People

Our people are our most valuable asset. Recruiting, retaining and developing our talent is therefore a priority.

We have an open and non-hierarchical culture, provide an inclusive and supportive working environment with opportunities for training and career development, and foster the physical and mental wellbeing of our employees. We value diversity and believe that a variety of perspectives enhances our decision making. Our recruitment, promotion and reward processes are based solely on merit. We are an equal opportunities employer and prohibit all forms of discrimination.

Employee engagement

We encourage a collaborative culture, ensuring an open communication between employees and senior management.

As a small organisation, we operate a relatively flat structure with few hierarchies. This approach facilitates direct interaction and accessibility. In addition, our Executive Committee maintains an open-door policy, encouraging dialogue at all levels. We encourage feedback from employees to senior management through informal conversations and more formal forums, including regular team meetings, as well as through the annual appraisal process. Managers throughout 3i are expected to keep their teams informed of developments and to communicate financial results and other matters of interest.

Additionally, we organise regular conferences for our Private Equity, Infrastructure and Professional Services teams to review progress against our strategy, align our goals and discuss future plans in an open and relaxed manner with all employees involved.

The Board of Directors typically holds at least one of its meetings every year in one of our international offices. This provides an opportunity for non-executive Directors to meet the local teams, often in a more informal setting. In FY2024, the Board held meetings in our Amsterdam and New York offices. The non-executive Directors also have other opportunities to engage with employees, for example, by attending our semi-annual portfolio company reviews. These important meetings provide the non-executive Directors with an insight into how our investment business operates and into our culture. Employees also enjoy this opportunity to interact with the Board. Our Chair aims to visit all our major international offices on a rolling cycle and engages with as many employees as possible during these visits.

At 3i, we actively encourage and facilitate employee share ownership through variable compensation and share investment plans. The engagement and the sense of ownership we have fostered over the years are reflected in low employee turnover rates.

^{1 Proportion of UK-based employees who subscribe to a Share Incentive Plan available to UK employees only.} 

Living wage

3i is an accredited London Living Wage Employer. This means that every member of staff based in London, including contracted maintenance and reception teams, earns at least a “living wage” which is an hourly rate higher than the UK minimum wage and is set independently, updated annually and based on the cost of living in London.

 Outside of London, our overseas offices tend to employ only investment and professional services staff, as well as support staff, who are remunerated above applicable minimum or living wage requirements.