SMS Environmental

Employees at SMS Environmental have a positive vision for the future because our values-driven culture and structured approach to strategy empower them to grow and contribute meaningfully. Our core values—transparency, accountability, and mutual appreciation—shape everything we do, fostering a forward-thinking atmosphere. We share our 5- and 3-year goals through a company-wide Vision/Traction Organizer (VTO), alongside our one-year plan and quarterly Rocks (objectives), which are openly discussed in All Hands meetings, team meetings, and new starter inductions. Employees actively provide feedback on these objectives, ensuring alignment and collective momentum toward our vision. We recognize outstanding contributions through peer nominations, annual performance reviews tied to our values, and quarterly Core Values Champion awards offering prizes like retail vouchers and weekend getaways. Our significant investment in career development fuels optimism, with initiatives like the 5-module Leadership Essentials program, City & Guilds Assured training, and neuroscience-based coaching for Heads of Department, Directors, and Senior Leadership Team members. These programs, alongside mentorship from experienced staff, equip employees with skills for continuous growth. In 2025, we are expanding our Leadership Essentials program to high-potential and recently promoted employees, reinforcing our commitment to home-grown talent—evidenced by 85% of our Board and 86% of our Senior Management Team starting in entry-level roles. By aligning our strategy, values, and development opportunities, we empower employees to pursue fulfilling careers and share a unified, positive vision for SMS Environmental’s future.

Our company values at SMS Environmental are aligned with our employees because they were intentionally designed around our team members, not our leaders. We crafted our values by conducting in-depth interviews with employees who exemplified our culture, thoroughly reviewing surveys, and analyzing data to understand what truly matters to our people. This employee-centric approach ensures our values reflect the collective identity, aspirations, and principles of our workforce, forming the fabric of our transparent and collaborative culture. Each quarter, we celebrate Core Value Champions, selected by our Senior Leadership Team for embodying these values, with rewards like retail vouchers and weekend getaways. Our recruitment process, guided by training from our Leadership Essentials program, prioritizes candidates who align with these employee-shaped values alongside their skills, ensuring cultural fit from day one. Employees are recognized and rewarded through peer nominations for demonstrating our values in their daily work, fostering a sense of ownership and pride. Far from being mere words, our values inspire our teams, guide our strategies, and influence our industry, driving positive change and meaningful outcomes on a global scale.

Our CEO, Michael Crook, serves as a model of SMS Environmental’s values by embodying them in his leadership and ensuring they guide the company through action and data-driven accountability. Starting as a field-based Water Treatment Engineer, Michael worked his way up through nearly every role, from technician to executive, making him SMS through and through. His journey reflects our value of internal growth, exemplified by over 50% of our Senior Leadership Team and 75% of our management team being internal promotions. Michael lives our employee-driven values—crafted through interviews, surveys, and data—by fostering a transparent, inclusive culture where every voice is heard. He leads quarterly All Hands meetings with live polls, responds to feedback from eNPS and wellness surveys, and champions peer-nominated Core Value Champions to recognize those who embody our values. Using data from scorecards and annual performance reviews tied to our values, he ensures accountability and alignment across all levels, from field engineers to the Senior Leadership Team, which he restructured to include six internal promotions. Michael’s commitment to people development shines through initiatives like the City & Guilds Assured Leadership Essentials program and neuroscience-based coaching, reinforcing our values of growth and excellence. By sitting in an open-plan office, engaging directly with employees and customers in the field, and investing in systems like BambooHR and HubSpot CRM to support smarter work, he models our values of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, inspiring SMS to uphold these principles daily.

At SMS Environmental, we show respect and ensure all voices are heard and ideas are valued by designing inclusive processes that amplify every team member’s input, not just the loudest voices. Our values, crafted through employee interviews, surveys, and data analysis, prioritize equitable communication and mutual respect. We facilitate this through diverse channels: monthly 1-1s, quarterly eNPS and wellness surveys, 360-degree feedback in annual reviews tied to our values, and quarterly All Hands meetings with live polls where every employee can shape company direction. Our confidential wellness portal provides a safe, anonymous space for feedback, ensuring quieter voices are heard. For employees with long-term illnesses or disabilities, we provide occupational health advice to deeply understand their needs, moving beyond quick return-to-work interviews to foster genuine inclusion. We act on feedback, as evidenced by our 2024 Engineer incentive program, launched in response to survey requests for performance rewards. Our open-door policy and flat structure, with leadership accessible in open-plan offices, encourage all team members to share ideas, from daily operations to strategic input via our Vision/Traction Organizer (VTO) and quarterly Rocks. As an equal opportunity employer, we champion diversity through values-based recruitment, guided by our Leadership Essentials training, to hire individuals who reflect our inclusive culture. We invest in career development through programs like Leadership Essentials, City & Guilds Assured training, and neuroscience-based coaching, empowering every employee to contribute ideas that drive our collective success and elevate our industry-leading service.

At SMS, we foster a collaborative and transparent culture where every employee’s voice shapes our journey. Our flat structure empowers open communication, with our CEO working in an open-plan office and employees feeling comfortable connecting directly with shareholders and board members. We actively listen through annual engagement surveys, quarterly eNPS and wellness surveys, monthly 1-1s, annual reviews focused on our core values, and toolbox talks designed for our remote engineers to stay connected. In response to engineer feedback requesting rewards for hard work, we introduced a monthly bonus incentive program in 2024. We leverage technology, such as Trello and BambooHR, to enable feedback from remote engineers and facilitate cross-company collaboration on projects, alongside our employee Intranet for seamless file sharing and knowledge exchange. Our confidential wellness portal offers therapy and a safe space for employees to share their feelings anonymously. Quarterly All Hands meetings with live polls ensure employee input aligns with company direction, while our 2024 manager training program enhances 1-1 sessions to promote idea-sharing and alignment with business goals.

Examples of unique benefits, bonuses, and compensation at SMS Environmental include programs designed to reward dedication and reflect employee feedback. Our recently launched Champions League Engineer incentive scheme, born from survey feedback, awards engineers bonuses based on revenue generated, with top performers earning an extra £6,000 annually. Our new pay review program, also shaped by employee input, ensures fair, benchmarked salaries aligned with industry standards. Employees enjoy an additional day off for their birthday after two years of service, enhanced maternity and paternity leave packages, and exclusive discounts through the My SMS Scheme, covering food, technology, holidays, and more. Long-service rewards start with a £20 voucher after one year, increasing at 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years. Our cycle-to-work and electric car schemes, available through salary sacrifice, promote sustainability, aligning with our employee-driven values crafted through a structured values program. All employees access therapy via our confidential wellness portal, supporting well-being. After two years, employees receive private medical insurance or a cash alternative plan. These benefits, alongside our commitment to discourage overtime for work-life balance, demonstrate our responsiveness to employee needs, fostering a rewarding workplace as recognized by our Investors in People accreditation.