Judges were impressed by how the Scottish practice was continuing to evolve its exemplary employment practice in response to staff feedback, defining career pathways within a new strategic framework and building on its founding principles of true collective equity.
‘The practice has not rested on its laurels. It has listened to staff and responded intelligently, in particular introducing a different approach to career progression beyond conventional hierarchies,’ said judges.
The 45-strong practice operates from offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee and has been employee-owned for nearly two decades, with a rotating employee-elected board. In 2025, the practice introduced a new Objectives and Key Results framework, treating people and planet ‘with the same strategic rigour as profit’, and developed its Collective Pathways strategy. Devised following externally facilitated staff workshops, this ‘natural progression’ model values diverse pathways across the practice from architecture to operations. It includes the creation of six new team co-ordinator positions, a role intended to provide leadership development opportunities at all experience levels.
Collective Architecture’s Pippa Cook and Ross Aitchison heading off for community engagement
Source: Kirsty Anderson
Collective is pursuing B Corp certification and is continuing to embed inclusion principles into its employment practices. Currently, women constitute 60 per cent of its directors and 52 per cent of all staff, and 22 per cent of staff are from international or ethnic minority backgrounds.
Judges were impressed by Collective’s attention to benchmarking and use of binding follow-up strategies. These include a realisation of the need to strengthen understanding of the governance structure. In its 2025 engagement survey, which was completed by 92 per cent of staff, 95 per cent felt proud to be part of the practice and felt well-informed about company performance. Eighty-seven per cent would recommend it as a great place to work. The practice’s staff retention rate was 92 per cent.
Collective operates an experience-based, transparent pay scale and reviews all remuneration against industry and cost of living every six months. In 2025, all salaries increased by at least 2 per cent. In addition, 35 per cent of annual profits were paid as tax-free bonuses – the same for everyone.
In the studio
Source: Kirsty Anderson
The practice offers enhanced maternity and shared parental pay from day one of employment, life and income protection insurance, and free confidential life and career coaching. Professional support includes paid professional memberships and CPD, and the practice covers 100 per cent of training and education costs. This includes supporting one member of staff to retrain as a planner, and others to gain advanced conservation accreditation, retrofit assessor and energy assessor qualifications.
Collective’s win in this category last year marked its first year in the AJ100. The accolade was won in the previous three years by HTA Design.
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