Pebbletree will once again have to reshuffle its awards cabinet after winning the ‘Employer of the Year’ award at the Sunderland Echo Portfolio Business Awards 2015.
In a year that has already seen Pebbletree scoop a national industry award under its highly-acclaimed Soho66 business VoIP brand, this latest accolade is another highlight in what is the company’s landmark 10th anniversary.

Unlike that Soho66 award win back in March – the ‘Best Business ITSP Medium Enterprise’ – which was based on Soho66 as a product and service, the ‘Employer of the Year’ award is, as the name suggests, judged on Pebbletree as a whole and what it’s like for its employees to work for.
Pebbletree prides itself on having a very unique and fun working environment, which employees continually back up by expressing that it’s by far the best company they have worked for.
Whether it’s the little things such as free pizzas for lunch and free refreshments and snacks all day every day from the fridge, or much bigger things like fully-paid for staff parties, trips and events; Pebbletree HQ is an exceptionally happy place to work.
And, with the judging panel describing that “you could feel the culture of the place as soon as you walked in the door”, the working environment Pebbletree is so proud of clearly rubs off on visitors too, making the company worthy winners of Employer of the Year 2015.

Managing Director and Pebbletree co-founder Janni Thornton summed up the win for the company: “We are all proud to work for this company.”
“We are a family-run business and we don’t want our staff to feel that they are just a number on a payroll.”
“We want them to feel they have made a difference.”
Held in one of the most prestigious suites at the impressive Stadium of Light, it was a lavish evening with local council representatives, ex-footballers and even a star from the BBC’s The Apprentice all in attendance, and spirits were understandably high among guests.
It got underway with a drinks reception in the Riverside Brasserie Suite, where guests were treated to a free glass of champagne on arrival while professional photographers circulated taking snaps of guests in their dapper evening wear.
From there it was in to the Montgomery Suite where the ceremony and evening dinner was to take place. Luckily for us, our table happened to be almost dead-centre of the stage giving us an excellent view of the evening’s proceedings.

We were soon tucking into a delicious beef dinner followed by a trio of deserts including sponge cake, cheesecake and, most people’s personal favourite, a crème brûlée which was enough to even make the mouth of any desert connoisseur water.
Aside from the plentiful food and drink, and ex-Premier League footballer Kevin Ball giving a guest speech, the evening’s entertainment was provided by The Mimic Men, Alfie Joey and Cal Halbert, who – as their stage name suggests – gave a highly amusing series of celebrity impressions.
Among those celebrities mimicked were Ant & Dec, Robert De Niro, Michaeal McIntyre and, the favourite among the Pebbletree guests, Home Alone and Goodfellas star Joe Pesci!