One of New Zealand's oldest law firms is leading the pack in the diversity space, particularly where sexuality and gender are concerned.
Simpson Grierson were the first organisation to be awarded a Rainbow Tick - signifying that they met the world-standard benchmarks for LGBTI inclusion in five areas: policy, stafftraining, staff engagement and organisational support, external engagement and monitoring. LGBTI stands for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders and Intersexes.
Chairman Kevin Jaffe said "We signed up to the Rainbow Tick because we want to make sure our workplace is truly inclusive and supportive of people from different backgrounds and in particular the LGBTI Community. Our goal is to let both our staff and our clients know that we embrace diversity and support our LGBTI staff."
Jo Copeland, HR Director, explained that the catalyst for change was a staff member who revealed the significant strain keeping his sexuality a secret at work was taking on him.
"He admitted that he'd received quite a lot of advice from his family and friends that a law firm environment was not a safe place to come out and that he needed to be careful with his career. The toll it was taking was just absolutely and completely unacceptable. In this day and age, it was something that we couldn't allow to be happening."
Breaking the traditional mould and perceptions of a law firm became a top priority for Simpson Grierson. Signing up to the Rainbow Tick was designed to "change the culture and make sure no one else would have this experience, says Copeland. "This was something that was so easy to fix and it was really something which the whole firm could get behind. The board said it was an absolute no-brainer."
The first move was establishing an internal LGBTI network to support staff, an initiative to come out of the partner-led diversity committee. That network would quickly expand to incorporate the University of Auckland and major clients ASB Bank and Auckland Council.
"Establishing our own LGBTI network was something that was so easy and it's meant the absolute world to some of the people coming in here and our staff members. It's made a big, positive impact on the firm as well as opening up some whole new avenues for relationships with clients."
