a. Driving excellence in governance & ethical practice
b. Key highlights & case studies
6. Helping our community & clients a. Helping our community
7. Winning with our clients a. Key highlights & case studies 8. Message from our Chief People Officer: Claire Jepras
At Azets, sustainably is central to our purpose: to improve the lives of our clients, colleagues and communities in a sustainable way. In 2025, we further embedded sustainability into to how we operate, how we make decisions and how we serve our clients.
We know the business case for sustainability is strong. Incorporating sustainability into everything we do builds long term value by strengthening trust, enhancing our resilience, managing risk more effectively and enabling sustained growth in an ever-changing world. As a professional services group, our clients increasingly expect high and credible sustainability standards from the firms they choose to work with. This is why sustainability is not just the right thing to do - it is a strategic differentiator for Azets.
In 2025 we made a notable step forward in our maturity in our sustainability journey. We have moved from the important early milestones of carbon reporting and the formation of our Sustainability Working Group, to a more structured and data-driven approach. We completed our first Double Materiality Assessment, developed a formal Sustainability Strategy, and began benchmarking our performance externally through EcoVadis. These are significant steps that provide the clarity and frameworks we need for the future.
The Double Materiality Assessment is particularly important. It gives us a deeper understanding of the sustainability impacts, risks and opportunities most relevant to Azets, and ensures we are well prepared for evolving reporting expectations across our markets.
Across environment, people and governance, the progress we have made this year reflects real “One Azets” momentum. It is the result or colleagues across all jurisdictions contributing their expertise, energy and commitment. This collective effort is helping us build a stronger, more responsible and more future-ready business.
As we look ahead to Azets’ 10-year anniversary in 2026, this progress gives us a powerful platform for the next chapter. Our sustainability journey will continue to shape who we are and how we grow - ensuring that we remain a trusted partner for our clients, an employer of choice for our people, and a positive force in our communities. Together, we have an opportunity to mark our first decade not only by celebrating what we’ve achieved, but by demonstrating the kind of sustainable, forward-looking organisation we intend to be for decades to come.
Thank you to everyone who continues to drive this work forward.
Chris Horne | CEO, Azets Group
About our people
Azets is an international business advisory group, with over 9,000 local experts in 190 locations across eight countries, backed by progressive technology. We are united by one clear purpose: to improve the lives of our clients, colleagues and communities in a sustainable way. 100,000+ clients trust us to meet their immediate and evolving needs, remove barriers and deliver sustained outcomes so they can move forward with confidence.
9000+ Colleagues
190+ Offices
50-50
Gender split 6 Acqusitions made
We encourage our colleagues to give feedback so we can understand how they feel and shape improvements at all levels.
82% feel that their opinions are taken into account at work
76% see a path to advance their career at Azets
80% feel that their career is progressing
We are a people-focused business, putting our colleagues at the heart of every sustainable decision we make. We believe in close collaboration with our people to drive employee satisfaction and create strong business value.
93% feel their manager communicates openly and honestly with them
86% feel the work they do is meaningful
92% believe people from all backgrounds are treated fairly
88% are satisfied with Azets’ efforts to support diversity and inclusion
89% feel if they experience serious misconduct at work, they are confident appropriate action will be taken
84% believe a diverse workforce are a clear priority at Azets
As a people-centric organisation, we are committed to ensuring our colleagues feel safe, supported and able to thrive in their roles. Over the past year, we have taken meaningful steps to strengthen a peoplefirst culture and further embed the One Azets mindset across the business. *eNPS Score: 27 Selection of employee engagement data from November 2025. Percentages based on colleagues who scored 7/10 or higher, agreeing or strongly agreeing with the question. *In line with the benchmark for the FS Sector
79% feel a sense of belonging at Azets
Building on our strengths to foster a united culture
Vilde Austrheim, Group Head of Culture and Change, is helping to shape a culture at Azets that supports sustainability through a shared language and direction. Here, she discusses a new initiative to evolve Azets culture.
Recognising what makes Azets special Launched in late 2025, the Culture Project aims to strengthen how people experience working at Azets across regions, while respecting the diverse local cultures.
As the company continues to grow through both organic expansion and acquisitions, building a more connected and consistent culture helps colleagues collaborate more effectively and deliver stronger outcomes for clients.
The project aligns closely with Azets’ social and governance priorities, including diversity and inclusion, ethical conduct and responsible growth.
“We wanted to put into words what already makes Azets special,” explains Vilde. “The Culture Project brings together our purpose, values, leadership behaviours and strategic direction into one shared culture story.”
This work has resulted in a culture guide called ‘United in progress’, which introduces three mindsets that describe how our values are lived every day.
Over time, our Culture will also support important areas, such as employer branding, induction programmes, leadership development and integration of newly-acquired businesses, helping colleagues feel part of One United Azets more quickly.
Vilde Eilertsen Austrheim
Group Head of Culture and Change, Azets
Driving cultural evolution
The Culture Project is not about launching a new culture, but evolving and strengthening the one already in place. Insights from employee engagement surveys, leadership interviews and local conversations have shaped the direction.
“We see culture as the bridge between our people and our business ambitions,” says Vilde. “This is about making visible what already works well and helping us grow in a more aligned way.”
With around 9,000 colleagues across multiple countries, maintaining a shared sense of identity while celebrating local differences is key.
“We don’t want to erase strong local cultures,” Vilde explains. “The ‘United in progress’ culture should feel like the golden thread connecting them.”
Strengthening sustainability commitments
Throughout 2026 and beyond, the culture themes and shared language will increasingly be embedded into operational processes, such as recruitment, leadership development and performance management. Internal communication and storytelling will help colleagues see how culture shows up in everyday work.
“This initiative strengthens our sustainability commitments because culture shapes how we treat each other and how we serve our clients,” notes Vilde. “Trust, collaboration and accountability are essential to sustainable growth.”
On a personal level, Vilde finds the culture themes practical as well as aspirational. “At the end of the day, I often reflect on whether we lived our values in practice,” she says. “Culture is built in everyday moments. ‘United in progress’ creates a shared language and standard that we can apply to our everyday work so I’m excited about seeing it brought to life.”
“I’m inspired by our people,” she concludes. “And proud that we are building on our strengths as we continue moving forward: United in progress.”
Sustainability at Azets
Message from Abinand Rangarajan
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Sustainability and ESG are integral to how Azets creates long-term value for our people, our clients, our investors and the communities we serve. They are not separate from our purpose or our day-to-day decisions; they are increasingly the lens through which we build trust, manage risk and strengthen performance across the Group. Our values demand that we act responsibly and with integrity, and that responsibility extends to the impacts we have through our operations, our people practices and the services we provide to clients. At the same time, our investors rightly expect a clear, credible approach to sustainability that protects value, enables growth and strengthens resilience over the long term. And, with the regulatory landscape continuing to evolve, including heightened expectations on transparency, governance and climate and social reporting, we are determined to stay ahead of requirements and build the capabilities needed to respond consistently across jurisdictions.
We are also operating in a changing world order, one shaped by geopolitical volatility, economic uncertainty, energy transition dynamics and accelerating technological change. In this environment, it can be tempting for organisations to treat sustainability as a “nice to have” or to pause progress until conditions stabilise. Our view is the opposite. It is precisely because of the uncertainty that we must double down. Sustainability is fundamentally about resilience, ensuring our business, our people and our clients can thrive in the face of disruption. It is about anticipating and managing emerging risks, while identifying opportunities for innovation, talent and client value. It is also about leadership. As trusted advisers, we have a responsibility to model the standards we encourage in others and to help our clients navigate change with confidence.
This year marks an important step-change for Azets. We have strengthened our capability by appointing a dedicated Group Sustainability Head (my role), signalling our intent to move from well-meaning activity to a more structured, measurable and accountable programme of work. Alongside this, we have formalised our Group Sustainability Strategy, building on the insights from our Double Materiality Assessment, ensuring our priorities are grounded in what matters most to our stakeholders and to the long-term success of Azets.
Just as importantly, we have brought greater clarity to how we govern and deliver sustainability across the Group. A clearer structure and governance model helps translate ambition into execution, defining ownership, strengthening oversight, improving data and reporting and
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ensuring we can consistently embed sustainability into decision-making across geographies and functions. This is essential in a Group like Azets, where we want to harness the strength of our jurisdictions while still operating as One Azets, aligned, coordinated and moving in the same direction.
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Looking ahead, I want to reaffirm a simple point. Sustainability is front and centre in how we build and run Azets. It influences how we invest, how we manage risk, how we serve clients, how we develop our people and how we uphold integrity. Our ambition is not to have sustainability sit alongside the business but to ensure it is embedded within it, guided by clear priorities and delivered through practical actions that create real-world impact.
This report brings that commitment to life. It highlights some of the brilliant work carried out across our Group this year, driven by colleagues in many jurisdictions, often alongside clients and communities. It also provides insight into our plan ahead, where we will focus, how we will measure progress and how we will continue building the foundations for credible, consistent sustainability performance over time. I am grateful to everyone who has contributed to this progress so far, and I look forward to working with colleagues across Azets to accelerate delivery and deepen our shared One Azets approach in the year to come.
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id gravida at, posuere a libero. Praesent et nibh aliquam, pellentesque arcu ac, efficitur justo. Etiam quis feugiat velit. Mauris quis urna sagittis, elementum metus vitae, lacinia urna. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in
Abinand
Rangarajan (Abi)
Group Head of Sustainability, Azets
Our sustainability milestones
Established Sustainability Working Group Double Materiality Analysis H1 2025 2023
Formalised Sustainability Strategy H1 2025
Sustainability Targets Set H1 2026
First Carbon Report 2021
First Sustainability Report 2024
Group Head of Sustainability recruited H1 2025
First EcoVadis Submission & Medal H1 2026
Formalised Belonging Strategy H1 2026
From insight to action: Double Materiality Assessment
To ensure our Sustainability Strategy is credible, consistent and future-ready, Azets undertook a Group-wide Double Materiality Assessment (DMA) in 2025. The DMA serves a dual purpose: it supports regulatory readiness (CSRD/ESRS) while also creating value by pinpointing the sustainability topics most likely to drive risk, resilience and long-term performance for Azets.
Through a six-month process with broad stakeholder engagement, we assessed impacts, risks and opportunities and identified 16 material topics that matter most across our value chain. These span: climate change mitigation and adaptation, energy, water and circular economy; working conditions, equal treatment and opportunities, talent retention, social inclusion and personal safety; and anti-corruption and bribery, corporate culture, whistleblowing, regulatory compliance, investment in our ESG strategy and responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI)
These outcomes directly inform our Sustainability Strategy by anchoring our priorities, governance and metrics in the topics that are most material to Azets and our stakeholders—ensuring a more unified One Azets approach to delivery and reporting.
Our Sustainability Strategy
Our Sustainability Strategy is grounded in the findings of our Double Materiality Assessment, which we translated into strategic sustainability themes aligned with Azets’ business priorities and stakeholder expectations from the material topics identified.
We have defined a clear sustainability vision supported by key metrics and measures that reflect Azets’ purpose and our pathway pillars, ensuring they remain fit for purpose across the multiple jurisdictions in which we and our clients operate. The strategy outlines our core sustainability pillars (highlighted in purple), which represent the areas most material to our business. We are committed to continually driving progress against these themes, monitoring performance and always striving for improvement.
We have also ensured that these themes align with the regulatory requirements we are subject to, as well as with wider market standards we have committed to.
Finally, we remain focused on evolving through insight and impact: improving our Sustainability performance and targets over time, and communicating our progress and achievements to our broader stakeholder community, ensuring transparency and reinforcing our commitment to responsible business.
Our target setting
Following the formalisation of our Group Sustainability Strategy, it was imperative that we also set clear Group-level sustainability targets. Doing so translates our strategy into measurable priorities, strengthens accountability, and provides a clear framework for tracking progress over time. This is crucial to ensure our ambitions are not only well defined, but also actionable and embedded across the business.
Our 2030 targets therefore represent the outcomes we intend to work towards as Azets continues to build a more sustainable, resilient and responsible business. These ambitions are also grounded in the Future-Fit Business Benchmark, helping ensure our targets focus on the ‘break-even’ fundamentals - reducing harms and building the management systems needed to operate responsibly and resiliently over the long term.
We will also review progress against our targets on a quarterly basis, using this regular assurance process to track performance, drive continuous improvement, and refine or expand our target set over time as our strategy and maturity continue to evolve.
Accelerating Climate & Environmental Action
Blick Rothenberg’s B Corp journey
B Corp for Blick Rothenberg
As part of its commitment to building a sustainable business, Blick Rothenberg is working towards B Corp certification in 2026. Jim Brown, COO, talks us through the process.
Putting an action plan in place
“Our CEO, Nimesh Shah, came across the B Corp certification a few years ago,” explains Jim. “We realised it was a really useful wrapper to help us bring everything together that we were already doing as a responsible and sustainable business.”
Certified B Corporations (B Corps) are companies that have been verified to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
“The B Corp process is rigorous. You have to describe, and support with evidence, everything you’re doing in terms of sustainability,” says Jim. “We’d already made lots of positive changes but we wanted to really transform the business and demonstrate this in a way that validated our efforts.”
Blick Rothenberg partnered with sustainability experts at Seismic on the company’s B Corp journey, which started with a diagnostic assessment of the potential for B Corp certification.
From there, they identified areas for improvement and worked with Seismic to create an action plan, based on the B Corp framework that evaluates five impact areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers.
Creating a catalyst for change
A core team at Blick Rothenberg, which includes representatives from People & Culture and Facilities, began documenting everything the company does within this framework, such as:
• Installing hands-free taps in the office bathrooms
• Updating the company’s ethics policy
• Supporting charities like The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields
• Using 100% renewable electricity
• Partnering with TaxAid to provide tax advice to people on lower incomes
“We want to do what’s right for our colleagues, clients and communities, and grow Blick Rothenberg in a sustainable way,” he comments. “B Corp validates what we do and also brings its own benefits, in terms of employee engagement, recruitment and client acquisition.”
With a current B Corp benchmark score of 85 to 87, Blick Rothenberg has already succeeded in embedding the certification’s requirements in the company culture. The formal B Impact Assessment began in January 2026 and the team expects to receive the results in early Summer 2026.
“To other organisations that would like to become a B Corp, I’d say, don’t be scared of it,” adds Jim. “It’s a long and complicated journey but if you are genuinely a responsible business and it aligns with your values, it’s worth it.”
Our First Ecovadis Submission
Ecovadis for our sustainability journey
EcoVadis is an important part of how Azets evidences credible sustainability performance in a way that is clear, comparable and recognised by clients and supply chains globally. It provides an independent assessment across four core themes—Environment, Labour & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement—and helps us understand both where we are performing well and where we need to strengthen policies, implementation and data.
We chose EcoVadis deliberately because it aligns with how our stakeholders increasingly evaluate professional services firms, not only on ambition, but on governance, evidence and continuous improvement. It also supports our wider sustainability roadmap by giving us a structured framework to mature our management systems over time, and a practical lens to prioritise actions that will make the greatest difference.
On our first submission, Azets achieved an EcoVadis Committed medal. This is a meaningful milestone for a first-time assessment and reflects the foundations already in place across the Group, as well as the collective effort from colleagues in multiple jurisdictions to evidence our approach. We will use the insights from the EcoVadis scorecard to drive targeted improvements year-on-year— strengthening consistency across One Azets, improving the quality of our evidence base and continuing to build trust with clients, partners and investors through transparent progress.
You can find our EcoVadis Scorecard here
Our People
Putting our people, clients and communities first
In a business built on expertise and relationships, it’s our people that are our biggest advantage. Ensuring we attract the best people, support them to succeed and retain them to grow their careers with us will help us to continue to provide the best client service we can and meet our ambitious growth targets.
This is why the Social pillar of our Sustainability Strategy is grounded in our commitment to empowering people and culture and creating a fair and inclusive workplace, where everyone can thrive. It is our culture that turns our shared purpose into action, enabling us to succeed. 2025 saw the introduction of some key projects, namely the overarching culture work and the Belonging Strategy that sits underneath. Embedding inclusion into all aspects of our culture will help us to ensure we retain our talented, smart people as we continue to scale, grow and achieve as a business.
This is how we remain united in progress
Our social impact in numbers
Number of promotions
Colleagues believe health and safety is taken seriously at Azets.
Colleagues feel supported by their manager
771
Colleagues believe Azets makes diversity and inclusion a priority
82% 82% 87%
Our new Group-wide Belonging Strategy
Locally relevant, globally connected
Embed a culture of inclusion & belonging Inclusive processes
Advancing gender balance
We are pleased to share that our first Group-wide Belonging Strategy will be launching soon. This is an important step in our commitment to creating a workplace where our culture can thrive and where everyone feels valued, respected and able to be themselves. The strategy will give us a clear direction for how we strengthen belonging across Azets.
As part of this launch, we want to introduce a shared definition of what belonging means:
Belonging is feeling accepted, respected and connected through shared purpose and values, where people are treated fairly, trusted to be themselves and are comfortable contributing their ideas.
Belonging is the result of diversity, equity and inclusion working together.
We have chosen to focus on belonging because it helps people and organisations succeed. When people feel they belong, wellbeing, engagement, innovation and decision-making all improve. Diversity on its own does not create this impact, people also need fairness, trust and psychological safety.
Belonging also gives us one shared and simple way to talk about our work in this space, while recognising that our people and experiences are different across countries, teams and communities.
Many teams across the business already demonstrate strong inclusive behaviours and supportive team cultures. The new strategy builds on this great work. It will help us keep that momentum while creating a clearer, shared direction that connects us as One Azets: United In Progress
Belonging does not happen by chance. It grows through everyday actions and the way we treat each other. This strategy is the starting point of a shared journey across the Group.
We will share more details about what this means in practice, and how we will bring it to life across the business, as we move into the new financial year.
Women Forward – Our new group senior women’s network
Overview
In Autumn 2025, we were proud to launch Women Forward, our first pan-Azets senior women’s network. The network, which is designed to bring senior women together from all business units, provides a space for connection, learning and shared reflection, whilst supporting our wider commitment to inclusion and advancing gender balance across the Group.
The challenge
Gender balance at senior levels varies across the countries and businesses in which we operate. Some parts of the Group have achieved more representative leadership that reflects the wider gender demographics of their workforce, while other business units continue to face greater challenges. Our aim with this network has been to build something that acknowledges these differences but also what unites us.
The approach and impact
We’ve started simple, with virtual Q&A sessions that focus on honest leadership stories rather than polished reflections. At the time of writing, we have hosted two sessions, both of which have received positive feedback, with an average session rating of 4.42 out of 5. Participants have also shared thoughtful suggestions for future sessions and enhancements. Attendees have particularly valued:
• Hearing candid reflections from senior leaders on the challenges they have faced
• The reassurance that many leadership challenges are shared across roles, countries and business units
• The opportunity to feel more connected to the wider Azets Group and to peers beyond their immediate teams
Looking ahead
We have an exciting programme of sessions planned for the remainder of FY26 and into FY27, including dedicated networking sessions introduced directly in response to attendee feedback. These sessions aim to strengthen connections across the Azets Group and deepen relationships within the network.
We look forward to continuing to bring colleagues together from across the Group and to further building our One Azets culture through Women Forward.
Putting payroll management on the Danish curriculum
After spotting a gap in payroll education, Ditte Munk-Bierre Hansen, Head of People & Culture at Azets Denmark, took action. The result is a new payroll course at Business Academy Copenhagen and a growing pipeline of talented graduates for Azets.
Closing a critical skills gap
In Denmark, the most relevant qualification for Azets is the Financial Controller course. However, payroll training had traditionally been missing.
“Every company needs payroll expertise – it’s a complex, high-risk area with constantly changing rules,” says Ditte. “But there was a clear gap in formal payroll education, which made it harder to recruit qualified consultants.”
Rather than waiting for the system to change, Azets Denmark decided to act. Aligned with its ESG commitments, Ditte set out to introduce payroll into the national curriculum and strengthen the employability of Financial Controller graduates.
Partnering with education
In 2016, Azets partnered with Business Academy Copenhagen to develop a payroll elective, available to students since 2018. Azets colleagues helped shape the curriculum, while payroll managers trained two academy teachers to deliver the three-week intensive course.
Alongside classroom learning, students spend two days at Azets’ Copenhagen office, working on real-life projects in a safe, sandbox environment.
“Students gain insight into office life and our culture,” Ditte explains. “We want them to leave thinking: Azets is where I want to work.”
Building the workforce of the future
Since launch, around 325 students have completed the payroll elective. Azets Denmark has offered 76 internships, with most interns progressing into permanent roles across the business.
One example is Martin Duncan, now a Senior Financial Consultant in Advisory, who retrained later in life and built his career at Azets after joining as an intern. The programme has also supported inclusive recruitment, including opportunities for neurodivergent students.
This initiative has created a strong recruitment pipeline while contributing to the wider profession. Even when graduates don’t join Azets, the company is proud to help build skills that benefit the broader workforce.
Recognising her impact, Ditte has since been appointed to the advisory board of Business Academy Copenhagen. Her message to students is simple: Come to Azets - and be proud of what you do.
Helle Thingaard Senior Payroll Consultant
Lene Pedersen Core Contact Manager
Laura Lindorff Pedersen People & Process Specialist
“Commitment to diversity starts at the top”
As CEO of Azets Norway, Arne Norheim is responsible for driving growth and operational excellence. Here, he explains why fostering diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) matters and highlights initiatives that support colleagues across Norway.
“I’ve always worked in companies with a strong focus on DE&I. It’s an important part of my own values - and of Azets’ values,” says Arne. “When people bring different experiences and perspectives, we get better ideas, make better decisions and ultimately perform better. It also helps us stay relevant for our customers and resilient as a business.”
Azets Norway aims to reflect the market we operate in and understand the needs of customers across industries. A workforce made up of different nationalities, cultures, languages, professional backgrounds and life experiences strengthens how we work together—and how we deliver for clients.
Equal opportunities
We have a Diversity & Inclusion Policy that sets clear expectations for behaviour and ways of working and, in Norway, an ODA Network’s Diversity Pledge, which helps turn ambition into concrete action.
More broadly, our ambition is to build teams with a healthy mix of competencies, perspectives and experiences—because strong outcomes are rarely created by “more of the same”. Arne puts it simply: “Teams perform better when they’re well-balanced and bring different viewpoints to the table. That’s something I actively encourage.”
Azets Norway has also established recruitment practices designed to support fair and consistent assessment. This includes job ads that clearly describe the role and requirements, and structured interviews using consistent assessment criteria to support fair and comparable evaluation. At the same time, it’s just as important that colleagues thrive after they join. Supporting development, mobility and new opportunities is a winwin—good for people and good for business.
Leading from the top
We expect leaders to make the most of the different backgrounds, strengths and competencies in their teams. All leaders in Azets Norway have a specific goal related to inclusive leadership as part of the performance management cycle. Actions can include strengthening psychological safety, ensuring balanced participation in discussions and actively using expertise people bring from previous roles.
Arne also coaches his direct reports on inclusive leadership, and leaders’ behaviour related to DE&I is followed up through our employee survey and ongoing feedback channels.
Our employee survey and internal channels provide valuable insight into what works well and what we need to improve. Feedback from colleagues indicates that Azets Norway offers a welcoming culture where people can be themselves at work. One reason for this is that our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion—as part of a broader set of sustainability objectives—is anchored at the top.
“There was already a strong DE&I foundation in place when I joined Azets in 2024, and we’ve worked hard to build on it,” Arne adds. “For me, inclusion is a leadership responsibility and something I’m proud to own.”
“I couldn’t work for a company that didn’t align with my own values”
Grace Goulding, Associate, Advisory & Restructuring, joined the 3.5-year Azets Academy graduate programme at Azets Ireland in September 2025. She explains what she has learned so far and why being part of a socially-responsible organisation matters so much.
What attracted you to Azets Ireland and our graduate programme?
I found out about the Azets Academy when I did an internship at a company that Azets acquired. Some friends of friends already worked here and told me that it’s a lovely place to work. My internship employer kindly referred me and, after going through the interview process, I joined the company last September. My first day was quite unusual as I met all the other graduate trainees at the airport and we flew to Oxford for a training week.
How have you been supported since joining?
It’s a really friendly and supportive environment. Every graduate is given a mentor/buddy from day one and there’s lots of on-the-job training, plus the opportunity to travel and learn from our international leaders. We also get paid support while studying for our ACA and other professional qualifications.
How can our graduate trainees help to uphold strong governance standards?
From day one, we’re trained in anti-money laundering (AML) and other legislation. When we start working with a new client, we help with background checks. We all understand that it’s our responsibility to do these checks diligently.
What new skills have you gained as part of the Azets
Academy?
The main ones are communication, teamwork and presentation skills. I thought I’d have to figure everything out for myself but I’ve learned that it’s OK to ask questions. The programme can be challenging and you have to learn quickly but you’re never on your own.
Our graduate trainees spend time at the University of Oxford and in our Oslo office during the first year of the programme. What did you learn during these training weeks?
In Oxford, Azets Ireland CEO Neil Hughes gave an introduction to the company and we had talks on AI and data protection by senior leaders from Azets UK and our international offices. We also took part in group projects and there were social events to help everyone get to know each other. It made me immediately feel part of the organisation and, having arrived as new colleagues, we returned as friends. A few months later, we had a trip to Oslo, where we learned more about the future of finance and ways of working at Azets, including how to treat clients as partners. I really enjoyed both weeks.
What does being part of a socially-responsible organisation mean to you?
I couldn’t work for a company that didn’t align with my own values. At Azets, there’s a focus on having a positive environmental impact and everyone behaves with integrity. Inclusivity is also a priority—you feel like you can be yourself here.
How does Azets support your wellbeing and work-life balance
I know I can talk to my manager and colleagues if I have any concerns. There are also lots of social and sports activities to get involved in and we get time off to study. What I didn’t expect was that my work and life would cross over in such a positive way. I’ve made so many friends here already.
Chloe Owens
Senior People Business Partner
CASE STUDY
“No one should have to navigate menopause alone”
As part of its commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion, Azets UK offers colleagues support during menopause. Chloe Owens, Senior People Business Partner, explains how this is helping to create a more compassionate workplace and boost employee wellbeing.
Why did Azets UK decide to offer menopause support?
Our focus is always on creating an environment where people feel understood, supported and empowered at every stage of life. Around half our people will be directly affected by menopause and the other half may be indirectly affected when a partner, friend or colleague experiences it. We believe no one should have to navigate menopause alone.
Why was it so important for you to drive this initiative?
I’m very passionate about wellbeing and providing the right kind of support to colleagues. Nearly three-quarters of working women aged 40 to 60 experience menopause symptoms and, for many, those symptoms negatively impact their work. In fact, research shows that one in 10 women in the UK leave their jobs due to menopause! That really struck a chord with me so I took the lead in setting up our menopause working group.
How did you create the menopause support?
We took a really thoughtful and practical approach. First, we set up a menopause working group. Then we developed a menopause policy that provides clear guidance for colleagues and managers. We also signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge, a UK-wide initiative by the Wellbeing of Women charity. But it’s not just about having a policy and signing a pledge—you have to bring your promise to life with practical support.
What
kind
of practical support is available for UK colleagues?
Our working group publishes a quarterly newsletter on the intranet, which contains menopause information and resources, plus real-life stories about colleagues’ experience of menopause. We also host a virtual menopause café. It’s a safe space for open discussion and anyone can attend. Our UK CEO Peter Gallanagh has also spoken openly about the importance of being an inclusive and supportive workplace, and shared his own experience of supporting his wife during her menopause journey. Our aim is to make menopause something that can be discussed naturally and respectfully, rather than avoided.
How do you ensure this support is accessible for all employees?
Everything is hosted on our intranet and we’re exploring the idea of building a dedicated menopause community so that colleagues can connect and access support more easily wherever they’re based. There is one male colleague in the menopause working group and we encourage other male colleagues to get involved and share their perspectives.
What impact has the menopause support had so far?
People really appreciate that the conversation has started and that the support is visible. For me, the most powerful impact has come from the real-life stories we’ve shared. Menopause is still a taboo subject and can feel incredibly isolating. It’s often reduced to clichés like “hot flushes”, which can minimise the very real effect it has on people. By encouraging colleagues to share their experiences, we’re helping others to realise they’re not alone. That sense of connection is incredibly valuable.
What’s next for this programme?
As part of our wider wellbeing strategy, we want to explore introducing meaningful KPIs so we can track our progress. We’re also going to run a survey asking colleagues what they’d like to see more of and we’re exploring options for menopause-related support within our flexible benefits offering. This is very much a journey but our focus remains the same-normalising menopause in the workplace.
How do you see this influencing broader wellbeing strategies within the Azets Group sustainability framework?
By recognising life-stage wellbeing as part of our broader people strategy, we’re creating a more inclusive and compassionate workplace. Our menopause support helps to retain talent, support performance and reinforce that Azets genuinely cares about its people as individuals. That mindset influences everything we do when it comes to wellbeing and culture across the Group.
How Pride brought colleagues and community together CASE STUDY
Azets Yorkshire’s participation in Leeds Pride and York Pride highlights our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace and supporting the communities we serve. Claire Needham and Samantha Graham tell us more.
A sense of belonging
Leeds Pride and York Pride bring thousands of people together each year in Yorkshire’s biggest celebration of diversity, equality and inclusion. Having previously supported York Pride, our offices across the region sponsored and took part in both festivals in the summer of 2025.
“We’re proud to support the LGBTQ+ community and the cities of Leeds and York,” comments Claire Needham, Regional Managing Director for Azets North East and Yorkshire. “The Pride events are self-funded and free to attend so corporate sponsorship is essential for the organisers. And whilst it’s good to get the Azets name out there, seeing colleagues getting involved on the day is even more important. It’s a great way to spend time together and celebrate our shared values.”
A family-friendly event, Pride fills each city with colour, laughter and love. Colleagues from our Bradford, Leeds and York offices joined the parades, together with their partners and children. Walking under the Azets banner, they wore Azets Pride t-shirts, painted rainbows on their faces and handed out Azets Pride flags to the crowd. The spectators along the route were incredibly positive and there was a real sense of belonging. In York, for example, people had decorated their houses and a local church choir was singing.
Reflecting on Leeds Pride, Samantha Graham, PA to the Managing Partners in Leeds and York, says, “We’d just moved into our new office in Leeds so we all met on the rooftop. There was such a buzzy atmosphere at the parade. Everyone was cheering and there were bubbles everywhere. You really lose yourself in it!”
The right thing to do
With research by Stonewall* showing that more than a third of LGBTQ+ people feel they need to hide who they are at work, Azets endeavours to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all colleagues.
Pride is just one way that we promote diversity, equality and inclusion across the organisation. In the UK, our Authentically Azets network aims to amplify awareness of DE&I issues, enhance employee engagement and transform the way we do things through regular events and articles.
“Our people have a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives and we encourage everyone to treat their colleagues with respect,” says Claire. “Championing diversity, equality and inclusion is fundamental to our culture. It’s the right thing to do.”
Samantha notes that everyone should feel comfortable being themselves at work. As she says, “You can’t underestimate the impact supporting Pride has on LGBTQ+ colleagues and the wider community. It’s our goal to keep the spirit of inclusion alive throughout the year.” Click here for more information
Environment
Committed to climate action and environmental stewardship
We remain strongly committed to systematically reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Following recent strategic acquisitions and growth in headcount, we recognise the importance of setting science-based, scalable targets that will enable continued emissions reductions as the business evolves.
Our most recent carbon data collection exercise focused on strengthening data standards, quality and coverage across all three scopes, which has resulted in several changes to our reported emissions.
The reduction in Scope 2 emissions reflects our continued investment in renewable energy. In line with our targets, and where we directly procure energy, we aim to achieve near-100% renewable electricity wherever feasible. This has resulted in a significantly lower Scope 2 emissions baseline for FY25.
For Scope 3, we now believe we have comprehensively identified all relevant business areas within each jurisdiction. This has improved consistency and reliability of the data, providing a more robust understanding of our value chain emissions. We will continue to enhance the accuracy and comparability of Scope 3 data over time.
Changes in Scope 1 emissions are primarily due to the reclassification of certain sources that were previously reported under Scope 2, and are now correctly captured within Scope 1. This reflects improved data availability across our operating entities and ongoing enhancements to data quality.
Looking ahead, we remain focused on establishing science-based targets that support our ambition to reduce emissions and increase procurement of renewable energy where possible.
Zero to landfill: Blick Rothenberg’s waste management success CASE STUDY
The challenge
The approach
With evolving waste regulations and growing expectations for corporate responsibility, BR recognised the need to transform its approach to waste management. The challenge was clear: increase recycling rates, eliminate landfill waste and actively engage colleagues at our Great Queen Street office in London to create lasting behavioural change.
To deliver on these objectives, BR implemented a comprehensive waste management programme that combined compliance, education and engagement:
• Clear signage for waste segregation: Visually-engaging signage was installed in all kitchen areas to guide employees on correct waste segregation
• Employee engagement video: A short, informative video highlighted the importance of proper waste disposal and encouraged active participation
• Ongoing compliance monitoring: Regular reviews and updates ensured adherence to new waste regulations across all office locations
The impact
Looking ahead
The initiative delivered measurable results and cultural change, including:
• Recycling rate improved by 5 percentage points, reaching 70%
• Zero waste sent to landfill, reducing environmental impact significantly
• Greater employee awareness and engagement, fostering a workplace culture that prioritises sustainability
BR’s commitment to waste management doesn’t stop here. In 2026, we will:
• Continue monitoring and refining waste segregation practices
• Explore innovative solutions to further reduce waste
• Strengthen employee engagement through ongoing education and awareness campaigns
Green real estate for new office CASE STUDY
Environmental considerations were central to Azets Sweden’s relocation to new premises in Stockholm. The team prioritised not only the location, but also selecting a property owner as a long-term partner aligned to Azets’ ambition to reduce environmental and climate impacts.
Site selection focused on lower-carbon commuting and circular waste management
The new office provides strong public transport links, secure bicycle parking and showers/changing facilities to encourage active travel and reduce commuting-related emissions. The building also offers extensive waste-sorting facilities, covering a wide range of waste fractions.
The building itself has undergone major efficiency upgrades
The property owner has invested in a geothermal energy system, meaning the building is no longer dependent on district heating or district cooling. This is expected to reduce the building’s total energy consumption by ~65%, with a corresponding reduction in climate impact and CO₂ emissions. Further upgrades include modernised ventilation and control systems, occupancy-controlled lighting and temperature regulation to optimise energy use. The building is powered exclusively by renewable (green) electricity.
Recognised building standards and continued ambition
The property is already BREEAM In-Use certified and, following the geothermal investment and other measures, the intention is to recertify with the objective of achieving an Excellent rating.
Office design prioritised wellbeing and reuse
Workstations were positioned to maximise natural daylight in order to reduce electricity demand and support employee wellbeing. In the interior fit-out, approximately 75% of existing furniture was reused, complemented with reused or former showroom items where possible—supporting both environmental outcomes and cost efficiency. Furniture not moved to the new office was redistributed to other Azets Sweden offices, with remaining items sold to a specialist reuse company to keep resources in circulation.
Governance
Driving excellence in governance and ethical practice
Strong governance is fundamental to who we are. It underpins our culture of transparency and accountability, enables responsible decision-making and fosters trust and confidence in the work we do every day.
Our people are driven by a shared commitment to do the right thing. We continuously review and refine our policies, processes and controls to ensure they remain relevant, effective and indicative of our culture and desired behaviours. This ongoing improvement mindset is central to how we operate as a growing, modern organisation.
In 2025, we delivered some notable and innovative achievements to bolster existing governance and risk management across the Group, including:
• Enhanced our second line control testing programme and assurance activity aligned to key risks
• Evolved our governance, strategy and safeguards for Artificial Intelligence (AI) including our Group AI Use and Digital Ethics policy and dedicated governance fora
• Evaluated and improved our Governance Framework, setting minimum requirements for key fora across the Group
• Moved to a dedicated, in-house Group Internal Audit function, with demonstrable skills and experience to provide robust independent third line assurance
• Strengthened our Fraud Risk Management Framework, including key controls, prevention protocols and investigation process
• Refreshed our horizon scanning activity and associated governance
• Bolstered our information security through successful achievement of ISO certification in Finland
• Designed and delivered an innovative risk assessment tool to support client risk and control
Governance, risk and assurance as a key enabler
Testing and assurance plays a vital role in strengthening our governance and managing our risks. The insight we gain tells us how well our controls and processes are designed and operating. It enables us to validate that risks are being managed effectively, highlighting any potential areas of improvement early and ensuring corrective actions are targeted and meaningful. We do this through a structured, risk-based programme of second line control testing, review and challenge, helping us to continuously improve and safeguard the integrity and resilience of our governance and operations.
Colleagues continue to stay abreast of legal and regulatory developments, client expectations and emerging technologies through effective engagement, horizon scanning and emerging risk identification. We are not simply scratching the surface, we are conducting deep dives, using data-driven insights and continually refining our processes to build resilience and safeguard assets.
Azets understands that by managing risks effectively and fostering an ethical, supportive working environment through good governance, we will not only enhance operational efficiency but also create long-term value for our stakeholders. We have made strong progress in governance and will continue this momentum into 2026.
STUDY
How every colleague supports the management of client risk CASE
A bespoke technology solution, which was developed in-house and launched in late 2025, is helping colleagues across Azets Group to mitigate risk. Catriona Coleman, Group Deputy General Counsel, explains how it works.
Risks and opportunities
Intentionally used in the early stages of engaging with clients, an innovative new tool builds on our existing client onboarding risk assessment and control solutions. It supports our people to think deeply about potential risk in their initial conversations with clients and to engage the right subject matter experts to mitigate that risk. Having tooling that prompts early consideration about client risk ensures that the engagement can progress swiftly for our clients and/or with any appropriate controls or risk mitigations in place.
As Azets Group Deputy General Counsel, Catriona Coleman spends a lot of time supporting the business to identify and mitigate potential risks, working closely with colleagues across the organisation. The way she sees it, risks often come with opportunities.
“For me, effective risk management is about going into a situation fully informed and aware of the risk and the reward. It’s about finding the ‘how’, rather than saying ‘no’,” she says.
Technology to support colleagues
Catriona explains how this new system aligns with our focus on using technology to make life easier for our people and deliver a better service to our clients.
“It gives us a simple way to record data and a clear escalation and approval process for potentially higher risk matters. It enables us to assess decisions with reference to accurate and up-to-date data. It ensures that the right people in our organisation are aware of the potential risk and the way that it is being managed. Giving colleagues this clarity strengthens our overall governance structure.”
Our technology solution can be easily updated as our control environment and risk landscape evolves. The data we capture will provide valuable risk and control insights to identify areas where we may need to adjust the way we work—whether that is providing additional training or bolstering resource in a specific team because we are seeing more client enquiries in that area.
Collaboration in practice
Sharing knowledge, adapting quickly and valuing contributions from subject matter experts are critical to building upon the collaborative culture at Azets and this new solution is already receiving positive feedback that it is driving the right outcomes and behaviours.
“Whatever you do at Azets, you play a vital role in the management of client risk and effective operation of controls,” says Catriona. “Risk management is everyone’s responsibility”.
“We have so many subject matter experts who provide advice to our clients and expertise to protect our business,” she adds. “Every colleague across the organisation can help to identify and manage client related risk. This new tool makes us more efficient and more effective. It’s collaboration in practice.”
Encouraging a culture grounded in accountability and transparency
Assessing compliance
Claire helps Azets Group Executives and the Board to embed a risk-aware culture, robust controls and sound governance frameworks that enable effective decision-making and help achieve business goals.
Having joined the company in late 2024, one of her first projects was the annual review of the Designated Professional Body (Investment
This licence, issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), enables us to expand our client services to include certain investment activities, provided we comply with their DPB framework and regulatory requirements, which includes conducting an annual compliance review. Business) Licence for Azets UK.
“We overhauled our DPB framework in 2025, implementing a risk-based strategy to evaluate the scope of our investment activities, effectiveness of systems and controls and compliance with legal, regulatory and ethical requirements,” comments Claire.
The review included:
• Providing training and questionnaires for senior colleagues across Azets UK, as well as those in Compliance and Debt Advisory teams, according to the roles rather than grade
Claire Williams, Deputy Group Risk & Governance Director, explains why governance forms the backbone of sustainability and how risk management and fraud prevention are core elements.
• Analysing the data collected to identify trends, strengths and areas requiring improvement
• Aligning the review checks with ICAEW standards to help detect and address issues
• Producing a final report that includes a comprehensive assessment of Azets UK’s compliance status, as well as action plans and responsibilities
Reinforcing trust
“Everyone who took part in the review was very open, engaged and committed to doing the right thing,” says Claire. “This project definitely helped me to build strong relationships with colleagues across the business early on.”
The DPB framework benefits all our stakeholders by reinforcing trust, accountability and robust risk management. This review, which took around nine months to complete, showed notable advancements in governance, engagement and regulatory awareness, and identified opportunities for enhancing systems and controls.
“The DPB review is not just a mandatory requirement,” she notes. “It’s a key tool for improving governance, compliance, competency and operations, and achieving Azets Group’s sustainability and business objectives.”
Embedding integrity
In 2025, Claire also helped to enhance Azets Group’s fraud prevention foundations by formalising our strategic objectives within the Group Fraud Strategy. These include proactively preventing and detecting fraud and reacting decisively and transparently to fraud.
As she explains, “We responded proactively to the new legal requirements that were being introduced as part of the UK’s Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 last Autumn. I was responsible for transitioning our fraud prevention framework from a focus on individual to include corporate liability and ensuring that Azets Group adopted robust and reasonable procedures to protect against potential prosecution and fines.”
The introduction of various fraud prevention frameworks, policies and plans directly addressed the demands of the updated legislation, aligning governance, controls and accountability with the latest regulatory expectations and embedding integrity and transparency across the organisation.
Shaping the business
Effective fraud risk management was central to these efforts. Alongside internal controls, such as regular fraud risk assessments and the use of data analytics to improve fraud detection, we run a ‘Speak Up’ initiative that fosters an environment where raising concerns is supported.
“Integrating strong anti-fraud practices into our sustainability framework shields the organisation from legal, regulatory, financial and reputational threats. It maintains ethical standards and stakeholder confidence and preserves the credibility of sustainability efforts and reporting. Ultimately, it encourages a culture grounded in accountability, transparency and ongoing improvement,” adds Claire.
18 months into her Azets journey, Claire is thoroughly enjoying her new role. “I’ve been given the opportunity to sharpen my thinking and do meaningful work,” she says. “What I appreciate most is having a real impact on results. I get to help guide strategic decisions and actively contribute to creating value. It’s very motivating knowing that my input helps to shape the direction of the business.”
Claire Williams
Deputy Group Risk & Governance Director
HIGHLIGHT
Internal Audit Strategy
Holly Sykes
Group Chief Audit Executive
In 2025, Azets reached an important milestone by establishing a dedicated Group Internal Audit function, reinforcing its commitment to strong governance, transparency and accountability. The function is led by Holly Sykes, Group Chief Audit Executive, winner of the Institute of Internal Auditors’ Inspirational Leadership Award in 2021, with over 20 years’ cross-sector experience.
The Group Internal Audit Strategy sets out a clear ambition: to deliver a professional, risk-focused and agile Internal Audit service that provides value-adding assurance, strategic insight and advisory support across the organisation. As an independent and objective third line, Internal Audit plays a key role in strengthening Azets’ governance and control environment, while aligning closely to strategic priorities and the evolving risk landscape.
The challenge
As Azets continues to grow in an increasingly complex regulatory and risk environment, the business recognised the need for a future-ready Internal Audit function aligned to global best practice. A core commitment of the strategy is full alignment with the IIA UK 2024 Standards and the International Professional Practices Framework within three years.
To support this, Azets is professionalising the function through annual internal quality assessments, external quality reviews at least every five years, a structured training and competency roadmap, strong focus on CPD and professional qualifications, active participation in IIA networks and sector initiatives, and support to deliver both audit and advisory work.
With direct reporting to the Audit Committee and unrestricted access to its Chair, the function is designed to strengthen independence, sharpen focus on risk ownership, accountability and transparent reporting, and remain responsive to emerging risks including cyber security, strategic transformation, regulatory change and technology-driven disruption.
Action
To deliver this ambition, Internal Audit launched a three-year strategy for 2025–2028 focused on improving governance maturity and assurance quality across Azets. Key actions include:
1. Embedding agile, risk-based auditing through dynamic and continuously updated risk assessment models to support more responsive audit planning and delivery.
2. Strengthening governance and independence through revised frameworks and closer Audit Committee engagement.
3. Integrating technology and data by adopting AI-enabled audit tools, expanded data analytics and targeted automation to improve efficiency and coverage.
4. Enhancing quality assurance through annual internal assessments and scheduled external reviews against global professional standards.
5. Improving stakeholder engagement and transparency through clearer, more insightful reporting and better alignment of assurance activity across the organisation.
Together, these actions provide a clear roadmap for maturing Internal Audit and ensuring it is fit for today’s challenges and future complexity.
Impact
The impact of the Group Internal Audit Strategy is already being felt across Azets. The function is helping to elevate governance maturity through improved transparency and stronger assurance reporting to the Audit Committee, enhanced risk management supported by dynamic and increasingly data-enabled processes, KPI-led performance measures aligned to IIA Standards, and broader audit coverage across high-risk areas such as cyber related audits, compliance and strategic risk.
Technology adoption is also increasing, with automation and AI expected to feature in at least 30% of audits by 2027. Another important shift has been the introduction of agreed management actions. Rather than Internal Audit prescribing solutions, management is empowered to determine the most practical and effective ways to mitigate risks, strengthening ownership, accountability and control effectiveness across the business. Internal Audit continues to provide oversight by tracking progress and reporting transparently to the Audit Committee.
Internal Audit is now playing a pivotal role in building a stronger, more future-ready assurance framework at Azets — enhancing governance, supporting better decisionmaking and helping embed a culture of accountability across the Group.
Responsible AI use & digital ethics across the group
“Our AI Use and Digital Ethics policy, governance and awareness campaigns ensure we innovate confidently together, with responsible and well-governed use that aligns with our values and obligations.”
Impact
• Stronger governance and clearer accountability for AI-related decisions
• Better colleague awareness of permitted use cases, opportunities and improvements available through ethical AI use
• Increased ethical assurance, reducing risks such as bias, unfair outcomes, noncompliance and/or misuse of data
• Greater regulatory and policy compliance, supporting evolving global AI legislation and ethical behaviours
• Improved trust from clients, colleagues, partners and regulators
• More confident, sustainable innovation, with AI deployed responsibly and safely
Challenge
The rapid desire to use and adopt AI creates evolving, but manageable, risks around fairness, transparency, privacy, decision-making and regulatory compliance. Without clear governance, AI has the potential to lead to inconsistent practices, unmanaged risks and ethical concerns that could undermine trust and organisational integrity. AI creates exciting opportunities for our clients, colleagues and community, so leveraging its use ethically, with appropriate governance and compliance with an ever-changing landscape, is a vital strategic tool.
Action
We developed and implemented an AI Use and Digital Ethics Policy, supported by a governance framework that defines accountability, oversight, ethical principles, risk controls and lifecycle management for all AI solutions. This ensures structured evaluation, responsible deployment and transparent operation of AI technologies. Our AI Governance Forum meets weekly to risk assess AI use cases, pilots, guidance, comms and wider opportunities for AI use across the Group, leveraging synergies and driving consistency and efficiency in our operations and central functions.
Helping our community & clients
Helping our community
In every market we serve, we use our expertise and time to create value beyond our day job— supporting communities, strengthening charities and helping clients navigate change. From pro bono advice and skills-based volunteering to fundraising and targeted donations, our colleagues are making a tangible difference where it matters most. This section brings together some of the stories we’re proudest of this year, showing how we’re helping our community and clients win— with impact, integrity and a One Azets spirit.
Number of clients
98,053
Clients say they would recommend Azets to others
82%
Amount raised for charity
£115k
Supporting health, wellbeing and community through blood donation
Encouraging volunteering and community impact
While blood donation is an important part of our CSR approach, we recognise that it is not suitable or possible for everyone. In 2025, we launched a dedicated intranet page focused on social responsibility and DEI&B[39.1], including a section highlighting opportunities for volunteering and community engagement.
Our HR teams support this work by coordinating partnerships with local charities, sharing resources and promoting accessible initiatives that employees can join. Activities in 2025 included:
• Nature conservation and environmental clean-up work
• Sorting and organising community donations
• Visiting elderly care homes and participating in social activities
We actively encourage colleagues to participate as teams or groups. This not only amplifies the positive impact on local communities but also fosters stronger internal relationships, a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
In 2025, our team in Finland reviewed new opportunities to strengthen our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and broader sustainability commitments, with a focus on initiatives that improve wellbeing, contribute to society and are accessible to employees across different locations.
One outcome of this review was the decision to allow employees to donate blood during working hours. This commitment reflects our ambition to make social impact part of everyday working life at Azets—it was practical, meaningful and easy to participate in.
Rewarded for our efforts
Azets employees in Finland donated blood 51 times in 2025. As a single donation can help up to three patients, our collective contributions may have supported as many as 150 individuals in need of life-saving care. In recognition of this commitment, we were awarded the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service Workplace Certificate—a tangible demonstration of our social responsibility efforts, and one that we hope encourages other organisations to take similar steps.
Strengthening our culture through action
For many people, an employer’s social responsibility and alignment with personal values are increasingly important. Demonstrating these values through concrete actions helps strengthen engagement and commitment across our workforce. Our CSR initiatives— whether through organised volunteering, blood donations or local partnerships—reflect our belief that responsible business is built through everyday behaviour as much as long-term strategy.
“It’s very rewarding to have a positive impact on someone else’s life”
Keith Guga Senior, Audit & Assurance
Social inclusion is a key focus for Azets UK. Keith Guga, Senior, Audit & Assurance, supports one of our charity partners, The King’s Trust, which helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to build confidence, get a job or launch a business.
What do you do for The King’s Trust and why did you get involved?
I heard about the charity partnership when I joined Azets and began volunteering for The King’s Trust in 2025. My mum ran a nursery school in Zimbabwe so I’ve supported young people my whole life and wanted to continue to do so in the UK. I help the charity by reviewing young people’s CVs and volunteering for the Enterprise Challenge.
Can you tell us more about the Enterprise Challenge?
It’s an inter-school competition for 11–16-year-olds across the UK, which King’s Trust staff and volunteers deliver in schools. Teams of 3-5 young people play an online business simulation game then work with the volunteers to create and deliver a business pitch. The top ranking groups go through to regional finals. I helped run the challenge for a group of Year 7 students (aged 11-12) at a school in South London.
What was your role on the day?
Someone from The King’s Trust facilitated the challenge, supported by eight volunteers from different companies and the headteacher. We helped to set up the room and introduced ourselves to the students. Then, we explained the rules of the game and worked with the various teams on their business pitches, which we later judged. Our main goal was to get everyone thinking like businesspeople.
What positive changes did you see in the students who took part in the challenge?
We encouraged them to look at the world broadly and they came up with some really innovative ideas. Their business pitches included a skincare brand for different kinds of skin and ages, a company that recycles and reuses football kit and an animation studio – it was quite amazing! Some of the students seemed surprised that they could think like a businessperson. We also saw them get better at working in teams and grow in confidence as presenters throughout the day.
Would you recommend volunteering for The King’s Trust to your colleagues?
Definitely. Young people are our future so it’s great to be able to open the door to the business world and maybe even a career at Azets. Doing something that is meaningful and has a positive impact on someone else’s life is very rewarding.
How did you and the other volunteers help to create a sense of ownership and inclusion?
We mixed up who was in each team so the young people weren’t in their usual friend groups and had to work with students they might not know. Everyone was given a specific role, such as CEO, CFO, CTO and Marketing Director, so they each felt they were making an important contribution during the challenge.
What did you personally take away from the experience?
I hadn’t spoken in front of a large audience for a long time and I was quite nervous, so that was a good personal challenge to overcome. It also made me realise what I could do to improve the way I communicate with young people—how to listen, how to help them manage their emotions and how to get them working as a team.
“There’s a big emphasis on giving back to the community”
Fundraising and team building went hand in hand when Dharma-Dev Morzaria, Assistant Manager at Blick Rothenberg, organised a charity walk for colleagues. His efforts were recognised with the individual award for being ‘Amazing in the community’ in the Amazing Azets Awards 2025.
Strong participation
In September 2025, Blick Rothenberg colleagues took on the South Downs Way Challenge (a 56-mile walk between Eastbourne and Amberley) to raise funds for its charity partner, The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields.
Having enjoyed participating in the company’s 2024 charity challenge when he was a Trainee, Dharma-Dev went one step further in 2025. With the support of Blick Rothenberg Partner Andy Sanford, he organised the whole event.
“When I came back from the challenge in Jersey last year, I thought, we should do this again!” explains Dharma-Dev. “Andy has done every charity walk so we looked at a few options and decided on the South Downs.”
Assistant Manager, Blick Rothenberg
#WeAreAzets Dharma-Dev Morzaria
With a commitment to addressing pressing social issues, Blick Rothenberg colleagues choose a charity each year that they support through various fundraising initiatives. The company’s 2024/25 charity partner, The Connection, works to end rough sleeping in London and offers a range of homelessness support, including meals, showers, laundry facilities, computers and healthcare.
In the run-up to the three-day charity challenge, Dharma-Dev encouraged his colleagues to get involved and raise money. He handled all the logistics for the event, guided the walkers along the south coast and kept everyone motivated, especially during the hilly and rainy sections.
Significant donation
15 colleagues took part in the walk (three times as many as in 2024) and raised more than £11,000 in total for The Connection at St. Martin’s, which included matched funding from Blick Rothenberg. The charity has been on the front line helping Londoners experiencing homelessness for more than 100 years. A £5 donation funds two meals and £50 funds a night in a hotel, for example.
“We’re all lucky to have a roof over our heads but so many people in London don’t,” comments Dharma-Dev. “There’s a big emphasis on giving back to the community at Blick Rothenberg and we were really proud to support the amazing work of The Connection.”
Dharma-Dev received eight nominations for the ‘Amazing in the community’ (individual) award.
As one colleague said in their nomination, “During the walk, he went above and beyond to ensure everyone was comfortable and capable of completing the challenge. He kept our spirits high and pushed everyone to the finish line. There was a lot of rain, mud and even injuries but Dharma-Dev’s determination did not falter. None of the money raised would have happened without him.”
Dharma-Dev notes that, as well as being able to champion change in the community through the partnership with The Connection, the walk was an opportunity for everyone to get to know their colleagues outside of work.
“It was a surprise to get this award,” he comments. “The walk was a big team effort so I feel like I’m representing everyone who took part. This kind of challenge is a great leveller—we laughed through the pain together!”
“We’re so proud to support our local communities”
GetInvolved team
Amazing Azets Award Winner 2025
#WeAreAzets
Amazing Azets Award Winner 2025—GetInvolved team
From bake-offs and golf days to Pride festivals and 10k runs, our GetInvolved team across Yorkshire is truly dedicated to getting colleagues involved with charity initiatives. For the second year running, it received the ‘Amazing in the community’ (team) award in the Amazing Azets Awards 2025.
Boots on the ground
The GetInvolved team is made up of 17 colleagues in our Leeds, York and Bradford offices who organise a broad range of fundraising, awareness, inclusion and other community engagement activities.
Every year, colleagues across Azets Yorkshire nominate and vote for local charities to partner with. In 2025, they partnered with St Leonard’s Hospice in York, which provides care and support for terminally ill people and had helped a much-loved colleague, and Candlelighters, which supports children with cancer and their families across Yorkshire.
“We try to come up with lots of different activities so that there’s something for everyone,” says Jessica Lawrence, Audit Partner (Leeds), who is a member of GetInvolved. “Our programme feels unified because we organise it as a central team and we’re building strong relationships with the charities. We’re so proud to have boots on the ground and to be able to support our local communities.”
Meaningful connections
Activities organised by the GetInvolved team in 2025 raised an amazing £19,075, with the annual Charity Golf Day for clients, colleagues, professional contacts and local businesses achieving £8,135, which was donated to St Leonard’s Hospice. Other creative and impactful fundraising activities included:
• Curry & Quiz Night for OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity
• #FutureSteps Challenge for The King’s Trust
• Leeds Pride and York Pride
• Moonlight Sparkle Walk for St Leonard’s Hospice
• Pancake Day and Easter Bake-Off for Candlelighters
• Sleep-out at York stadium for local homelessness charities
• Leeds 10k and York 10k for Candlelighters and St Leonard’s Hospice
• Macmillan Coffee Morning
• Wreath-making workshops for Candlelighters and St Leonard’s Hospice
• Christmas gift collections for local children’s charities
As Samantha Graham, PA to the Managing Partners in Leeds and York and a member of GetInvolved, notes, “Giving colleagues the opportunity to choose our charity partners each year is very meaningful. The charities and community initiatives are always local and people often have deeply personal connections that inspire them to get involved.”
Beyond fundraising and improving awareness of the partner charities’ vital work, the team champions Azets’ commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. A group of nonMuslim colleagues took part in a day of fasting during Ramadan and Azets Yorkshire sponsored Leeds Pride, York Pride and Bradford City of Culture 2025. Colleagues also supported youth development through The King’s Trust initiatives, including mentoring and enterprise challenges, and the Chapter One literacy programme.
Amazing in the community
The GetInvolved team has once again been recognised for its outstanding work, winning the ‘Amazing in the community’ (team) award in the Amazing Azets Awards for the second year in a row.
In the award nomination, the team was described as having cultivated “a vibrant culture of giving, engagement and inclusion”. Its participants demonstrate key Azets behaviours, such as leading by example and doing what’s right for the business.
“I head up our local audit offering for charities and I’m a charity trustee so being part of GetInvolved ties all my interests together,” comments Jessica. “Azets is such a positive place to work and it’s great for everyone on the team to get this recognition as they put a lot of time and effort in.”
“We’ve built on last year’s success so I hoped we’d be in with a chance of winning again,” adds Samantha. “I’m really proud that the team has been acknowledged with another Amazing Azets Award.”
The GetInvolved Team at Azets Yorkshire exemplifies what it means to be amazing in the community. So, what advice would Jessica and Samantha give to other Azets offices that want to expand their community programmes? Just go for it!
Winning with our clients
“I couldn’t do my job without the support of my team”
Yinghong Zhang
Amazing Azets Award Winner 2025
#WeAreAzets
Payroll management requires a range of skills, including technical expertise, precision and problem solving, as well as a dedication to serving the client. Described as a “shining example of what truly excellent client service looks like”, Payroll Consultant Yinghong Zhang received an Amazing Azets Award in 2025.
The importance of teamwork
Azets offers specialised payroll services that ensure compliance, efficiency and seamless payroll management for businesses operating in the Nordics.
With a background in HR in China, Yinghong has worked at Azets Sweden since 2018. She looks after 16 clients in her role as Payroll Consultant. Her attention to detail, sense of service and ability to build trust make her invaluable, both to the company and our clients. Where possible, she endeavours to exceed client expectations—delivering early on deadlines, for example.
“In China, the client is regarded as God,” she explains. “It’s an honour to work for clients with such high standards at Azets. Whatever they need, I try to do it. I get asked a lot of questions and I do my best to help. If I can’t do something, I go to my team for suggestions and support. I couldn’t do my job without them.”
Stressing the importance of teamwork, Yinghong comments that everyone in her team is focused on making our clients happy.
“Building trusted long-term relationships is good for the business,” she says. “I love being part of this team and keeping our clients satisfied. We’re all here to represent Azets and help drive loyalty and growth.”
A role model for others
The Amazing Azets Awards nominations for Yinghong were glowing, with comments including, “Yinghong not only ensures accurate and timely payroll processing each month, she is also a trusted advisor, a problem-solver and someone our clients genuinely rely on.”
In fact, one Azets client specifically requested to work exclusively with Yinghong as they felt that no one else understands their needs the way she does. They trust that she always has everything under control, is available when needed and communicates in a clear and professional manner.
Commenting on her win in the ‘Amazing to clients’ (individual) category, Yinghong says, “I was shocked when I heard the news! I always try my best for my clients and I’m very moved that my colleagues nominated me for this award. But it’s really an award for the whole team.”
Her advice for new Payroll Consultants would be to not be afraid of clients and to prioritise understanding their requirements. Good communication is also essential. But, more than anything, remember that it’s a team effort – your colleagues will always have your back.
In a role where precision matters and trust is key, Yinghong is a role model. After eight years of hard work, the Amazing Azets Award is giving her the recognition she deserves and shining a light on the dedication and commitment of the entire Payroll team at Azets Sweden.
“We focused on building strong relationships with our future colleagues and clients”
Blick Rothenberg-Greenback Alan integration team
Amazing Azets Award Winner 2025
#WeAreAzets
Amazing Azets Award Winner 2025—Blick RothenbergGreenback Alan integration team
Blick Rothenberg’s acquisition of Greenback Alan in early 2025 has enhanced its offering to clients headquartered in Japan who have business operations in the UK. The integration team took a strong people-first, value-led and culturally-aligned approach and completed the core activities within three months. They received an Amazing Azets Award in recognition of their achievements.
Proactive approach
“Integrations are always complex,” comments Natasha Wilson, Associate Director and Azets UK and Ireland Integration Lead, Azets M&A team. “We were fully intentional from the beginning of this project and I’m really proud of how the team came together. Everyone was proactive and focused on solutions.”
The integration team, made up of members of the Blick Rothenberg practice management, the clientfacing teams and M&A and integration colleagues from Azets Group, ensured continuity of service for clients and staff through meticulous planning, rapid mobilisation and proactive communication. Despite some strategic complexity, including Japanese-owned parent companies and the cultural considerations this presented, the team managed IT migrations, contractual transfers and operational changes with professionalism and empathy.
Greenback Alan has worked with Japanese clients for more than 30 years and has an excellent understanding of the culture and business community in Japan, which will help Blick Rothenberg to expand further in this space.
Open
communication
“This was the first integration we’ve done for a while and it was a massive team effort. We jointly led the project, leveraging the M&A experience of Azets Group and Azets UK, and they relied on us for an understanding of Greenback Alan’s people and clients and our ways of delivering a high-quality differentiated service,” notes Jim Brown, Chief Operating Officer, Blick Rothenberg. “We’re a people business so our main focus was on building strong relationships with our future colleagues and clients, always cognisant of potential cultural issues.”
Positive and open communication was key. In the months leading up to the integration, the project team organised Town Halls, a weekly newsletter and other forums for staff and clients. Senior representatives of Blick Rothenberg also spent time every week for two months at the Greenback Alan office.
“The integration team was really open about the when, why and how,” explains Jon Fisher, Partner, Audit, Accounting & Outsourcing, who joined Blick Rothenberg from Greenback Alan as part of the acquisition. “Everyone has been overwhelmingly positive and welcoming. We all felt very much part of Blick Rothenberg within a matter of months.”
Lessons learned
The integration team delivered a seamless Day 1 transition for Greenback Alan clients and staff. It showed what exceptional collaboration and client service during M&A integration looks like in practice and set a benchmark for future projects.
In recognition of this, the integration team won the ‘Amazing to clients’ team award in our Amazing Azets Awards 2025. As Natasha says, “It means a lot to be recognised for what we achieved.”
CASE STUDY
YX Norge strengthens sustainability work with Azets Consulting and MoreScope
At Azets, we are committed to sustainability and are steadily expanding the sustainability services we offer to clients. Our aim is to ensure that our work creates meaningful impact for both people and the planet.
Featured below are our colleagues in Norway, who have been instrumental in advancing sustainability initiatives across the region. Their efforts demonstrate the high-quality work we deliver for our clients and the positive outcomes we strive to achieve.
YX Norge AS is a key player in the Norwegian energy market, with a nationwide network of energy stations and a clear goal: to offer energy for mobility and transport in an increasingly sustainable way. The company mainly offers traditional fuel products but, together with its dealers, they are developing the offer in line with regulatory requirements and changing expectations in the market.
As part of the company’s strategic development, YX Norge continuously assesses which measures and priorities can support a more future-oriented operation. To strengthen this work, they wanted to get a clearer and more data-driven basis for their decisions —and this is where the collaboration with Azets and MoreScope came into the picture.
Structure, insight and targeted sustainability work
Through the collaboration with Azets and the use of the sustainability system MoreScope, YX Norge has gained a far more structured and targeted framework for its sustainability work and supplier management. The system gives the company increased insight into both climate data and supplier information and has made it easier to identify where the efforts are having the greatest effect and facilitates concrete measures that are recognisable in everyday life.
According to YX Norge, “The collaboration with Azets and MoreScope has made our sustainability work and supplier management more structured and targeted. The increased insight into climate data and supplier information makes us better equipped to be a responsible and ethical player in the energy market.”
Consultancy and technical support go hand in hand
YX Norge highlights the good interaction between Azets’ consultancy and MoreScope’s technical solutions as a key success factor.
“We have had a very good collaboration with both Azets and MoreScope. Azets has contributed with solid consultancy and close follow-up throughout the process, while MoreScope has provided good technical support,” they say.
This combination of professional guidance and digital tools has given the company a comprehensive system for sustainability management, with the ability to measure, document and follow developments over time.
A solid foundation for the future
The greatest value the collaboration has given YX Norge is a more structured and data-driven foundation for sustainability work. The insights and management information they now have access to enable them to make better decisions and show clear progress over time.
“We have gained better insight, clearer management information and a system that makes it easier to follow up and document developments. It gives us a solid foundation for continuing to develop the business in a more sustainable direction,” concludes YX Norge.
“There’s a foundation of trust and respect –we know we can rely on each other”
#ThisisAzets:
Blick Rothenberg Business Support team
Amazing Azets Award Winner 2025
#WeAreAzets
Supporting UK colleagues remotely might sound challenging but Blick Rothenberg’s Business Support team, which is based in Romania, always goes above and beyond. They received an Amazing Azets Award in 2025 for their dedication to one another and the people they support.
Empowering colleagues
In the Amazing Azets Awards 2025, the Business Support team in Romania was named winner of the ‘Amazing to colleagues’ (team) award. Their nominations acknowledged that team members are hard-working, motivated, collaborative, dependable and keen to grow.
“They look after each other, communicate effectively and show leadership skills in all areas of their work,” said one colleague who put them forward for the award. “They take projects and lead them proudly and are always suggesting new things to make our processes more efficient.”
Commenting on the award win, Annemarie says, “It’s very rewarding to know our work is appreciated and that we’re doing a good job. There’s a foundation of trust and respect – we know we can rely on each other and we always feel encouraged to succeed.”
With a strong focus on quality, accuracy and sharing knowledge, the Business Support team is a great example of Azets’ ESG commitment to empowering our people and helping them to thrive.
As one of their award nominators put it, “The Business Support team works tirelessly to make life better and easier for those at Blick Rothenberg. We couldn’t do our jobs without them.”
Driving efficiencies
A team of 12 in Romania provides a broad range of business support to colleagues at the London office of Blick Rothenberg.
This includes in-box and diary management for Partners and Directors, running International Outsourcing VAT billing each month and supporting our London-based Business Administrators and Personal Assistants.
One of the areas where the team had the greatest impact in 2025 was our Letter of Engagement (LoE) project. They were described as “priceless” for completing thousands of LoEs for our clients.
Annemarie Parau, who took on the Team Leader role in early 2026, explains that the Business Support team is always looking for better ways to work. “Last year, we reviewed all our tasks and identified areas where we could be more efficient and effective. We also put a leader in place for each task,” she says. “Ultimately, we’re here to save people time.”
So, what’s the team’s secret to delivering to such a high standard?
Magdalena Gosoiu, Business Administrator, acknowledges the importance of building strong relationships within the team. “We know each other well and have become friends,” she comments. “Everyone’s very adaptable and willing to help their colleagues when things get busy.”
Alexandra Pasca, Business Administrator, agrees. “I’m surrounded by the right people and encouraged to get out of my comfort zone. We have such good communication skills that it doesn’t even feel like we’re based in a different location to the people we support and we work hard to get complex tasks, like the LoEs, done.”
Sustainability is not a standalone initiative at Azets—it is embedded into how we make decisions across our people, procurement and wider business operations. Our Group Sustainability governance structure, including the Sustainability SteerCo and executive oversight, ensures this work continues to have strong sponsorship and clear alignment at the highest level.
But delivering sustainable performance relies on more than governance. It depends on our culture, our capability and the way we work together as One Azets. How we hire, develop, lead and retain talent shapes our ability to deliver meaningful, long-term impact. Building the right skills and consistent ways of working across our jurisdictions is essential to sustaining the progress we’ve made.
A key focus for the year ahead is strengthening accountability: turning ambition into measurable execution, with greater clarity on who is responsible for what across our geographies. This is how we ensure that sustainability is not simply well-intended, but well-delivered.
We are also committed to strengthening our external credibility. Our ongoing participation in EcoVadis provides a practical framework to mature our policies, evidence and performance year-on-year. It helps us benchmark where we are today and challenge ourselves to continually improve.
I want to thank all our colleagues for the progress made so far. Sustainability is—and will always be—a shared effort. It cannot be delivered by a central team; it requires the collective commitment of people across every part of our business.
As we continue this journey, we will launch our new Group Code of Conduct to support our evolving One Azets culture work. These will serve as important foundations for how we work, the standards we set and the behaviours we expect of ourselves and each other. I encourage everyone to engage with them fully and play an active role in shaping a more sustainable, values-led Azets.
Together, we will continue building a business that not only performs well today, but is fit, responsible and resilient for the future.
Claire Jepras | Group Chief People Officer, Azets
Thank you for reading our Making an Impact publication for 2025. We hope that the stories and testimonies of some of our 9,000 people have given you a flavour of life at Azets. This is just one example of how #weareazets, united in progress to make a difference.
If you’ve liked what you’ve read and are interested in joining us as a school leaver, a graduate or as an experienced hire, we’d love to hear from you.
Visit https://www.azets.com/career-at-azets/ for more information.
