A key challenge around initiatives is making them an integral part of the culture; not just window-dressing or box-ticking. There is a perception among those active in the field that initiatives without depth can actually have a detrimental effect as these ghettoise the activities of diversity and inclusion.
Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, makes the strategic case for the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, in particular its gender balance plans.
In the interviews we conducted for this report much of the strategic engagement or the initiatives undertaken were done at a company- wide level. However, some initiatives were specific to legal teams and were often engaged in addressing inequalities in legal education and hiring practices, particularly at law firms as we discussed in regards to the pipeline.
The people in any business are the critical element in providing a competitive edge. As you will see in this report which contains excellent examples of best practice, a diverse workforce does not just make good business sense, it makes societal sense as well. It’s the smart thing to do.
Diversity levels across the legal sector – from partnership in private firms, through to new recruits fresh out of law school or even in-house legal functions – suggest that there are still barriers to entering and progressing through the industry for certain groups and demographics of people.
Leaders at Wyndham Worldwide talk us through its investment in leadership and development, and the company’s use of personality profiling to identify and support talent across the business.
Microsoft deputy general counsel (and first female lawyer) Mary Snapp and Covington & Burling’s London head of technology; Lisa Peets, discuss the diversity work that their organisations are doing, both separately and together.
GC and The Legal 500 work together on a series of specially-commissioned reports about diversity and inclusion in businesses worldwide.
After 20 years practicing law – from her first in-house role at US Foods to her current role at Denny’s – Myers is well qualified to observe that more needs to be done to embed DE&I in the legal profession.
As a woman of color in the legal profession, diversity, equity and inclusion is a deeply per-sonal mission for Lisa LeCointe-Cephas. She explains why corporate America must invest in DE&I to achieve lasting change.