentous, relentless?12 months. A year?where we’ve become more?resilient, where we’ve continued to?adapt to?our evolving environment and?where we seem to have achieved more than normal. Here are some?of my highlights.

Our first full year?of employee ownership?– Our move to employee ownership has given our partners the chance to input into the success of our business and I'm sure has contributed to a greater sense of belonging.

Evolving the?way we work?–?We launched several new initiatives to support new ways of working, including the introduction of core hours, a ‘protect your time’ initiative, an all-company lunchbreak (1pm, the new ‘happy hour’), Teams-free Friday afternoons and migrated from Google to Microsoft.

Our team has grown?–?It’s been a year where we’ve welcomed a record amount of new colleagues to the business, from entry-level apprentices to significant senior hires, and we’ve expanded our Executive Committee with members of our creative team, a first in Emperor history. We also opened a new hub in Warwick as we closed our Bicester and Birmingham offices and we have just said goodbye to our London HQ in Shoreditch in preparation for our move to Whitechapel in January.

Progressing?our?B Corp journey?–?We submitted our B Corp Impact Assessment this year, introducing B Corp champions and updating our Articles of Association.

First Emperor annual report published?–?An important milestone in improving our corporate and financial transparency, we applied our own principles for great communications with the report outlining a series a short, medium and long-term strategic priorities.?

Equality, Diversity & Inclusivity?strategy launched?–?We established a clear roadmap for the future, which commits to significant, lasting and meaningful change.

Tackling our environmental impact?–?We became a?Climate Positive Workforce?and introduced?our environmental actions for change, where all partners have been asked to make at least one pledge aligned to one of the five strategic action areas: avoid, reduce, recycle, restore and offset.

Celebrating our?25th Anniversary?–?In this anniversary year, we raised well over ￡25k for?Maggie’s?and won more than 25 awards for our work with our clients. You can?hear more about our journey over the past 25 years?in this video.

CEO succession?announced?–?I took great pride in announcing that Cameron Gunn and Victoria Sugg will be taking up the reins in June next year as Co-CEOs. An exciting new chapter begins.

Finally,?I just want to say a huge thank you to our clients and friends of Emperor for your continued support this.?I’m?very much looking forward to some down-time to recharge the batteries ready for everything that next year will throw at us.?

And,?of course,?to?wish you all a very happy Christmas?and a wonderful 2022.?