International law firm Gowling WLG has been named one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for the 16th consecutive year by Great Place to Work.

The firm was ranked 30th in the ‘Large category’ (organisations with 500+ employees) in the annual Best Workplaces ranking announced last night (27 April).

Gowling WLG continues to hold “master status”, being one of only two companies listed since the survey began in 2001. It is also the only law firm to appear in the list, which also includes Capital One (Europe) plc, Mars UK and Hilton Worldwide.

Chief executive David Fennell said: “We’re exceptionally proud to have maintained our status as one of the UK’s best workplaces, and I’d like to thank all of my colleagues for creating such a positive, collaborative work environment.”

“We’ve hit some major milestones over the last year, not least our combination to form Gowling WLG, but while we’re celebrating what we’ve achieved, we’re not resting on our laurels. We’re committed to making Gowling WLG an even better workplace.”

HR Director Chris Oglethorpe added: “Since the last survey we’ve hired our first legal apprentices,introduced gender targets for our partnership, and launched pilot mentoring and agile working schemes. We’ve also held our inaugural Inclusion Week, at which we launched our transgender policy,welcomed sleep experts and hosted corporate responsibility fairs, among other things.”

“There’s still more to be done though, and we’ll continue to use the Great Place to Work survey feedback to develop and improve our firm. As well as building on some of the aforementioned initiatives, we’ll be introducing new ones, such as a programme of activities for Mental Health Awareness Week and an enhanced lawyer bonus scheme.”

The methodology behind the Best Workplaces list is one of the most rigorous available and uniquely comprises both an employee survey and an audit into organisations’ management and HR practices.

Tom O’Byrne, Great Place to Work® CEO, said: “We are delighted to see Gowling WLG on our Best Workplaces list this year. It is a validation of the strength of their leadership and their commitment to creating the kind of culture where employees enjoy coming to work and want to do their best.”

Gowling WLG is an international law firm created by Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co (WLG) and Gowlings, a leading Canadian law firm. The firm provides clients with legal services at home and around the world, and to help them succeed no matter how challenging the circumstances. Gowling WLG (Canada) is also regularly recognised as a top employer.

Great Place to Work UK is part of the world’s leading consultancy specialising in employee surveys and workplace cultures. It helps organisations improve their business performance by understanding and improving their workplace culture.