Business people are not trained to love their competitors. Learning that your rival has had a blow-out year is hardly likely to elicit warm, fuzzy feelings when it comes at your expense.
That’s why being named one of Britain’s Most Admired Companies is such a unique honour - it marks the grudging respect of your fiercest critics, your peers.
Below are the 20 companies - in alphabetical order - that received the highest ratings from their competitors across categories such as quality of management, financial soundness, capacity to innovate and inspirational leadership, from a field of nearly 250 of the UK’s biggest employers.
The order of the top 20, as well as sector and criteria winners, will be unveiled at an exclusive black tie dinner at Claridge’s on Tuesday December 3, featuring a speech by Management Today’s proprietor Lord Heseltine.
If you’re among the shortlisted companies and have yet to confirm your attendance, contact tamsin.ballantyne@haymarket.com to arrange tickets and to book a CEO interview on the night, which will then be showcased online on Management Today.
A limited number of tickets for other C-suite guests is also available for the awards via a ballot - enter this week to secure your place.
The Top 20 - in alphabetical order
ARM
Bentley Motors
BHP
BMW Group UK
BP
Compass Group
Croda International
Derwent London
Diageo
Greggs
Halma
Intertek
Johnson Matthey
McDonald’s Restaurants UK
Rentokil Initial
Rotork
Royal Dutch Shell
Spirax-Sarco Engineering
Toyota Manufacturing UK
Unilever
Check Management Today on December 4 for the full results, including a sector and criteria breakdown
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