In the 1930’s, Carl Hamilton, an original partner at Booz Allen Hamilton, composed one of the first formal codes of company ethics in America. Now approaching its 100-year anniversary, Booz Allen’s reputation for excellence in strategic management and technology consulting has been shaped by an ethics-based culture built upon 10 core values.

Employees experience a challenging and collaborative environment that includes a generous retirement plan, stock ownership, flexible working arrangements, child-care options and numerous life work balance benefits – sports clubs, community service, social committees and culture celebrations.

Here’s what Booz Allen told CareerBliss about its culture

At Booz Allen, we conduct business with uncompromising integrity, adhering to the highest ethical standards as individuals and as an institution.

Our 10 Core Values:

• client service
• diversity
• excellence
• entrepreneurship
• teamwork
• professionalism
• fairness
• integrity
• respect
• trust

We identify and define these Core Values early in the interview process so job candidates can discern whether our values fit with theirs prior to joining the firm.

Our Core Values are at the foundation of our culture, and are institutionalized in every aspect of the firm. These values aren’t just something we post on the wall in our offices; they are at the core of all of our business practices, from hiring and employee assessments to marketing and community relations activities, new business development, professional training and rewards, and of course our benefits and personnel policies. The Core Values express the firm’s belief that our people are at the heart of our commitment to helping clients succeed. We have built a culture that fosters a high level of performance and passion to deliver enduring results for our clients. Our people have a passion for life, and a passion for delivering their absolute best.

“In the consulting industry, where so much of a company’s success rides on its ability to attract and retain the best people, a firm’s culture and environment play an essential role,” says Betty Thompson, Senior Vice President People Services.  “The best people have many choices when it comes to where they want to work. When they’ve made the decision to stay and contribute to the success of your firm, it’s because you’ve connected them to something important to them like opportunities to do interesting work, work with great colleagues, grow and develop their skills and careers.”

On working at Booz Allen

Booz Allen is a “people business,” meaning our success depends on our ability to attract, retain, and develop the best and brightest individuals. They are experts and leaders in their fields, who are excited about the work that they do and who pursue lifelong personal and professional development.

Our people are inspired by a career with diverse and challenging assignments, engaging colleagues, unmatched opportunities for professional growth and achievement and the satisfaction that comes from making a difference — for our communities, for our nation and for our environment. And all while enjoying the security of working at a firm that has enjoyed stability and growth for almost a century.

The Booz Allen “product” is intellectual capital and, ultimately, results for clients—something we believe can only be created by teams of talented, diverse individuals working together. And we consider experience and perspective as essential elements of that diversity. Our new hires range from former military personnel, staff with high-level security clearances, and experienced government or industry hires to first-job undergraduates.

Booz Allen benefits and perks

Booz Allen demonstrates its commitment to employees and their lives by not only offering numerous life-friendly benefits and programs, but also continually making improvements through our Work Life Program Office and task forces.

Stock and Profit Sharing: Booz Allen’s profit-sharing program, the Employee’s Capital Accumulation Plan (ECAP) is among the most generous 401(k) plans in the professional services industry. After one year of employment, the firm makes an annual, discretionary lump sum contribution (historically 10 percent of an individual’s salary plus 5.7 percent of eligible compensation above the Social Security wage base) to each employee’s plan—regardless of individual contribution. Through the Booz Allen Employee Stock Purchase Plan, employees can purchase firm stock at a 5-percent discount off the fair market price with no service fees.

Flexibility: Recognizing that individuals have commitments outside the firm that may require them to have flexibility in their work schedule, Booz Allen adopts a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) policy to help staff balance their professional and personal commitments. The firm makes four types of FWAs available to its staff: Flexible Full-Time Scheduling, Job-Sharing, Part-Time Employment, and Teleworking. Booz Allen’s flexworkers stay highly connected through our “StayConnected” suite of 30 access, collaboration, and communication tools and technologies.

Additional benefits: Booz Allen provides many additional ways to help employees coordinate their competing priorities, including our: Career Mobility Program, LifeWorks and Employee Assistance Program, Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care,  Paid Parental Leave, Adoption Benefits, Advanced Infertility Treatment, Benefits for Domestic Partners, and Tuition Reimbursement.

Education: Over 17,590 employees — from administrative professionals to officers — took advantage of Booz Allen’s internal education and training courses in FY 2011.

‘Way We Work’: Booz Allen’s “Way We Work” strategic initiative to better leverage work arrangements has been a tremendous benefit to staff and the environment. As part of the plan – we are moving staff out of our multi-building campus headquarters as building leases expire, moving staff into new or expanded facilities across the Washington Metro Area, and instituting hoteling models in offices across the US. The initiative realigns staff to offices closest to their home zip codes, so staff are working closer to their families.

Celebrations and recreation: Among other celebrations, each September, the firm rents out the entire Six Flags theme park in Maryland. Big events in other offices have included half-day boat cruises, building a parade float, golf outings, trips to sporting events, and holiday parties and picnics for staff and their families.

Office social committees host in-office events and activities throughout the year such as pumpkin-carving competitions in October, book clubs and knitting clubs, hula lessons, pet and baby photo contests, ice cream socials, wine tasting, pet photo contests, and networking cocktail hours.

Many of our offices sponsor employee sports teams, and at our largest office in McLean, Va., these include our Adventure Club (with sailing, scuba, and white water rafting courses/certification, and staff skiing and snowboarding trips), Biking Club, Running Club, Dragon Boat Club, and corporate sports teams like softball, ultimate Frisbee, track and field, skating, golf, marathon, basketball, flag football and the like.

Our many Diversity Forums host activities that celebrate cultures and promote awareness. They hold such events as new-hire and networking luncheons, and coordinate our firm-wide Diversity Book Club throughout the year. Other cultural events celebrate African American Heritage, Women's History, Asian American Heritage, Latin American Heritage, and Gay Pride months.

Approximately two-thirds of our employees are involved in community service efforts through the firm.

What Booz Allen employees have to say

“It’s important to me to work at a company that has the same values that I do and I found that at Booz Allen. I’m able to engage in intellectually challenging and stimulating work — always on the cutting edge — and know that the organization and my co-workers care about the same things that I do: my family, my environment and society. It really gives that sense of community that makes me love coming to work each day.” Elizabeth Wayt, Manager, Sustainability Program Office

“Working at Booz Allen has provided me the opportunity of a lifetime. An opportunity to not only continue my education and build my career, but also participate in and organize volunteer efforts in which we, in a united effort, can make a difference by giving back to our community. With a multitude of diversity groups, anyone can find an area interest at the firm. Having retired from the military, the opportunity to volunteer for efforts, which honor those with whom I served, and their families, with the support and commitment of my entire leadership team, has made it a privilege for me to work at Booz Allen. Joe Weichel, Technology – Information Services, Resilience Services Manager and Armed Services Forum Co-chair

Booz Allen Awards

The firm’s quality of work-life is evidenced by our numerous and repeated recognitions as a Best Company to Work For by FORTUNE, Working Mother, Computerworld, Business Week, Consulting Magazine, Careers & the disABLED, and others.

Already in 2012, among a number of honors, we have been named to FORTUNE’s list of Most Admired Companies and FORTUNE’s 100 Best Places to Work for, the Top Military Employer by Payscale.com, one of Diversity Inc.’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity.