PLEASE NOTE: EMBARGOED UNTIL AUGUST 2, 2012
OUTSIDEMAGAZINE NAMESTHE
100 “BESTPLACES TO WORK”IN 2012
DENVER BASED TECHNOLOGY COMPANY “READY TALK” TOPS THE LIST CLAIMING THE #1 SPOT
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO (August 2, 2012) – Outside, America's leading active-lifestyle brand, today announced, the results of its fifth annual “Best Places to Work” list. Of the 100 selected companies, Denver-based audio and web conferencing provider Ready Talk claimed the top honor. Rounding out the top five are: Natural Habitat Adventures, adventure-travel outfitter; Seeley Lake Elementary School District, public school district; MercuryCSC, advertising and marketing firm; and craft brewerNew Belgium Brewing. Profiles of the top-ten-performing small, medium, and large companies will be published in the September issue ofOutsidemagazine, available on newsstands August 14, 2012. The full list of 100 will be available August 2 at outsideonline.com/bestplacetowork.
Outside’s “BestPlaces to Work” project celebrates the innovative companies setting a new standard for a healthy work-life balance. The list was compiled with the help of the Outdoor Industry AssociationandBestCompaniesGroup. The yearlong selection process began with an outreach effort that identified a wide range of non-profit and for-profit organizations with at least 15 employees working in an officein the United States. Participatingcompanieswere sent confidential employee-satisfaction surveys and employer-questionnaires to collect information about benefits, compensation, policies, job satisfaction, environmental initiatives, and community outreach programs. The experts at the BestCompaniesGroup then analyzed the results and selected the companies that best enable employeesto pursue active lifestyles while also supporting their social and environmental contributions.
In past years, Outside has highlighted 50 outstanding companies. This year, Best Companies Group determined that there were so many top-quality applicantsthat the list needed to be expanded. Outside editors agreed, and doubled the size of the list.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate all 100 of these forward-thinking companies,” says Michael Roberts, Senior Executive Editor of Outside. “They believe success depends on helping their employees live more active and fulfilling lives. The kinds of benefits they’re providing—free fitness classes, flexible hours, subsidized healthy meals, lots of time out of the office—result in a more productive and engaged staff.”
OUTSIDEMAGAZINE:Jada Williams/ / 646.649.4933
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About Outside
Outsideis America¹s leading active lifestyle brand. For more than 30 years, Outside has covered travel, sports, adventure, health, and fitness, as well as the personalities, the environment, and the style and culture of the world Outside. The Outside family includes Outside magazine, the only magazine to win three consecutive National Magazine Awards for General Excellence, The Outside Buyer’s Guides, Outside Online, Outside Television, Outside Events, Outside+ tablet edition, and Outside Books. Visit us onlineandon Facebook.
ABOUT THEBESTCOMPANIESGROUP
BestCompaniesGroup works with national and local partners around the country to establish and manage “BestPlaces to Work,” “BestCompanies,” and “BestEmployers” programs on a national, statewide, and regional basis. Through its thorough workplace assessment, utilizing employer questionnaires and employee-satisfaction surveys, BCG identifies and recognizescompanieswho have been successful in creating and maintaining workplace excellence.
ABOUT THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1989, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the premier trade association forcompaniesin the active outdoor recreation business. OIA provides trade services for over 4000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers in the outdoor industry. Outdoor Industry Association seeks to ensure a healthy and diverse specialty retail and supply chain based on quality, innovation and service. To this end, OIA works diligently to raise the standards of the industry; increase participation in outdoor recreation to strengthen business markets; provide support services to improve member profitability; represent member interests in the legislative/regulatory process; promote professional training and education; support innovation; and offer cost-saving member benefits. Search for outdoor-industry jobs is at OIA’s career center: