Herbert Smith Freehills has been named as a Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOGCE) for 2018-19, the third consecutive year the firm has received this recognition.
WGEA aims to promote and improve gender equality in Australian workplaces. In order to receive the citation, the firm demonstrated improvements to gender equality outcomes in a number of areas including leadership, learning and development, gender remuneration gaps and flexible working.
The announcement comes alongside the firm’s Regional Managing Partner Andrew Pike being named a WGEA Pay Equity Ambassador.
Mr Pike said the citation was a demonstration of the firm’s continuing commitment to gender equality.
“We set challenging objectives for ourselves as an organisation for what success looks like in terms of diversity and inclusion,” he said. “We know that our clients and our people want to engage with, and be part of, a firm where every person can thrive and feel included. Gender equality is an essential part of an inclusive culture, and we’ve taken steps to remove the structural barriers that can prevent women from being recognised for their talent.”
“Initiatives like our sponsorship program, flexible working, rigorous analysis of talent and remuneration data and ongoing unconscious bias training all contribute to our goals. The targets we have set for women in our partnership and our leadership roles help to keep us accountable in our progress.”
“Becoming a WGEA Pay Equity Ambassador is my personal commitment to lead and deliver on the commitments we have made as a firm, and I’m proud to be able to advocate for gender equality through this role.”
The firm’s global Diversity and Inclusion strategy, Leading for Inclusion, lays out a roadmap to continue building the firm’s inclusive culture. In addition to strategies promoting gender equality, Herbert Smith Freehills is also focused on LGBTI inclusion, cultural diversity and providing an accessible and supportive workplace for people with a disability.