A View From the Top: Peter Simpson, CEO of Anglian Water

The utility company’s boss on responsible business and Labour's plans to nationalise the water industry. Maggie Pagano reports

Unlike most chiefs, Simpson also talks a lot about the ‘social contract’ between his employees and the company (Anglian Water)

Whatever is in the water at Anglian Water must be pretty special as Anglian’s boss, Peter Simpson, has once again been crowned one of the UK’s best chiefs to work for by Glassdoor, the jobs site.

The country’s biggest water and water recycling company by geographic area has also just beaten Google, Ikea and Apple to be voted the best place to work in the country for 2019, and ranked the UK’s top utility company by its peers. If that’s not enough of an accolade, Anglian also came in first place in the industry league tables for customer service and won Business in the Community’s Responsible Business of the Year 2107 for its environmental and social work.

It’s a great feat for Anglian, particularly as water companies are so often regarded the whipping boys of the utilities industry. So what is Simpson’s secret? He is delightfully modest: “We genuinely look after everyone, all our staff, and encourage employee wellbeing. What we try to do is create a culture driven by happier, healthier and safer staff. And I treat everyone as I would like to be treated.”