Lintbells, the Hitchin-based company that makes premium natural supplements for cats, dogs and horses, has been included in the Sunday Times list of the top 100 'Best Small Companies to Work for'.

It’s the first time the company has won the award and it’s one of only two pet care companies to have made the list.

Lintbells came in at number 71 and was rated especially highly for its leadership (ranked 41st on the list), the belief that it was ‘giving something back’ (42nd) and the feeling of belonging and ownership at the company (58th).

The 62 employees said that they strongly identified with the company’s values – with an 83% positive score – the company aims to enrich the relationship between pets and people and use science to support pet health.

An impressive 91% of the Lintbells’ team members said they were proud of the company which is now in its twelfth year.

Also important were Lintbells environmental credentials - there was an 87% approval rating of its care for the environment. The company puts a lot of emphasis on ethical and sustainable sourcing, environmental stewardship and full traceability of all its ingredients.

Veterinary Nurse Ellie Gill was one of the employees that the Sunday Times spoke to in compiling the results and she had already experienced the benefits to pets while in practice. “I love the ethos of the company,” she said, noting that she felt that sustainability and environmental responsibility were hugely important," said Ellie.

It’s a young team, with an average age of just 37 and Chief Executive John Howie says it’s important that everyone feels happy and supported at work. “It’s great to hear that our people live our values and collaborate both inside and outside the company to drive success,” commented John.

“It’s just three short years since we originally trialled our YuMOVE brand with the Royal Veterinary College. At that point there were just twenty of us. It’s very humbling to know that despite this fast growth, we’ve been able to stay true to our values and that our team also shares those values.”

Eighty nine per cent of employees said they felt that leadership at Lintbells was inspirational.

HR Manager Rebecca Davies is now aiming to take Lintbells even further up the list.

She said: ‘’It’s great that the team love working at Lintbells and truly buy into what we’re trying to do for the health of pets. Our next job is to work even harder on staff engagement while we continue our phenomenal track record of growth."