Meet the Founding Cohort of the Top 1%: Part 3 – Honest Mobile, Seismic, Oak National Academy, Elemental, Higson

What makes a truly great workplace? It’s not about ping-pong tables or free snacks—it’s about putting people first. The Escape the City Top 1% Employer Certification is redefining what it means to be a great employer, with 15 forward-thinking companies leading the way. And this is just the beginning—more organisations will be joining this movement soon.

These organisations are proving that workplaces can be both impactful and supportive. With fair pay, inclusive policies, and leadership that listens, they’re creating environments where employees can thrive. The Top 1% certification, based on six key criteria and genuine employee feedback, sets the standard for progressive employers.

In this third part of our series, we’re excited to introduce five more outstanding companies that are transforming workplace culture. Missed the first two parts? Catch up on the earlier articles here and here.

Higson: Higson is a dynamic, purpose-driven organisation committed to creating positive, lasting impact through people development. Rooted in psychological principles, they design and deliver tailored workshops, coaching, and culture transformation strategies that inspire teams and drive sustainable behaviour change. As a certified B Corp, Higson integrates social and environmental responsibility into its core, donating 20% of profits to charity. Their supportive and inclusive culture is built on strong people foundations, offering exceptional benefits and a collaborative team passionate about learning, growth, and making a meaningful difference. Working at Higson means joining a company that truly invests in its people while championing positive change in the world.

Honest Mobile: Two words that you thought couldn't go together, honesty and mobiles. As a conservative estimate we have all spent 70% of our lives on hold to mobile phone companies while they overcharge us, globally, to the tune of £182m a year. Honest Mobile are the opposite. Their mission is to create a network that is good for people and the planet while providing a human service. Unsurprisingly they're also a B corp, a Best Startup award winner and a carbon negative company. If you want to work for a company doing all they can for the planet while also disrupting the opaque world of technology, Honest Mobile are pretty much the best there is.

Seismic: Seismic are at the forefront of transforming the business community into a force for good. Everything they do is about helping businesses to prosper by changing society for the better and fixing our planet. They are B Corp consultants, Net Zero experts, and Sustainability strategists — we’d question whether work could get more meaningful than that. An organisation formed during the midst of a global health crisis, they are recently established and have already achieved so much. They have an amazing approach to flexible working, a flat hierarchy, and an open culture that encourages idea-sharing and discussion. We recommend you check out their open roles.

Oak National Academy: Oak National Academy was formed in April 2020 as an urgent response to the Coronavirus outbreak. Its core purpose? Supporting schools and teachers in providing a top-notch education to all children while locked down and learning from home. Since then, they've delivered a staggering 150 million classes from their online classroom and continue to develop valuable learning resources - most recently for children affected by the war in Ukraine. Their employee satisfaction is as high as their impact is broad - a great organisation to keep an eye on if you'd like to make a difference in the education sector.

Elemental: It’s immediately clear from reading Elemental's employee reviews that they’ve gone above and beyond to create a truly happy working environment. One team member states “Probably the best employer I have ever had. The archaic operational style of law firms and corporates cannot compete. I feel very happy to come to work everyday and as an employee I feel taken care of.” You don’t get a better review than that. So to the purpose-driven lawyers chartered secretaries and accountants out there - follow Elemental and apply to their open positions!

Curious to learn more? Explore the 15 exceptional organisations recognised as the founding cohort of the Top 1% employers – you might just find your next progressive workplace!