The Honest Kitchen, a San Diego, California, USA, manufacturer of petfoods and treats, was named to Outside Magazine’s fifth annual “Best Places to Work” list. The Honest Kitchen was ranked number 19 out of 100 selected companies, up from its ranking of 37 on last year's list.

The magazine's “Best Places to Work” project celebrates the innovative companies setting a new standard for a healthy work-life balance. The year-long selection process began with an outreach effort that identified a wide range of non-profit and for-profit organizations with at least 15 employees working in an office in the US. Participating companies were sent confidential employee-satisfaction surveys and employer questionnaires to collect information about benefits, compensation, policies, job satisfaction, environmental initiatives and community outreach programs. Experts at the Best Companies Group then analyzed the results and selected the companies that best enable employees to pursue active lifestyles while also supporting their social and environmental contributions.

“We’re delighted to have made Outside Magazine’s list again in 2012,” says Lucy Postins, founder of The Honest Kitchen. “Taking good care of our employees and nurturing a working environment that places an emphasis on health, creativity, diversity – and pets - has been important to me for a long time. It’s not only about the responsibility we have to our team, but also creating a place that fits with our brand, and with animals as the true focus of our workday.”