Partner Article

AV Dawson secures UK best place to work honour

AV Dawson, owner and operator of the Port of Middlesbrough, has been shortlisted as one of the best places to work in the UK’s biggest survey of employee engagement.

AV Dawson is one of only a handful of businesses in the North East, and the only port in the UK, to be recognised in the prestigious Sunday Times Best Places to Work list for 2025. It is the only organisation in Teesside to feature in the medium-sized company category. 

The annual list recognises and celebrates organisations across the UK that demonstrate excellence in employee experience and workplace culture. AV Dawson has been listed in the Medium-sized organisation category (for organisations with 50-249 people), alongside 187 other companies.

Charlie Nettle, group managing director at AV Dawson, commented:

“To be recognised as one of The Sunday Times’ Best Places to Work is a proud moment for the entire team. It reflects years of hard work, commitment and further cements our strong workplace culture. At AV Dawson, we’ve always believed that investing in our people is fundamental to the success of our business, and this award confirms that we’re on the right path.

“Our culture is driven by our values, and family is one of those values. We treat our colleagues like family – we care for one another, support each other and celebrate successes together. This award illustrates that our people feel valued, respected, and part of something greater than just a workplace. It’s their dedication and sense of belonging that truly makes AV Dawson a special place to be.

“Looking ahead, this award gives us even greater momentum to continue building a workplace where our colleagues can thrive. It will help us attract and retain top talent, strengthen our culture and reinforce that we are an employer of choice.” 

Over 500 companies have been acknowledged in the full list, with categories split into Very Big, Big, Medium and Small organisations based on employee numbers. 

Louise Croce, people and culture director at AV Dawson said: “Our people really are at the heart of our business and are our biggest assets. We listen to our colleagues and genuinely care for them; you’re not just a number here at AV Dawson. Being recognised on this list solidifies our support and engagement with employees.

“As a business, we have worked incredibly hard over the past 10-years to build a strong working culture and are continuing to do so for all our colleagues across our group of companies.

“More recently, one of our key focuses has been wellbeing, and we have really pushed initiatives around this. It’s so important for colleagues to have positive wellbeing both in the workplace and at home.

“We can’t thank our colleagues enough for contributing to creating such a positive working environment.”

ENDS

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emily Bloor .