As an already certified Great Place To Work®, we caught up with our Founder, Carole Osborne, to talk about what these achievements mean for us as an independent creative agency, and the work we do for our clients.



What does ‘a great place to work’ mean to you?
CO
“A great workplace is somewhere that acknowledges that everyone has a life outside of the workplace and that life is important to them. I’ve found through my own personal experience that if I don’t get enough time with my family or for myself my work suffers. At Borne, we’ve worked hard to cultivate a culture of flexibility, trust and respect that gets the work done but not to the detriment of ourselves.”
Here at Borne, its super important that we listen and get to know each other. Only then will we be able to understand what our people need to thrive. I think we’ve created an environment where people are able to and feel comfortable to share opinions and speak up if they feel like something isn’t working for them or their colleagues.
I also believe that treating everyone fairly irrespective of circumstances is key to good workplace. For example, just because someone doesn’t have a school run to do shouldn’t mean they can’t have the same flexibility during the day as someone who does. And equally, just because someone needs a bit of flexibility during the day to help navigate their personal life definitely doesn’t mean opportunities should be closed off to them.
How does this impact the work we do with and for our clients?
CO
We have to view this from a broad perspective. Recently, our industry – and many others – have seen a huge spike in burn out and mental health issues like anxiety that affect people’s lives.
Prevention is much more effective and healthier rather than solving. That’s why our focus is to have everything in place to ensure that people can take actions that are right for them. For us as a business, this is crucial as a means to retain and attract talent.
This gives us the consistency to build on which, in return means that our clients are able to keep working with great people who really understand their brand and build on those personal relationships. In return, it provides both parties with the foundations to succeed and results in work that excites people and achieves results in the real world.
Why is it so important for you that Borne has been recognised as a great place for Women to work?
CO
When I started Borne, I was very aware of it being a business in a heavily male-dominated industry. In the early years of my career, I have questioned myself and my abilities and how I’m viewed just because I’m a woman. So right from the offset, I wanted to create a culture where any woman who stepped through these doors to never felt that way.
The fact that Borne is now being recognised through this accreditation is one of the best accolades I could ever ask for. Not just because of what it signals but because it’s the outcome of what our very own people fed back in the survey.
It shows that we’re on the right track and if we can play our part and be an example in the industry that still needs lots of change, it’s definitely something to be very proud of.

About Great Place To Work®
Great Place To Work® gives leaders and organisations the recognition and tools to create a consistently and overwhelmingly positive employee experience. As the global authority on workplace culture, the Best Workplaces for Women™ list recognises companies in the UK that are to ensuring a reasonable balance of women and men across the organisation; removing barriers to women’s career advancement; and creating workplaces where all employees, regardless of gender, can flourish.