Herbert Smith Freehills has been named as a leader on workplace gender equality by being included in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2016 for the second year in a row. 

The unranked alphabetical list is published in partnership with Business in the Community, the Prince’s Responsible Business Network, as part of the charity’s Responsible Business Week. The firm also won the Transforming Cultures Award for its agile working programme. This award recognises workplace programmes, initiatives or strategies that are effecting change at an organisational level.

Herbert Smith Freehills' Regional Managing Partner UK, US and EMEA Ian Cox, commented:

"We are delighted to have not only been included in the Times Top 50 list but to have also won an award for our agile working programme. It is a wonderful achievement for the firm and great recognition of our strategic focus to increase the number of women in the partnership and in senior leadership roles. Our focus on increasing diversity and inclusion across the firm is an objective we share with many of our clients who are also listed in the Top 50, and sits at the heart of our firm strategy."

Kathryn Nawrockyi, Gender Equality Director AT Business in the Community, said:

“Congratulations to Herbert Smith Freehills. They have demonstrated that working to achieve equality is about more than just creating ‘opportunities for women’ – it’s about creating workplaces and ways of working that work for both women and men.”

Helena Morrissey CBE, CEO, Newton Investment Management and Chair, Business in the Community Leadership Team on Gender Equality, said:

“Herbert Smith Freehills is creating a culture characterised by true equality. They have demonstrated an understanding that this means more than simply offering opportunity, being inclusive of different perspectives so that everyone can thrive. I hope that others will follow their lead, so we can accelerate progress towards genuinely equal - and successful - workplaces.”

The awards ceremony, hosted by Sky News presenter Dharshini David, took place last night (20th April 2016) at the Hilton Park Lane during Business in the Community’s Responsible Business Week.
 
The Times Top 50 Employers for Women list involves a comprehensive submission process managed by the gender equality campaign at Business in the Community.  All organisations within the Top 50 have demonstrated that gender equality is a key part of their business strategy, with consistent commitment to creating workplaces and cultures that are inclusive of women from entry level through to senior leadership.

The full alphabetical and unranked list can be found online: http://gender.bitc.org.uk/TTT502016
This year’s event celebrated 25 years of Business in the Community’s gender equality campaign and marked the launch of the ‘Same but Different’ photography project, celebrating women’s unique identities. More than 400 business leaders also heard personal perspectives from inspirational speakers including John Amaechi OBE, Founder and Chief Executive, Amaechi Performance; Clare Fielding, Partner, Gowling WLG; and Barbara Kasumu, Co-Founder and Chief Executive, Elevation Networks.
 

About Herbert Smith Freehills

Operating from over 26 offices across Asia Pacific, EMEA and North America, Herbert Smith Freehills is at the heart of the new global business landscape providing premium quality, full-service legal advice. We provide many of the world’s most important organisations with access to market-leading dispute resolution, projects and transactional legal advice, combined with expertise in a number of global industry sectors, including energy, natural resources, infrastructure, technology and financial services. www.herbertsmithfreehills.com

Follow us on Twitter  @HSFPressOffice  

For more information on BITC please contact Laura Cooney, Workplace Communications Officer, Business in the Community T: 020 7566 8653

E: [email protected]