It was one of first firms to sign NZLS' Gender Equality Charter
The New Zealand Law Society (NZLS) has shared that Anderson Lloyd has reached a gender equity milestone with 50 percent of its equity partners being women, one of the highest proportions among law firms in Aotearoa New Zealand.
According to a news release from the NZLS, Anderson Lloyd was one of the first among the over 140 firms and organisations that signed the law society’s Gender Equality Charter, an adopter of the Charter’s 50 percent equitable briefing target for instructing external lawyers, and one of the country’s biggest law firms that signed up all its staff as NZLS members.
“Being a Charter signatory reflects who we are and the future we’re helping to shape,” said Richard Greenaway, Anderson Lloyd’s chief executive, in the news release. “We believe leadership, accountability, and action are essential to building a more equitable legal profession.”
Greenaway said the firm is committed to promoting gender equity, pushing meaningful progress across the legal profession, and establishing a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for everybody. The firm took pride in 80 percent of its people, excluding partners, identifying as female.
The news release noted that Anderson Lloyd has made efforts to confirm its commitments under the Charter, address bias and discrimination, ensure pay equity, offer flexible working arrangements, support equitable career development and leadership opportunities, and embed equity in its recruitment, salary benchmarking, and promotion systems and processes.
Greenaway said the firm has discussed best practices in this area in forums and working groups with fellow Charter signatories.
According to the law society’s news release, Anderson Lloyd has a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) leadership group that advances initiatives and reports progress to the board.
“We take a broader view of diversity, equity and inclusion – aiming to create a workplace where all our people and clients feel respected and valued in their identities,” Greenaway said in the news release.
The NZLS news release noted that Anderson Lloyd is a member of Te Uru Tāngata Centre for Workplace Inclusion, a living wage employer certified by Living Wage Movement Aotearoa New Zealand, a Rainbow Tick-certified firm, and a gold supporter of Pride Pledge.
According to information from the law firm’s website, Anderson Lloyd is an active supporter of Sweat with Pride. These past four years, the firm has raised more than $40,000 in an effort to back life-changing projects for Rainbow Communities.
“Our journey toward gender equity is far from over – and we remain committed to playing our part in building a more inclusive and equitable legal profession,” Greenaway said in the news release.
