Webber Wentzel

Webber Wentzel's stated purpose is "to have a transformative and sustainable impact through our work and actions". Webber Wentzel's commitment to diversity and inclusion is central to this. Diverse teams make more robust and creative business decisions which contribute to better business results.

Pro Bono:

The firm's pro bono strategy aims to narrow the divide between the advantaged and disadvantaged members of South African society through a focus on rule of law, access to justice, anti-corruption and the alleviation of poverty and inequality. During 2021, the firm spent over 17,318 hours on pro bono related matters, valued at approximately ZAR 49,7 million. Much of the work they do already creates a transformative and sustainable impact in Africa through its pro bono work, ESG-related mandates, and some of the organisations they support. Through establishing a dedicated team, they have been able to assist on many key and ground-breaking matters which have required extensive resources and made a truly significant impact to the lives of many South Africans.

The Pro Bono team provides essential legal services to individuals and communities on a number of important issues including:

• Equality, dignity and non-discrimination
• Administrative law
• Anti-corruption and protection of whistleblowers
• Land reform and housing
• Delictual litigation and dispute resolution
• Traditional authorities

Webber Wentzel's dedication to pro bono was acknowledged in 2021 when Webber Wentzel was awarded Environmental, Social and Governance Initiative of the Year at the 2021 African Legal Awards for its work in supporting the government to minimise the impact of COVID-19 in South Africa. The judges said that the entry "demonstrated strong teamwork and the value and relevance of sound legal support to innovation and emergency responses which are critical to our times". The award related to Webber Wentzel's pro bono work for Business for South Africa in managing the private sector's response to the pandemic, helping to kickstart and manage the National Ventilator Project and supporting the National Department of Health on all contractual matters relating to the vaccines and all regulatory aspects of its vaccination programme.

CSI:

While one of the objectives of the firm's Pro Bono Department is to facilitate greater access to justice by addressing systemic issues, these matters generally take a long time to process through the South Africa court system. Webber Wentzel's CSI Programme supports structures and organisations that work more closely with people's everyday problems and attempt to secure their access to justice on an individual basis, and in a more immediate way. Corporate South Africa also has a responsibility to lean in and lead during times of crisis. Last year, during the protests and looting in our country and the destruction of several buildings in the Cape Town fire, Webber Wentzel was able to channel its resources quickly and do its part to help. It is equally important to ensure employee engagement and to motivate the younger generation to improve society and contribute towards its sustainable development. The Webber Wentzel Leadership Network (WWLN) is an initiative driven by young professionals within Webber Wentzel that aims to reinforce the firm's dedication to the future of South Africa by creating a platform to inspire, educate and support the development of leaders. They organise various CSI initiatives every year and make a difference.