Diversity and Inclusion at Clayton Utz

Diversity at Clayton Utz includes diversity of thought, background, experience, personal circumstances, education, religion, sexuality, gender, age, cultural background and ability/disability. That diversity helps to generate new ideas, creates more effective teams and relationships, and is a key enabler to attract, develop and retain the very best people.

Diversity and inclusion is integral to our culture which is founded on the values of trust, respect and co-operation.  We are a proud member of the Diversity Council of Australia.

Our Diversity Council

The Clayton Utz Diversity Council sets the firm's diversity and inclusion strategy and develops initiatives to give priority to diversity in the workplace. Our Chief Executive Partner leads the Diversity Council which is also supported by our Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Alison Woolsey.

Gender equality

A key focus of our diversity initiatives is to make Clayton Utz an environment in which women have every opportunity to succeed.

In recognition of our continued commitment to gender equality, Clayton Utz was named on the 2017 Workplace Gender Equality Agency's list of Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation-holders. This was the fourth consecutive year for the firm and we are one of only 120 organisations to be awarded the citation. It recognises market-leading employers that are demonstrating an active commitment to removing any structural and cultural barriers to equal opportunity for women in their workplaces.

Cultural diversity

We want Clayton Utz to be a culturally sophisticated firm that maximises domestic and regional business benefits through outstanding cultural intelligence.  We're talking with thought leaders around cultural diversity, gathering and reporting data on cultural diversity and focusing on professional development for cultural diversity and inclusive leadership.  We are proud to be an active member of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association and in March 2017 we committed to the Managing Partners (of large law firms) Cultural Diversity Charter.

Flexibility

Flexibility is an absolute priority for diversity and inclusion at Clayton Utz and a significant proportion of our workforce work under formal and informal flexible arrangements. Our flexible work policy is intended to support mainstreaming flexibility across the firm to attract and retain the best talent. Flexible work is not simply about part-time work and is vital for our employees to be able to balance their unique and changing needs during different life and career stages.

LGBTI inclusion

Clayton Utz is a member of Pride in Diversity (the Australian employer support program). Integral to our diversity and inclusion strategy is our LGBTI program which focuses on such things as fostering an LGBTI-inclusive culture within the firm, connecting with the broader LGBTI community, developing internal policies, training and education. Our efforts have made a huge impact on the firm and our people. After having received the 2016 AWEI (Pride in Diversity) Achievement Award, we are proud to be a 2017 and 2018 AWEI "Gold Employer". We are the only law firm in this unique category.  This is a testament to our dedication, drive and vision of an LGBTI-inclusive workplace. 

Accessibility and inclusion

The mental health and psychological wellbeing of our workforce is something we take seriously at Clayton Utz.  This is why we offer a range of resources to help our people whenever they need it, and we regularly look for new ways to support and develop the resilience of our people.  We are taking steps towards inclusion for people with other disabilities including through the implementation of a Workplace Adjustment Policy, development of an Access and Inclusion Plan, and our membership of the Australian Network on Disability (AND).

Momentum

Momentum is our diversity & inclusion network and activity program. It has evolved from being focused on gender to embracing all diversity streams, celebrating both difference and commonality.  It's about nurturing an inclusive environment for our people that will maximise their opportunities for business success and career satisfaction.

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