5 minute read
Labour
Labour
When it comes to labour, we are committed to the principles of the UN Global Compact:
Principle 3:
Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
Principle 4:
The elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
Principle 5:
The effective abolition of child labour; and
Principle 6:
The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Our ambitions
At Gorrissen Federspiel we see ourselves as having an open working culture, where everyone should feel accepted, valued and respected. It is our policy to treat everyone equally and to not discriminate on the basis of social background, culture, gender, ethnicity, religion, age, skin colour or sexual orientation. Over recent years we have worked hard to ensure we create a diverse workplace with equal opportunities for all talent. We have done this through both internal and external initiatives. As one of Denmark’s leading law firms, we must actively promote conditions that create gender diversity in management positions and boardrooms – an area in which we as an industry face a common challenge. We believe that inclusion and diversity are key to our continued success. That’s why we remain committed to working towards this goal. And we will continue to do so with determined effort. It’s an area in which we are continuing to become wiser, as we share experiences with the leadership teams of other Danish companies from who we both learn and draw inspiration.
The importance of focusing on labour
Throughout 2021 we saw the competition for talent continue to intensify. As a knowledge-based business it is imperative that we attract and retain the best lawyers in the market, so that we can continue to provide specialist advice of the highest standard. Part of our strategy is to be the best workplace in the legal sector, a goal we work to achieve by continually developing as a modern firm. We recognise that the generations entering the workforce today hold high expectations for their employers in terms of what they want from their career and their place of work. We have high expectations of our employees, but they also place high demands on us as a workplace. In recent years we have sharpened our focus on diversity, inclusion and well-being, and we will continue to do so. Not only because it could weaken our business in the long run if we are no longer able to attract and retain talented employees, but also because it is the right thing to do. As a responsible workplace it is important to us that all our employees have a stable and sustainable working life throughout their careers at Gorrissen Federspiel.
Objectives for 2021
Our objective for the year was to promote diversity and inclusivity in the legal profession. We aimed to achieve this goal through our involvement in The Diversity Council and a number of other initiatives that are centred on diversity. We also wished to finalise the drafting of a detailed D&I policy. We wanted to remain focused on employee development, including through new training initiatives. In addition, we wanted to continuosly assess employee satisfaction based on parameters such as the work environment, management, employment terms and their current well-being.
Progress in 2021 and expectations of continued development
We are continually building on ongoing D&I initiatives, and we continued to do so in 2021. First and foremost, we drafted a written D&I policy that brings together existing practices and commits us to providing a working environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. We once again conducted an employee well-being survey, which among other things focused on employee supervision, working conditions, job content and development as well as, for the first time, questions relating to diversity and inclusion. We also conducted a supplementary survey focusing on mental health and well-being. Against this backdrop, Managing Partner Martin André Dittmer set up a well-being committee with the aim of establishing the optimal operating framework for individuals to perform their roles. In the autumn we set up our first D&I committee. Committee members meet three to four times a year to discuss diversity and issues such as recruitment, equal opportunities, quotas and role models. The committee consists of employees from across Gorrissen Federspiel, and their input is reported to the board of directors. A further initiative came into being when we launched an internal training programme around the issue of unconscious bias, with a focus on how unconscious bias can be problematic for decision making as well as inclusivity more generally. The HR team, the board of directors and the D&I committee, plus several of our Managing and Practice Area Counsel as well as partners, participated in the training programme, which we expect to continue in the future when it is rolled out to the entire group of partners. In our efforts to retain employees following parental leave, in 2021 we introduced a retention bonus corresponding to the pension contribution that Gorrissen Federspiel would have paid if the employee had received salary during the period of leave. We have chosen to do this to ensure that our employees do not experience a pension shortfall due to their parental leave. We want our people to develop throughout their careers. In 2021 we sent off the first cohort of participants on our tailor-made GF Academy – a programme targeted at lawyers who have taken on new roles with increased management and professional responsibilities. In the course of the programme, participants acquire tools and skills to assist them in their new roles. We focus on employee development at all levels, and believe that lifelong learning is the key to retaining employees throughout their careers.
Aims for 2022
We will continue to focus on diversity and inclusion as well as measures to improve mental well-being, and we will expand our unconscious bias training programme. We will continue to support the Association of Danish Law Firms with their three-year research project and Business PhD programme, which will examine the gender imbalance within senior management in the legal profession. SDGs
Objective attained
Fully
