Howard Kennedy LLP

Responsible Business

At Howard Kennedy, we take our responsibility to manage the impact we have on the world in which we operate, seriously. That's why responsible business is a core part of our business strategy. It’s seen as essential in helping us achieve our vision to be a progressive, independent and profitable business.

Our responsible business strategy focuses on inclusively and sustainably supporting our people, clients, communities and the environment by:

• Nurturing an inclusive, values-driven culture where everyone can be themselves, with their development and wellbeing at the centre.
• Working to reduce our environmental impact and promote environmental awareness and responsibility among our people.
• Promoting equality of opportunity and access to justice by sharing our time and skills through volunteering, fundraising and pro bono services.
• Ensuring and maintaining the highest standards of professional integrity, operating ethically with clear and transparent governance.
• Working with suppliers who are compliant, responsible and share the same values as we do.

In addition, we advise clients on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues, helping businesses manage their risks more effectively, ensuring compliance, and dealing with disputes when things go wrong.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion

At Howard Kennedy we aim to live by our values Talk Straight | Think Smart | Be Yourself. These values are at the core of everything we do and encourage an open and honest working environment. We strive to nurture an inclusive culture where people can be who they are when they come to work. We have trained Allies Champions in the organisation so that they can help embed a speaking up culture. We are signatories of the Race Fairness Commitment Charter.

The firm has a dedicated Inclusion committee whose aim is to raise awareness of various campaigns, initiatives and underrepresented groups. Our campaigns are currently focused on four areas: women, race and ethnicity, LGBTQ+ and disability. The campaigns have included panel discussions, surveys, video stories, social events as well as news stories.

Diversity in our recruitment processes is a key focal point for us. We’re also working to ensure fair practices with an apprenticeship programme.

Our pro bono programme

We are committed to promoting access to justice. Through our Pro Bono programme, our lawyers use their passion to make a real impact on our local community.

Our lawyers take part in Toynbee Hall's weekly free legal advice clinic providing individuals with general legal advice including civil liberties, public law, civil litigation, and debt advice.

We also work with LawWorks who connect us with charities and not-for-profit organisations without the funds for legal advice. We help them to expand and continue their services to the community and understand a range of issues facing them from property law matters to dispute resolution.

The overarching principle for all our pro bono cases is that we must only take on a case if we can do the work to the same high standard that we give our fee-paying clients. Read more.

Our charity programme

We're committed to supporting the community in which we live and work through charitable giving, fundraising and volunteering. Every two years, our people vote to select a charity aligned to our business and our values to support through giving, fundraising and volunteering.

In 2022, our people voted to support Making the Leap. Making the Leap is a London-based charity that improves social mobility by raising the aspirations of, and increasing opportunities for, young people from less-advantaged socio-economic backgrounds in the UK. The firm's Charity Committee champion community engagement and are organising a range of fundraising and volunteering activities in support of Making the Leap - from a Quiz Night to running the Royal Parks Half Marathon!

Fantastic fundraising efforts throughout Howard Kennedy, supported by matched funding and donations from the firm, raised more than £100,000 from 2018 – 2021 for Centrepoint, helping to tackle youth homelessness in the UK. Read more.