We were proud to mark the first anniversary of both our LGBT Affinity group and our Mental Health Allies in October.
Both demonstrate the commitment from our firm and our people to creating a more inclusive working environment which we set out in our latest D&I Report, Putting Words into Practice and featured in the May issue of the newsletter.
‘Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to
help choose the music so we can all dance to the things we love.’Throughout the last six months we have sought ways of inviting our people to reflect on and embrace diversity and inclusion at WFW. During D&I week last month, D&I specialist, Claire Harvey MBE gave a talk on unconscious and implicit bias and how we can challenge such behaviours inside and outside the workplace. We hosted an LGBTea, a great social occasion and the chance to learn more about our LGBT Affinity Group, and our ever-popular annual quiz. In Singapore, our people listened to Tedx Talks, participated in quizzes and hosted a global kitchen ‘potluck’ lunch, reminding us of the benefits our culturally diverse offices ‘bring to the table.’
During Mental Health Awareness week in May, we had a chance to stop, breathe and connect with our own wellbeing through a variety of feel-good activities including a tea with our Mental Health Allies and a visit from wellness dog, Lily. Lily provided some serious stress-busting petting opportunities and was a great hit!
2020 will see us take steps to further embed our D&I agenda. Recently appointed Director of HR, Shelley Holmes, said, “When I arrived it was evident that D&I was incredibly important to people here. Lack of a dedicated D&I resource had not stopped them organising events, volunteering and just getting on with things. It is significant that the first things I got involved with were D&I week and our Mental Health Allies programme; the desire to continue bringing about change is absolutely genuine and I am excited to be a part of making this happen.”
We will appoint a dedicated D&I resource to support efforts across the network. Our goals for next year include developing office and practice group D&I plans and working with our Business Development colleagues to maximise opportunities to collaborate with clients on D&I issues salient to their businesses.
