International law firm Clifford Chance ranked 1st on Stonewall’s 2023 Top 100 LGBTQ+ Inclusive Employers rankings.
According to Stonewall, Clifford Chance has “clear policies that ensure LGBTQ+ staff are protected and supported, as well as expansive healthcare benefits that include transition-related treatments and LGBTQ-inclusive mental health support”.
Examples of this include its LGBTQ+ employee network group Arcus.
The firm also lends support and pro bono services to LGBTQ+ campaigns, community groups and charities.
Law courses at UK universities have seen a record number of female applicants in the latest annual data, a freedom of information request revealed.
Over the last three years, female applications to all law courses in the UK have risen by 13 percent. Last year, female applications reached triple figures for the first time ever, with over 100,000 applicants compared to just 50,000 male applicants.
Northern Ireland has seen the greatest increase in female applications, with a 7.6 percent rise compared to a five percent drop in male applications. Female applications for UK courses from the EU, however, have dropped nearly 40 percent in the past three years. [Read more]
Research from big four advisory firm KPMG revealed that socio-economic background diversity on UK boards is lacking, and too few consider it as part of board recruitment and succession planning.
- Over 70 percent of respondents come from high socio-economic (professional) backgrounds, while only 15 percent came from low socio-economic backgrounds – suggesting a lack of socio-economic diversity in boardrooms.
- 28 percent of respondents attended a private school, suggesting an over-representation of privately educated board members when private schools account for just seven percent of the UK’s pupil population today.
- Respondents also highlighted the importance of networks and mentors in reaching the highest levels of business, with 67 percent stating they benefited from access to both.
To combat this, Europe’s largest financial services firms are taking proactive steps to increase female representation and enhance their sustainability skills at boardroom level.
Both areas have been identified as priority areas for investors – according to the latest report from the EY European financial services boardroom monitor.
Almost half (44 percent) of European financial services investors state that gender diversity in the boardroom significantly influences their decision to invest in a financial services company, compared to 16 percent who say it does not influence their decision at all.