Ernst & Young is the world’s most attractive professional services employer – and second most attractive employer overall – in Universum’s annual World’s Most Attractive Employer ranking.

Based on the preferences of almost 94,000 business students from the world’s top academic institutions in the largest 12 economies by GDP, Ernst & Young is now the second most attractive employer globally and the highest- ranking choice among leading professional services organisations.

As well as ranking as the leading professional services organisation in six out of the 12 markets, Ernst & Young also featured as one of the top 15 employers overall in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Russia, the UK and the US.

“We congratulate Ernst & Young for its great achievement. Being seen by students as an ideal employer is something to be celebrated. As a CEO, I understand the value in being able to attract, recruit and retain the top performers. Ernst & Young excels in this area and thus has a competitive talent advantage,” said Petter Nylander, CEO of Universum.

“We are delighted and honoured to feature as the world’s most attractive professional services employer, and second most attractive employer overall, in the Universum ranking this year”, said Mark Weinberger, Ernst & Young global chairman and CEO. “At Ernst & Young we are committed to attracting, developing and inspiring great people and developing future leaders; this is fundamental to our purpose of building a better working world.”

Mike Cullen, Ernst & Young global managing partner, Talent, stated: “I’d like to congratulate all of our 170,000 people who have helped build our reputation as the world’s most attractive professional services employer. Our greatest asset is our high-performing teams throughout the world and we are committed to continuing to develop and strengthen our employer brand by offering exceptional experiences for all our people.”

In Malta, Ernst & Young won the Malta People Award for Employee Engagement in 2012.