Champion Accountants ESG pledges
For more than 50 years, we’ve proudly operated at the heart of the communities we serve, guided by a strong sense of integrity, responsibility, and purpose. Whether working with clients, supporting one another, or engaging with the wider business and local community, our approach is underpinned by a simple yet powerful principle: always do the right thing.
Our ESG strategy focuses on three core areas that shape our culture and drive our impact: our people, our communities, and our planet.
1. Championing our people: building a culture where talent thrives
At Champion, our people are our greatest asset – and we work hard to create an inclusive, progressive, and supportive environment where they can thrive.
We believe in fostering a culture that promotes wellbeing, empowers individuals to grow fulfilling careers, and creates opportunities for everyone – regardless of background or circumstance. We’re proud to attract and retain talent from across the North West and beyond, ensuring every team member has access to the tools, support, and flexibility they need to succeed.
Mental health and wellbeing are key priorities.
We regularly review our employee policies and benefits to ensure they reflect the evolving needs of our team and their families. As part of this ongoing commitment, we offer a four-day working week option, helping colleagues reduce stress, prevent burnout, and find a healthier balance between work and life.
We’re committed to long-term talent development.
From day one, every Champion colleague is supported through structured training, one-to-one coaching, and access to continuing professional development. Each year, we make a significant financial investment in training – nurturing the next generation of accountants and advisors through a culture of continuous learning.
Our industry-recognised traineeships are backed by Platinum Approved Employer status from the ACCA and AAT Accredited Employer recognition – accreditations that reflect our commitment to training excellence. Trainees benefit from real-world client experience, mentorship from seasoned professionals, and a clear path toward qualification in a positive, collaborative workplace.
Champion’s success is built on a strong foundation of succession planning and long-term talent growth. We’ve developed and retained some of the region’s brightest professionals – many of whom have grown with us from trainee to leadership roles, helping shape the future of our Group.
2. Giving back with purpose: supporting the communities that support us
Giving back is embedded in Champion’s culture. Across all of our offices, our teams support causes close to their hearts, whether through fundraising, donations, or long-term partnerships with local charities and organisations.
Each year, every office selects a dedicated charity to support, allowing our people to champion causes that matter to them. Over the past five decades, this approach has enabled Champion to contribute to hundreds of local charities, making a tangible difference where it counts.
But our impact goes beyond fundraising.
We bring specialist expertise to the charity sector, supporting organisations of all sizes – from grassroots groups with no formal reporting structures to established national charities. Our work helps them implement robust financial processes, strengthen transparency and compliance, and ultimately build a stronger, more sustainable future.
Many of our senior leaders also act as Trustees, sharing their financial expertise and governance knowledge to support charities in achieving long-term impact. This personal investment reflects the values that drive us – as individuals and as a business.
3. Greener futures: taking action for a more sustainable tomorrow
Champion is committed to playing our part in creating a greener, more sustainable future. We recognise that the decisions we make today will shape the world we leave behind, and we’re taking active steps to reduce our environmental footprint and inspire responsible practices across our offices.
We conduct regular sustainability audits, assessing energy usage across buildings, processes, transport, and consumption. These assessments inform practical, measurable actions to improve efficiency and reduce emissions.
Based on this reporting, we’re currently implementing a range of initiatives, including:
- Switching to LED lighting across office spaces to significantly reduce energy use
- Trialling an electric car scheme, with the ambition to expand this across our leadership team
- Providing sustainability education to empower employees with knowledge on reducing their environmental impact, both at work and at home
We also work closely with environmental agencies to ensure our internal efforts are aligned with broader sustainability goals – making sure our actions contribute meaningfully to collective progress.
Our governance commitment: secure, responsible, and future-focused
As part of our ESG strategy, governance plays a critical role in how we protect our clients, our people, and our business. Champion is proud to be Cyber Essentials Plus certified – demonstrating our commitment to data protection, cybersecurity best practices, and safeguarding sensitive information across our digital infrastructure.
This certification reflects our ongoing efforts to uphold the highest standards of trust, compliance, and resilience, ensuring we continue to deliver services with integrity in an increasingly connected world.
Champion’s ESG commitments are not one-time initiatives – they’re part of an ongoing journey to be a business that leads with purpose. Whether it’s investing in our people, supporting the communities we serve, or protecting the planet we all share, we’ll continue to evolve our practices and raise the bar in everything we do.
Because for us, being a champion isn’t just about delivering great service – it’s about standing for something greater.
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