Clive Owen LLP

Accountants and business advisers Clive Owen LLP, which has four offices across the North, has secured a gold stamp of approval for its commitment to colleague career progression and development.

This approach has led to it being awarded gold accredited membership under the 5% Club’s rigorous 2022-2023 Employer Audit Scheme.

The award, the highest honour, recognises Clive Owen’s significant contribution to the continued development of its employees through ‘earn-and-learn’ initiatives.

Clive Owen, which has offices in Darlington, Middlesbrough, Durham and York, has more than 30 percent of its team enrolled on apprenticeships, graduate schemes and other work-based training programmes. This includes new starters and those who have been with the firm for decades.

Caroline Bowerbank, Clive Owen HR Director, said: “Our ‘Grow Our Own’ strategy is the driving force behind this achievement with our learners building their skills across a range of disciplines, including marketing, IT, audit and accounts, tax and payroll.”

She added: We are very proud of the investment in our colleagues’ development, which is why we joined the 5% Club.

“The success of our business and the accolades we receive are only possible because of the outstanding people we employ.

“We are committed to colleague personal and professional development, which is reflected by the number of ‘earn-and-learn’ roles we offer. This approach delivers fresh talent and diverse perspectives within our organisation and we will continue to increase the opportunities available.”

Mark Cameron OBE, the 5% Club chief executive, said: “Our Employer Audit scheme recognises the efforts of all those employers who invest in their workforce through a broad range of workplace learning schemes. It is fantastic that in these challenging times so many are able to commit to the Employer Audit and to gain the credit for their efforts, and that the majority are striving to expand their schemes over the coming years. Their efforts and achievements are to be applauded.”

Examples of the breadth of Clive Owen’s commitment to work-based learning include:

• Elizabeth Layfield, a senior tax manager, who has been at Clive Owen for 24 years and is established in her career. She is studying for a Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) qualification enabling her to develop new skills and knowledge within a specialist area.
• Jake Turnbull recently joined the firm and has embarked on a Level 3 Information, Communication, Technology Support Technician apprenticeship where he will acquire the skills and knowledge required for his chosen career.

This proactive firm has already introduced employment policies, which are based on two-way flexibility and trust to support the existing teams and encourage talented, motivated people to join the firm. This includes an innovative 9-day fortnight working flexible working and dress code policies.

The firm has already grown its team by over 11% this year and is focussed on cementing its place as one of the largest independent firms in the region with further exciting growth plans.

ENDS

NEWS RELEASE: ISSUED ON BEHALF OF CLIVE OWEN LLP

CONTACT: Caroline Walker on 01325 363436

Notes to editors:

Clive Owen LLP are Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers.

The firm has 12 partners and 128 staff across four offices in Darlington, Middlesbrough, Durham and York.

It is an independent and commercially driven regional accountancy firm providing value added services to corporate, commercial, public sector and private clients.

Over the past thirty-nine years the firm has established itself as one of the largest and most trusted professional firms in the North East. This has been achieved by working closely with its clients to understand their needs and aspirations to ensure they achieve their financial goals.

Its services include:

Audit and Accountancy

Tax

Business Planning

Managed Services

Corporate Finance

Grants

It is a member of Kreston Global which is a worldwide network of independent accountancy and advisory firms.

Founded in 1971, Kreston offers reliable and convenient access to high-quality services through member firms located around the globe. Currently ranking as the 12th largest accounting association in the world, Kreston now covers 125 countries providing a resource of over 25,000 dedicated professionals.

This global network can be of huge value to our clients who can benefit from enhanced research coverage, local market knowledge, and cross-border professional expertise.

The 5% Club works with UK employers and key influencers to inspire positive action for increased and accessible workplace learning, focused primarily on the number of apprentices, sponsored students and graduates employed. The goal of the 5% Club is to increase the employment and career prospects of today’s youth and equip the UK with the skilled workforce it needs to safeguard Britain’s economy. The 5% Club was launched in 2013.

Members sign the 5% Club charter. As a member of The 5% Club, employers state they are: Committed to helping the UK’s growth agenda and acknowledge the importance of developing people as both a business and social imperative; Playing their part in addressing youth unemployment and skills shortage; Pledging to work towards having a minimum 5% of their UK workforce enrolled on formalised apprentice, sponsored student and/or graduate development schemes within five years; Measuring and reporting on their progress annually against the above metric in their Corporate Social Responsibility section of the Annual Report and Accounts or equivalent document; Committed to encouraging other employers to participate in the campaign.

Membership of the 5% Club numbers more than 750 organisations from across a broad range of sectors as well as size of company, including large corporations as well as SMEs. The total number of employees represented is now more than 1.6m, with circa 93.500 in “earn & learn” schemes

For more information about The 5% Club visithttps://www.5percentclub.org.uk/