A look back at some of the most recent equality, diversity & inclusion stories to feature on eprivateclient...
Diversity within law firms is continuing to slowly improve year-on-year, with smaller firms more diverse than larger ones, according to research from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
The data from 9,276 law firms employing more than 203,000 people across England and Wales showed there is an increase in the proportion of women in the profession (up slightly to 53 percent from 52 percent in 2021, compared again to 48 percent in 2015).
Women also make up 37 percent of partners, up two percentage points since 2021. Women are less well represented at the most senior level of the largest firms - 32 percent of equity partners across all firms are women compared to 28 percent in firms with 50+ partners.
In terms of ethnicity, the SRA found that 19 percent of lawyers working across all firms were of Black, Asian or minority ethnic origin, up from 18 percent in 2021 and 14 percent in 2015. [Read more]
PwC announced new steps to support new joiners and prospective recruits from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Actions follow a major research project in collaboration with Thinks Insight & Strategy.
School leavers and graduates will be able to advance up to £1000 of their first month’s salary. The option will be open to everyone, helping to reduce any potential stigma associated with the request. Socio-economic background data will be incorporated into the way PwC monitors work allocation to ensure there is fair access to high profile clients and projects
Salaries will be published on job descriptions for the firm's school leaver apprentice programmes, with a view to expanding this to all entry level roles. Increased mentoring will also be made available for new joiners from lower socio-economic backgrounds. [Read more]
The International Bar Association (IBA) launched a diversity and inclusion (D&I) toolkit in an effort to help law firms embed the core principles of D&I into their organisations.
Originating as an initiative led by the IBA European Regional Forum Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, the project is designed to ensure global relevance across jurisdictions, involving representatives from all IBA regional fora. It is endorsed by the IBA Diversity & Inclusion Council.
The D&I toolkit is a practical tool for all law firms, no matter the size and location. It aims to serve as a guide to those who are yet to start their journey in creating D&I strategies within their organisation; for improving and completing already existing practices; or for reviewing existing internal policies to determine whether all necessary aspects are covered sufficiently. [Read more]
The Government of Jersey launched a campaign, Empower, Encourage, Embrace, to raise awareness of disability inclusion in the workplace. The campaign aims to change perceptions and encourage both businesses and Islanders to act.
It was reinforced through this year's Embrace Our Difference event, which was open to the public and was held on 22 November. Dr Mark Esho MBE was keynote speaker and more than 50 different organisations, both local and international, showcased their work at the event. [Read more]