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Case Study: Macphie of Glenbervie

Macphie, the UK's leading independent food ingredients manufacturer, employs 300 people between two manufacturing sites. Its headquarters are located on the family-owned 2,000 acre Glenbervie estate near Aberdeen, which is made up of low-rise, campus-style buildings designed to blend in with the surrounding environment, while a second manufacturing site is located near Glasgow.

The company is committed to providing a positive and rewarding working environment where employees feel fully motivated to contributing towards the success of the business and achieving a high degree of job satisfaction in their roles.

Macphie's aim is to provide a workplace in which employees are kept safe and healthy and have access to information and support to improve wellbeing and reduce stress. This includes access to occupational health support, free flu jabs, smoking cessation classes and health and lifestyle assessments.

In an international food and drink benchmarking project, Macphie had the lowest turnover of staff in the industry. Results from this year's annual staff satisfaction survey show that 80% of employees value their job security as the most important factor, meaning stresses about job security are kept to a minimum. Long service is rewarded with an additional day of annual leave for every five years of service and personal recognition for 25 years.

The staff restaurant has been accredited with the Eat Safe award and offers a choice of salads, yoghurts and fruit with other healthy options highlighted on the menu. Employees are encouraged to join local gyms and fitness classes with discounted memberships. Macphie promotes the cycle to work scheme and encourages car sharing.

With CSR at the core of the business, Macphie has a longstanding tradition of putting something back into the community, supporting local community groups and charities in many ways. The company's involvement with education from primary through to post graduate is cemented in its corporate plan, generating a close involvement with the developing curriculum at all levels and a modern day approach to skills and career development. Through an annual appraisal process, a development plan is tailor-made for all employees, giving them the opportunity to learn new skills and explore their full potential.

Macphie has an accredited learning centre, where training programmes are delivered across many disciplines.

Employees are encouraged to volunteer their time, energy and talents in community-based projects.

In 2009, staff nominated a local cancer charity, Clan, as its charity of the year. A team of employees co-ordinated a calendar of fund-raising activities, which included a ten mile sponsored walk, a five kilometre run, a 90 mile cycle, a golf tournament and a quiz night. Not only has this brought staff together and encouraged them to make positive health and lifestyle changes, but £10,000 was raised for a very good cause.

More Information

FDF has published a booklet called Workplace Wellbeing: The Food Industry in Action (pdf, 984kb) which features many workplace wellbeing schemes .

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