We are delighted to announce that Thesis has been shortlisted as a regional finalist in the FSB Small Business Awards 2020 in the category of Family Business of the Year. The FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) is a UK business organisation, formed in 1974, that represents small and medium-sized businesses.
These awards recognise and celebrate the huge contribution that smaller businesses make to the UK. Championing the significant role played by family firms to the British economy, the Family Business of the Year seeks to reward the UK’s top family-run SME with less than 250 employees. The Thesis entry had to demonstrate how our family values have contributed to our business success.
We are extremely proud of being shortlisted in our first year of entering. Thesis was founded with the family at its heart: one of the aims of the four colleagues who established the company was to provide employment for themselves and their families for the future. Our family focus remains, with two of the founders’ children now working as our Managing Director and Technical Director. Today, our 50-strong team includes members of several families, including those of the founders and others who have joined over the years. Despite increasing in size, the family feeling of the company continues, because fifteen members of our team are related to at least one other person in the business – roughly a third. Many of our team stay with us for a long time: over 25% of employees have been employed for over 10 years, and nearly 50% have been employed for over five years.
As a family run and orientated business, we continue to uphold our founders’ original aims of creating an ethical business to improve our customers’ quality of life whilst, at the same time, creating a sustainable means of employment for their families and future generations. Strong family values such as compassion, responsibility and hard work can be seen in many aspects of the business: Thesis’ main product, the LimbO Waterproof Protector, has helped 1000s of patients during recovery. Each year the company supports a wide range of charities, as well as NHS teams with donations and educational bursaries.
More information about our fellow South East finalists is available on the FSB website. The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday 26th March 2020 at Hickstead International Showground.