Sipsmith CASE STUDY THREE
Sipsmith was started in 2009 by Sam Galsworthy, Fairfax Hall and Jared Brown with the mission to open the first traditional copper distillery in London in almost 200 years and bring London Dry Gin back to its home. From a tiny workshop in Hammersmith,WestLondonSipsmith kick-started the UK’s gin renaissance by producing a handcrafted gin in small batches and in turn creating a gin of uncompromising quality.
people are encouraged to be creative, autonomous and have fun at the same time. It’s a space where people can bring an idea to the fore, have a go at it and not worry about failing. Sipsmith know it’s important to ensure that pay and benefits are competitive but it’s the ‘extras’ that bring the magic to the culture. From lots of lovely ‘ginny gifts, to having a Ministry of Fun (a team of people whose role is to plan four team days a year where everyone gets together), 4pm Fridays, monthly socials at the bar, open & honest Question & Answer forums, the ‘M3’ – a weekly meeting where the full team (all 70+ of them) stand in a circle to share their news – and many other initiatives. Minister of Culture, Georgie Woods commented: “There are many things that I believe make Sipsmith a special place. Firstly it’s about getting the right people on the team . I learnt very quickly from Sam and Fairfax that if you can hire well for your business then it all builds from there. Once on board, we’d want to offer the best ‘working’ or ‘career’ experience and if we can do that, we know people will be motivated to stay and work hard with us. We offer bespoke and interesting learning opportunities, both in the ‘classroom,’ on courses, but also in people’s day to day work, on the job and from other members of the team. We actively encourage people to have a voice and ‘feel like an owner.’ “For me, this is almost like a second family – many of us spend so much of our lives at work, I believe that’s how it should be. That’s not to say that there aren’t tougher days, we’re growing fast and that can take grit, commitment and resilience but as long as we’re all learning, all having fun together and all feel like we can bring value and have a purpose being here – then that’s what it’s all about.”
From those small beginnings Sipsmith has grown rapidly, employing over 70 people, acquiring new stills and moving to a new distillery in Chiswick, which welcomes over 20,000 visitors a year. Sipsmith’s success over the last 10 years has been driven by putting its people first. The culture is led from the top and is something all three of the Sipsmith Founders are passionate about. When the company got too big for them to manage that element, they created a role for someone in the team to protect and enhance that culture; The Minister of Culture.
Sipsmith tries to create a place to work where its
Whitepaper – The Engaged Employer 25
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