As we reflect on the past year at Sapphire, it’s been one defined by progress with purpose.
Across the contracting and recruitment landscape, change is accelerating. With new umbrella legislation approaching and compliance expectations rising, recruiters and contractors alike are looking for greater certainty and trust from the partners they work with. Against this backdrop, we’ve stayed focused on what matters most: unlocking ambition, raising standards and building a business that people can rely on.
Leadership aligned for the next phase
This year marked an important evolution in our leadership structure, with Mark Connor appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Alex Moore promoted to Chief Sales Officer.
With a strengthened C-suite in place, Sapphire is well positioned to navigate upcoming regulatory change, accelerate growth and continue delivering innovative, customer-focused solutions across contracting, payroll and technology. This clarity and focus have underpinned a year of strong delivery across the business.
A landmark year for Sapphire Contracting
One of the standout moments of the year was being named Best Umbrella Company (Over 3,000 clients) at The Contracting Awards – a significant milestone for our contracting business.
The recognition comes at a critical time for the industry. As recruiters review their supply chains ahead of legislative change, the award provides independent reassurance that Sapphire is a compliant, trustworthy umbrella partner, operating to the highest standards of governance, service and contractor care.
Alongside this, Ben Fitzgerald was named Best Contractor Accountant, recognising the expertise and customer-first approach that underpins our contractor accountancy offering.
Setting the benchmark for compliance and transparency
That trust was further strengthened this year through our achievement of SafeRec Umbrella Certification, which provides real-time auditing at source and direct cross-checking with HMRC RTI data. As legislative scrutiny increases, SafeRec offers recruiters full visibility across their payroll supply chain and protection from financial, reputational and legal risk.
Strong results, shared success
This year, Sapphire surpassed £600m in turnover, our strongest performance to date. Growth has been driven by sustained demand for compliant payroll services, expansion of our contractor base and continued investment in innovation.
Crucially, that success has been shared. We made our second employee ownership bonus payout, distributing £450,000 to long-serving umbrella contractors – a 28% increase on last year’s inaugural payment. The bonus is part of our ongoing commitment to recognising the important role contractors play in Sapphire’s continued growth.
Recognised as one of the UK’s best places to work
Our people-first culture was recognised through several Best Companies rankings this year. We were proud to be named:
- Best Accountancy to Work For in the UK
- 5th Best Company to Work For in the North West
- 5th Best Small Company to Work For in the UK
These rankings reflect the culture we’ve built and the way we invest in our people. That focus supports continuity, expertise and long-term relationships – all of which play an important role in delivering a reliable, high-quality service for contractors and recruitment partners.
Accelerating international expansion
Demand for compliant, cross-border workforce solutions continues to grow, and Sapphire has expanded its international capabilities to meet it.
We now support clients in more than 100 countries, offering fully compliant, localised payroll and accountancy solutions across Europe, the UK, the US and beyond. The appointment of Helen Grey as Global Business Development Director has further strengthened our international strategy, contributing to a 116% increase in international revenue.
Giving contractors a voice
Understanding the real challenges facing contractors and recruiters remains a priority. This year, we launched our second Contractor Census, building on last year’s research to provide valuable insight into contractor sentiment, confidence in compliance and awareness of upcoming legislation.
These insights are helping shape how we support clients through the next phase of industry change.
Looking ahead
This year has been about more than growth. It’s been about strengthening trust, raising standards and preparing for the future.
As we move into the year ahead, we remain focused on unlocking ambition for everyone connected to Sapphire – by leading the market in compliance, supporting recruiters through change, and continuing to deliver a service our contractors can rely on.
Thank you to our employees, contractors, clients and partners for being part of the journey. We’re excited about what comes next.
