Shepherd Neame Limited wins Coutts Prize for Family Business

Kent based brewer and pub owner named ‘Best UK Family Business, Southern England & Wales region, £25m+ turnover category’

Shepherd Neame Limited from Faversham, Kent has been named ‘Best UK Family Business, Southern England and Wales Region’, in the £25m+ turnover category of the Coutts Prize for Family Business 2009/10. The company will now go on to compete in the same category at the national finals to be held in central London on 8 June 2010.

The awards, now in their fifth year, represent the only regional programme in England and Wales celebrating the overall best-performing medium-sized and large family businesses within three regions: Northern England and the Midlands; London & Greater London; and Southern England & Wales. Within the three regions, there are two turnover categories: medium (£5-25m) and large (£25m+).

Established in 1698, Shepherd Neame is Britain’s oldest traditional brewer. Now predominantly owned by the fifth generation of the family, the company brews and retails its own beers under a range of highly successful brands, which are sold both through its 369 pubs across the South East and its customer base of other retailers and public houses.

Jonathan Hagger, Regional Chairman of the evaluation committee commented:

“As a successful fifth generation family business, the things that impressed the evaluation committee about Shepherd Neame Limited included;

• the longevity and sustainability of the business, remaining in family ownership for over 300 years and with a clear vision and determination for it to remain in family hands into the future;
• their strong corporate governance, demonstrated by the active use of independent non-executive directors, the professionalism of the board and practices such as their remuneration and nomination committees;
• their well-organised family governance, providing them with a clear family vision, a process for managing conflict, creation of different classes of shares and a next generation programme.
• the company’s ability to combine traditional family values into an innovative and forward-looking business;
• the company’s approach to corporate social responsibility, with a particular focus on environmental strategies; and 
• the importance they place on looking after their employees via employee share incentive plans and their investment in training and development."

Juliette Johnson, Head of UK Family Business, Coutts & Co added "We're delighted to provide recognition to this special family business and showcase their achievements for the benefit of other family businesses. What really shines through is the strength of the family's values and how these have acted as the glue binding the family and business together for over 300 years. These strong values, coupled with their innovative approach and long term planning, should give them the best possible chance to weather this current economic downturn."

With the current economic downturn, businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to survive, which therefore increases the value of recognising these family businesses and their work. The companies that scored most highly were the ones that were able to give examples of what they had achieved.

Mark Evans, Head of Wealth Institute, Coutts & Co, commented: “Success factors that can help family businesses adapt to the current economic downturn are at the heart of the fifth Coutts Prize for Family Business. It will be equally important to take active steps to manage the family as well as the business to survive the current recession.”

Jonathan Neame, chief executive at Shepherd Neame and fifth generation member of the Neame family said: "We are extremely pleased to be named Best UK Family Business, in the Southern England and Wales Region of the Coutts Prize for Family Business. Shepherd Neame remains a proudly independent family company. It brings together the best of modern, efficient production and distribution methods with traditional standards which stem from our family values.”

The Coutts Prize for Family Business 2009/10

The Coutts Prize for Family Business, endorsed by organisations such as the British Chambers of Commerce, Cranfield University and the Society for Trust and Estate Practitioners, recognises the best run family businesses in England and Wales. It is the only regional and national awards programme in England and Wales celebrating the overall best-performing medium and large family businesses. The Prize complements Coutts’ successful Family Business Forum that is held throughout the UK.

As part of the process, nominations are reviewed by an independent evaluation committee comprised of family business owners, academics and advisers.

The Coutts Prize recognises firms in two categories – medium (£5-25m) and large (£25m+) that demonstrate a combination of high standards of family and corporate governance; a competitive market position; consistent financial growth; and a track record of charitable giving or involvement in the local community.

Entrants have to be companies or firms headquartered in England or Wales that consider themselves to be a family business, wholly or mainly carrying on a trading activity, and that have been profitable in at least two of the past three years.

More specifically, the independent evaluation committee looks for examples of best practice including;

• the strength of the family’s values;
• the involvement of the family;
• communication and planning;
• the separation of ‘ownership’ and ‘management’;
• the use of external, independent advice;
• the development of a succession planning process;
• next generation development;
• conflict management; and
• philanthropy and charitable involvement.

The independent evaluation committee is overseen by Roger Pedder, who was Chairman between 1993 and 2006 of C&J Clark Ltd (Clark Shoes), one of the UK's largest private family companies. It was established in 1825 and is in its sixth generation. Clarks is the leading shoe retailer and brand in the UK and has significant positions in North American, European and Far Eastern markets. Roger remains Chairman or Non-Executive Director of several private family and private equity backed companies and runs his own company, Fullzone Limited

The evaluation committee for the London and Greater London region includes: Christopher Oughtred, Former Chairman, William Jackson & Son Limited; Professor David Grayson OBE, Director Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility, Cranfield School of Management; Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Senior Lecturer, Entrepreneurship University of Reading Business School; Peter Leach, Peter Leach LLP; Ian Mash, Mediator and Founder, familydr; William Notcutt, Deputy Chairman, Notcutts Limited; Jack Stopforth, Chairman, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and Robert Wilson, Chairman, Nelsons.

Renowned cartoonist, Robert Duncan, will create a unique cartoon for each of the winners, to tell their own story. The cartoons are framed by second generation family business John Jones. Silver plaques are made by third generation family business, Piccadilly Jewellers of Birmingham

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For further media information on Coutts contact:

Steve Ainger, Coutts & Co on 0207 753 1255 or e-mail steve.ainger@coutts.com

Notes to Editors

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