DIVERSITY & INCLUSION REPORT
Introduction
Our progress so far...
Since our inaugural report in 2008, IM has made significant progress on our
journey to weave diversity and inclusion into the fabric of our firm. We have built
up a network of advocates throughout the business which work with the Irwin
Mitchell Diversity Board (chaired by Stuart Henderson) to help drive and embed
our inclusive and meritocratic culture.
• The Diversity Board has an annually reviewed set of
Goals & Objectives against which activity is assessed
and progressed. A number of objectives have already
been achieved including:
Our approach is reaping rewards and we’ve had substantial external recognition
and validation from clients, peers and independent commentators. This report will
outline some keys aspects of the progress we’ve made and highlight our focus
areas for the future.
Best Workplace Diversity Strategy
- Achieving Top 100 Employer status for the last three
years on the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index
- Winning Most Effective Diversity Programme –
Gender at The Lawyer Workplace & Diversity Awards
2012
- Increasing the number of female partners to 30%
• We now have an active network of diversity champions
taking part in Listening, Networking and Action Groups
across key areas including age, disability, gender,
race & religion and sexual orientation; and the social
mobility group is just getting started. Each of these
groups is headed up by a partner from the firm’s
Diversity Board. These network groups are catalysts
for cultural change; raising awareness both internally
and externally and supporting the Diversity Board on
policy development.
• In 2009, IM became a founding signatory to The Law
Society’s Diversity & Inclusion Charter, a commitment
to help our industry become more diverse and for
us to be benchmarked alongside other leading law
firms. In 2011 we were selected as case studies to
highlight best practice around our approach to career
progression and for the ways we share best practice
with others.
• IMEqual has achieved significant progress in the last
four years. We have been recognized by Stonewall as
a Top 100 Employer in their Workplace Equality Index
for the third year running. IMEqual has also yet again
been given a Star Performer Network Group Award.
Our groups focus on the following areas:
Group
IMEqual – Sexual Orientation IMPowered – Gender IMRespect - Race & Religion
IMAble – Disability
IMAge – Age
IMAspiring – Social Mobility
Lead
Jane Wright
Alison Eddy
Suki Chhokar
Julia Lomas
Tom Flanagan
Tracey Storey
The Networking Groups
IMEqual
Under Jane Wright’s leadership, the IMEqual group has been a powerhouse of activity both internally and externally for
IM. Raising awareness of issues for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transsexual employees and clients through seminars,
product development and links with other networking groups, the group has been active in initiating new business
support groups in Leeds & Birmingham and is looking to roll-out similar initiatives in other locations.
IMPowered
Supported by Alison Eddy, the IMPowered Group has focused on discussing gender issues. One of the key activities
has been raising the profile of flexible working via a joint research project with Sheffield University to understand the
impacts on both the organization and individuals. A pilot project encouraging more flexible working will run in PI during
2013.
IMRespect
Under the guidance of Suki Chhokar, IMRespect, our listening group focused on race & religion, has sort to raise
awareness of the cultural and ethnic diversity that already exists strongly within IM through a poster and intranet wallpaper campaign celebrating festivals and religious holidays.
IMAble
Re-launched in 2011, IMAble, our disability listening group has highlighted areas where we can provide greater support
and assistance to employees with disabilities and in 2013 will be looking to establish a toolkit of support for line
managers that will encourage people with disabilities to be confident in discussing the challenges they face.
IMAge
One of the newest and most ubiquitous diversity topics…age and the differing needs and expectations of generations
across the business will be another focus for activity in 2013/14.
IMAspiring
Really getting off the ground this year, IMAspiring is focussing on ensuring we meet our PRIME initiative objectives for
school-level work experience for those from areas of restricted social mobility.
“I’m delighted that IM’s reputation for meritocracy and inclusion is being recognized by
industry experts, our regulators and our clients alike. We can all be very proud to work in a
business which has such a strong focus on enabling our people to flourish & succeed”
John Pickering
Group Chief Executive
• IMPowered has also been successful in raising
awareness and progressing diversity across IM
particularly in our move to develop more women into
senior roles. In addition to our Lawyer award in 2012,
in 2011 we were recognised as having the second
highest number of female equity partners in The
Lawyer UK 200 Annual Report and we were awarded
Silver status in the Opportunity Now benchmarking
survey.
• Over the last three years we have seen women
achieve over 60% of associate promotions and 50%
of new partner promotions – this builds on female
partner promotion levels of 40% in 2010, highlighting a
significant upward trend. Our achievements in this area
were strongly noted by the awards committee when
winning The HR Excellence Award for Best Diversity
Strategy in 2012.
• We have been rated in the Top 15 for overall diversity
by The Black Solicitors Network since 2009 and in
2012 rose to 9th overall and 3rd in UK Top 100 firms.
• Equality & Diveristy was recognized as a strength in
our 2012 Employee Opinion Survey with over 80% of
our people being positively aware of our policies and
confident to report diversity related issues.
• Relationships have also been developed with
the Employers Forum on Disability and Race for
Opportunity in support of our activities in those areas,
enabling us to improve our knowledge of best practice
from other leading businesses and benchmark
ourselves appropriately.
• Our progress is also being recognized by clients
– during a service review a major Utilities client
commented that our diversity programmes were some
of the best they have seen.
• Our support of the Government’s Social Compact &
the PRIME initiative have attracted significant focus for
our support of social mobility issues
• We were singled out for Best Practice status in The
Law Society’s Diversity & Inclusion Report published in
2012 for our work on Equal Pay and sharing expertise.
An SRA monitor also commented on the strength of
our diversity programmes.
But rather than just winning awards though it is the impact on our people which is most powerful. One of our group
members says:
“IMEqual has made a real difference to me. Not only has it given me the real confidence
to be unashamedly “me”, it has enabled me to make close friendships with other gay
employees and to gain access to inspirational gay role models within the firm. It has made
me realise that my sexuality will not hold me back and that I am not treated any differently
from my peers. I am very thankful that I work for a firm where I can be myself.”
“Our people are our greatest asset and it’s great to see IM being recognised externally for
the work we do. Our overall number of female partners has been increasing consistently
over recent years and I think this really demonstrates our meritocratic and inclusive culture
where we reward our people for their contribution, achievements and skills.”
Alison Eddy, Equity Partner & Chair of the IMPowered group.
Our Diversity
Gender Split - IM wide
Gender Split - Partners
Gender Split - Associates
30%
Where next?
32%
64%
68%
36%
70%
Following on from our recent successes, the Diversity
Board has identified a number of key goals to take us in
to 2013/14 and beyond:
• To be recognised as an Employer of Choice within all
our community areas.
• To co-ordinate & harness the combined value of
community, BD and diversity in the way we view
target markets, seeking to develop ways to measure
the impact achieved. In the interim, monitoring and
reporting on feedback which results in an increase in
new business from key populations identified within
our diversity agenda.
• To progress to a score of 75% within the BITC CR
index on Equality, Diversity & Inclusion.
• To continue to improve and communicate our familyfriendly policies.
Female
• To continue to emphasise the value and contribution
that different people across the business bring.
Ethnicity Split - IM wide
• To continue to improve our diversity communication
across the business, with articles on our achievements
in encouraging greater inclusion to appear in every
issue of IM news.
• To be seen as a ‘commentator of choice’ re diversity
issues in legal services – Diversity Board members and
the firm overall being regularly quoted in and asked for
commentary by the legal and wider press.
Ethnicity Split - Partners
3%
To achieve all of this we recognize that we need to build
stronger communication channels with both our people
and our communities.
Social mobility is also taking an increasingly high priority
for the SRA and Government. Our commitment to
both the PRIME initiative and Social Compact, aimed
at increasing access to careers in law for those from
areas of traditionally restricted social mobility, will need
increased focus.
7%
0.5%
9%
6.5%
0.5%
1%
2.5%
0.5%
1%
90%
87%
White
“Diversity is a real area of
strength and differentiation for
IM – I’m delighted with the
progress we’ve made over the
last three to four years”
Ethnicity Split - Associates
1%
1%
0.5%
3%
• To build a reputation as a leading place for female
lawyers and non-lawyers to work in terms of balance
and supporting progression into partner and associate
level & beyond.
• For 25% of the members of all major committees and
boards to be female by 2016.
Male
Black
86%
Oriental/Chinese
Mixed Race
Staff Split - Location
Not Defined
Other Ethnic Groups
Partner Split - Location
1.5% 0.5%
0.5%
Associate Split - Location
1%
13.5%
13%
Asian
12.5%
2%
3%
2.5%
2%
34.5%
3.5%
40%
4%
11.5%
47%
12.5%
8.5%
2%
11.5%
2.5%
Stuart Henderson
Managing Partner, Personal Injury
Banbury
20%
13%
9%
Birmingham
Glasgow
Bristol
Leeds
2%
London
Manchester
17%
9.5%
Newcastle
Sheffield
Work From Home
Whilst we have made impressive progress, we cannot become complacent. Diversity and Inclusion remain high on
the agenda for many of our clients and they expect us to continually review and improve our approach.
The business case for diversity is clear – the greater our diversity, the better we can respond to the diverse needs
of our clients. To do that most effectively we want the best “talent” in the market and so need to ensure that we are
attractive to people from all walks of life and backgrounds.
Age Split - Partners
Age Split - IM wide
And so the journey continues….
16%
10%
Age Split - Associates
4%
1%
18%
45.5%
6.5%
34%
49%
12%
34%
IM remains thoroughly committed to ensuring that all its people can reach the height of their potential and flourish in
an environment that respects difference, recognizes commitment and rewards contribution.
44%
26%
Under 25
25 - 35
36 - 45
46 - 55
Over 55
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