The South Island firm recently re-launched with a new brand
A South Island firm was lauded for its contributions to improving gender equality in New Zealand at this year’s White Camellia Awards.
Portia was given the 2018 White Camellia Award for Small Businesses at a ceremony at Government House in Auckland on Tuesday. The award recognised Portia for its efforts to create a positive working environment for women, promote pay parity among male and female employees and for work in the community, particularly in the field of domestic violence.
“This is a very proud moment for all the Portia team, and goes a long way to justify the hard work, sacrifice and (in some instances) leaps of faith that we've taken over the past six years,” the firm said in a statement. “It comes at a critical point in our journey as we move from Ebborn Law – a specialist family law firm – to Portia: the evolution of law and a totally new way of approaching how law firms are structured, how they employ staff and how they deliver services.”
“We were impressed by Ebborn Law’s incorporation of the WEP’s principles into their business practise, and their valuable work in the community to promote gender equality,” NZ WEPs Committee Chair Vicky Mee said.
The White Camellia Awards recognise organisational commitment to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). The five organisations that make up the NZ WEPs Committee are the UN Women National Committee Aotearoa New Zealand, NZ Federation of Business & Professional Women, Human Rights Commission, Diversity Works NZ and Zonta International District 16
ANZ won this year’s 2018 White Camellia Supreme Award. Sovereign and Westpac also won two categories.
Portia principal lawyer Erin Ebborn receiving the 2018 White Camelia Award from Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy
