Page 20 - Inclusion and diversity – Partnering for change
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Our stories
Case in point
lifting inclusion and diversity
across the legal industry
“As the buyers of legal services we have a voice
and can really have an impact.”
Caroline Cox, Group Company Secretary and General Counsel, BHP
While diversity in the legal
profession has improved
significantly over the years,
it remains one of the least
diverse of any industry.
In March 2019, a group of general
counsels (GC) from major global
companies collectively signed a
Diversity Statement, an initiative
spearheaded by five founding
GCs from Unilever, Shell, Anglo
American, Vodafone and BHP
(Caroline Cox). The Statement sets
out the commitment of in-house
legal teams to broaden diversity Watch more here
within their companies, as well
as to work in partnership with
legal firms to help progress Caroline Cox, Group General HSF and BHP jointly hosted a
their diversity efforts. Counsel and Company Secretary, series of inclusion and diversity
BHP, wrote to the Company’s knowledge-sharing forums
The initiative is based on feedback panel firms globally, to share across Australia, and in London.
and research which indicated the Statement and explain BHP’s Legal professionals discussed
that, as ‘buyers’ of legal services, involvement in the initiative. BHP the practical actions they and
in-house legal teams (the clients) has long-standing relationships their companies were taking in
have a strong role to play in taking with many of its panel law firms, relation to inclusion and diversity
an active interest in inclusion and her letter received great within their own teams, as well
and diversity of law firms, to help support. As an example, Herbert as challenges, and what in-house
drive change for the better across Smith Freehills (HSF), one of teams can do through their
the industry. The Statement BHP’s global firms, responded actions to drive diversity within
recognises that clients, with some positive actions the firms. Conversations ranged
through their actions, policies that, not only underlined HSF’s from flexible work to mental
and behaviours, can influence commitment to inclusion and health, as well as shared learnings,
what happens within law firms. diversity, but would also see the while recognising that not all
It’s also about clients and law firms two companies work together companies were at the same
working together to share best to further raise the profile of point on the change curve.
practices. To date, approximately inclusion and diversity across
100 companies and their GCs the legal profession. HSF has also created a dashboard
have signed the Statement. to help BHP track the diversity of
teams at HSF who work directly
BHP Inclusion and diversity – Partnering for change 18 February 2020