Howes Percival LLP

Howes Percival is committed to diversity and inclusion and, as part of ongoing recognition of the importance of equal opportunities in the workplace, launched a new strategy in 2021 to ensure equality and diversity remain ‘key strategic and business priorities’ and are given renewed focus going forwards.

The firm has appointed three partners to lead the new initiative. They are supported by the firm’s Equality and Diversity Committee which is actively driving key initiatives to ensure we are a truly a diverse employer. These include signing up to the 10,000 Black Interns programme and running regular internal events to support equality and diversity initiatives such as Pride, International Women’s Day and Black History Month.

Under the renewed strategy, we have undertaken a comprehensive equality and diversity survey and are reviewing all of our processes and policies, including recruitment, promotions, appraisals and equality and diversity training, to ensure that they continue to align with our aims.

We continue to be a signatory to the Law Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Charter which is a public commitment by legal practices to promote the values of diversity and inclusion throughout their business.

As a minimum, all staff have basic equality and diversity training as part of their induction. This is supported by compulsory group training sessions held on a regular basis for new starters and a ‘refresher’ training session for all staff every three years. The training introduces all staff to the legal concepts in relation to equality and diversity and how discrimination or harassment can arise in practice and reinforces our key policies as well as how to raise concerns. Training attendance is monitored by the Equality and Diversity Committee as well as the Board.

We recognise that we must not be complacent when it comes to improving diversity within our firm and our equality and diversity strategy is under constant review.