Accountancy Firms Commitment to Slash its Carbon Footprint and Support the Local Economy

New jobs and further growth are on the horizon for an award-winning accountancy firm after its books stacked up solidly last year.

Beach Accountants, based on Hebburn’s Monkton Business Park, has created four new jobs after a successful 12 months for the business.

The recruitment drive, which will take its headcount to 16, follows a 25% rise in company turnover last year.

Underpinning this growth has been the onboarding of new clients and ‘increasing demand for its digital-first accountancy services.’

The company made a conscious effort to digitise its operations and offer an alternative to more traditional accountancy methods in 2019 and is now seeing the investment bear fruit.

Gavin Spencer, founder and director, said:

“We saw a real shift towards digital accounting begin to occur, so we made a strategic decision to become a digital-first practice.

“It not only meant we could provide a more responsive service to our clients, but also help them grow and be more environmentally friendly by slashing costs and their carbon footprint, all while remaining fully compliant.

“It also means we can provide them with updates on their financial performance in real-time, at the press of a button, which is something our clients really seem to value and I think has been a key driver in the increased demand for our services over the past 12 months.”

Beach Accountants’ growth has also achieved national acclaim after the firm was shortlisted for the ‘Community Impact’ award in Xero’s glittering Workplace Solutions Awards, which took place in Manchester on 1^st May.

The firm made the shortlist due to its ‘commitment to slash its carbon footprint’ – brought about by its transition to a digital-first business – and its ‘dedication to supporting the local economy’ as a signatory of the South Tyneside Pledge.

Launched in 2022 by South Tyneside Council, the pledge encourages businesses in the borough to work more collaboratively by sharing best practice, champion one another and help grow the local economy.

Gavin added:

“From beach cleans to planting hedgerows, cutting down on paper and signing the pledge, we’ve made great strides in becoming a more responsible, sustainable business over recent years, so we were absolutely thrilled when we were shortlisted for the award.

“Since we signed the pledge, we’ve attended numerous networking events with local businesses where we’ve learned new ways of doing things or have supported others.

“I’m not sure if it’s a North East thing, but I can only compare it to how people have rallied around South Shields Football Club in their current situation

“We often have to work that little bit harder compared to other areas of the country and I think such adversity just brings businesses together that little bit more.

“There’s a great business community here and the number of organisations that have signed the Pledge and agreed to help one another is a great example of that.”

Gavin is also hopeful that the new staff and increasing demand for services will lead to further growth, with a projected turnover increase of 40% for 2024-2025.

He added:

“The new staff joining us are all really talented and will see us bring new specialisms into the company which, as we look to the future, will further increase our service offering.

“It’s a really exciting time for the company but we couldn’t have achieved this had it not been for our fantastic employees and clients. It really is all down to them.”

Cllr Margaret Meling, lead member for economic growth and transport at South Tyneside Council, said:

“We are thrilled to see Beach Accountants continue to invest in the borough and create opportunities for local people.

“It is a fantastic example of how businesses can achieve real growth by putting people at the heart of its operation and continually innovating in response to change and client demands.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the company continue to develop and grow.”