Riannon Palmer, the founder and Managing Director of UK-based PR agency Lem-uhn has won a place on Management Today’s prestigious 35 Women Under 35 List. Riannon joins a list of talented women including Stella McCartney, Martha Lane Fox, and Karen Blackett recognised for their achievements before turning 36.
Management Today’s 35 Under 35
Management Today’s 35 Women Under 35 is the UK’s longest-running and most prestigious list of young, female business talent showcasing the remarkable stories of women who are changing the game.
Although legal equality between men and women at work has existed for many decades, the gender achievement gap persists. Despite this, Management Today takes a positive stance and believes that it can make a difference. Women are consistently underpaid, under-promoted, and under-represented at senior levels, which is not only morally unjustifiable but also commercially unsustainable.
How did Riannon achieve this award?
As a young female founder, Riannon is passionate about creating a better working environment for women. Since launching Lem-uhn, the feel-good PR agency, Riannon has implemented an array of positive policies to create a happier workplace and support a more diverse range of women in PR.
These policies have been praised by industry leaders, the press, and now, Management Today.
The judges shared: “[Her] passion to revolutionise the PR industry, and the introduction of ground-breaking inclusive policies to enhance people's happiness and quality of life, are remarkable. That sense of purpose is formidable. Her empathy is also a rare find.”
A bit of background: launching Lem-uhn
Riannon launched Lem-uhn, the feel-good PR agency, to drive industry change, improve the quality of life for PR professionals, and prevent the industry from losing talented individuals due to high-stress environments. What inspired her? The feeling of complete burnout due to overworking and feeling the pressure to work longer hours than necessary while employed with some of the UK’s leading PR agencies.
She also witnessed fellow employees burning out and many of them even leaving the profession altogether, which comes as no surprise as 91% of PR professionals struggled with their mental health in 2022 alone. During the pandemic when many of her colleagues were furloughed, she too became burnt out and fell out of love with PR.
She wanted to work for an agency that genuinely cared about employees and worked with positive brands but this agency didn’t exist. In May 2021, she founded Lem-uhn, the feel-good PR agency supporting purposeful companies to create a happier world while creating a positive work environment for employees.
Zesting up the PR industry
Lem-uhn’s philosophy is that happier employees do better work. Since launching Lem-uhn, she has introduced four policies to create a happier work environment for employees. In September 2022, Riannon introduced a Menstrual Policy. It enables our employees to take up to ten days off per year for severe menopause or period symptoms or following pregnancy loss.
In January 2023, she introduced Wellness Days. This permits employees to take two days per year for last-minute days off when they need time off to de-stress. In August 2023, she introduced our Work From Anywhere Policy. This had been a long time in the making and was introduced after great interest from employees. This allows employees to work from countries with a dual taxation agreement with the UK for up to 45 days per year. In February 2024, Lem-uhn implemented a Flexible Friday Policy allowing employees to work extended hours throughout the week to accommodate a shorter day or a complete day off on Fridays.
Lem-uhn’s ability to attract and support purposeful clients and drive amazing results is due to the happier work culture Riannon has nurtured. So far, Lem-uhn has worked with 33 purposeful clients, supporting their growth and leading to societal impact by raising awareness of the issues surrounding their purpose, as well as building better brands.
Founder and Managing Director of Lem-uhn, Riannon Palmer commented, “It is incredible to be included in the Management Today 35 Under 35 List amongst such incredible individuals. Lem-uhn was created because of a need for a better type of agency. With this recognition, we show how you can build a successful business while still prioritising employee happiness and working with ethical companies.”
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