Our Ability Network offers support and guidance to our people with a disability, as well as those caring for someone else.
In a recent global firm audit, one in ten identified as having a disability or long-term health condition. Our aim is to build disability confidence and encourage a better understanding of disability. Through our policies and practices, we look to become an employer of choice for those living with a disability or long-term health condition and remove the barriers to their success.
With the launch of our Global Adjustments Commitment, we are actively improving working conditions for individuals with a disability. We are also an Australian Human Rights Commission IncludeAbility Employer and a Valuable 500 signatory..
The Family Network supports all our people with caring responsibilities, including parents, grandparents, guardians and carers of others.
Through the network we provide awareness and education around some of the common challenges of parents and carers, such as work/life balance, mental health and family life. We also regularly organise expert-led seminars covering various topics such as eldercare and parenting skills, and advocate for more family-inclusive policies and ways of working.
Across our global firm, we have a range of initiatives focused on gender equality, including our 8 Drivers for Gender Equity and the Gender Equality Matters (GEM) Network. We believe that gender diversity is a critical component of our firm’s past, present and future.
Since 2014, the percentage of women partners has increased from 18% to 29%, and we are very proud to have been the first major Australian law firm to appoint a woman partner, where 36% of our partnership is now female Women represent 35% of our partners in Sydney and 50% in our Brisbane office
We are also a platinum sponsor of Diverse Women in Law and we are committed to the Diversity Council’s #IStandForRespect campaign against gendered violence.
Our global IRIS (Inclusion, Respecting Identity and Sexuality) Network is one of our longest-standing diversity networks. It connects and engages LGBT+ colleagues and allies across our firm and champions our market-leading commitment to LGBT+ inclusion.
Through IRIS we raise awareness of LGBT+ inclusion and create safe and supportive spaces for everyone to thrive together. We've developed sustainable partnerships with LGBT+ organisations such as Open Doors Australia, and we regularly collaborate with our other diversity networks to further promote inclusion within our firm.
IRIS has also advised on the development of our Global Trans and Non-Binary Guidelines.
As a firm, we have dedicated extensive pro bono hours to decriminalise homosexuality and deliver LGBT+ rights across the world, and we are signatories to the UN Standards of Conduct for LGBTI Inclusion.
As a global firm operating across many international jurisdictions, the Multicultural Network is essential to building a culture where we can speak openly about ethnicity, race, cultural diversity and religion/faith.
The network is focussed on our 10 Actions for Change and aims to enhance multicultural representation and diversity of our people at all levels of the business and develop our understanding and cultural intelligence, not only within our firm but across the entire legal sector.
Through the network, we also celebrate religious and cultural festivals and have implemented and supported a number of awareness initiatives including the 10 Actions for Change and Anti-racism training.
Our Australian Veterans’ Network recognises and acknowledges the unique nature of military service and the contribution that members of the military and their families have made. Through the network, we actively encourage and facilitate the employment of veterans and reservists and support those employees whose family members are currently serving.
Working in close partnership with our London Military Network, we focus on attracting, recruiting, supporting, connecting and developing veterans and their family members. We recognise the skills, experience and diversity of thought that veterans bring to our firm, and indeed, the wider professional services sector, such as leadership, communication, adaptability, teamwork and problem-solving.
As a firm, we are signatories to the Australian Government’s Veterans’ Employment Commitment, publicly declaring to support greater employment opportunities for veterans and recognise the value that they bring to our business. We’ve also developed a mentoring initiative for military veterans currently studying law.
