Social
We take your social responsibilities and our own seriously. We understand the needs of every organisation to uphold strong labour practices, to better understand and embrace diversity and inclusion, to ensure high health and safety standards and zero tolerance for modern slavery. These are all standard requirements in tenders and new supplier considerations today, so they can’t be ignored.
Our experts handle a wide range of social issues daily. We help businesses with everything from managing vulnerable customers and colleagues to addressing the impacts of gender identification and health and wellness in the workplace. We can assist with the reporting of mandatory metrics but are also on hand to help drive progress ahead of the regulations. Whether that be a menopause policy or how to implement flexible working or a 4-day work week while ensuring that your employment processes are best practice.
We’re passionate about having a positive impact on our colleagues, clients and communities, and we actively promote access to justice and legal services through our own pro bono and charity work. From stockrooms to supply chains to our wider society, it’s the people who create sustainable businesses.
Latest Insights and News
We have selected a few topical issues below, but for more inspiration on your sector or area of interest, click through to our media library here.
How Can We Help?
As policy is often the first step in defining expectations and standards, they are key to creating a framework of how you handle social and related issues in your business. Whether it is modern slavery, vulnerable audiences or menopause, we can assist in creating or reviewing the policies that govern your organisation to align with your values and objectives.
There are a number of groups who are protected under the law and it is important that you have measures in place to drive awareness and ensure everyone is treated fairly without discrimination or harassment. We can assist you in assessing your current position and implementing appropriate steps as well as training so you can enjoy the benefits of a diverse and safe workplace.
If your business employs more than 250 people, you must calculate and publish information about your gender pay gap every year. Our employment solicitors can advise on your reporting obligations and any related business impact. We can also assist in other areas of pay gap reporting which is increasing in prominence and expected to be regulated in the future including minority pay gap reporting.
Whether you have adopted a purely flexible or hybrid approach to working or starting to look at 4 day work weeks, we can assist in getting the correct frameworks and policies in place to help ensure its success for your business and your staff.
This area has been gaining prominence and awareness, but the numbers are still at concerning levels so it is critical that your staff, suppliers and customers are confident on your position and standards to ensure they are not engaging in any activity that uses in appropriate labour practices anywhere in your supply chain. Our experts can assist in training, creation and updating of policies and in cases helping to audit your supply chain.
When managing people matters, it is critical to improve awareness and education around topical and regulatory matters to ensure you create an ethical, safe and inclusive work environment. Our team of experts offer training across a number of areas that can help management teams and the broader work force be more aligned and understanding of the requirements.
To explore the wider range of services offered by Irwin Mitchell see our Legal Advisory Service Page.
Agile & Flexible Working Toolkits
Attitudes towards home working have changed – perhaps forever – after COVID-19 restrictions saw many office-based staff work from home during the pandemic. Some workers are keen to get back to working in their office. But many don't want to be tied to their workplace, five days a week, when they've shown that can work perfectly well away from it.
Get in touch to find out how our toolkit of templates, letters and policies can help set up a framework that works best for your business and your staff.
Flexible Working Toolkit
Our Responsible Business Journey
Growing our business in a responsible way, while making a positive impact on our environment, people and communities is at the heart of our approach. We are making steps forward every day and are excited to share our experience and expertise with our clients and partners as we learn. Together we can be part of the difference.
Diversity & Inclusion At Irwin Mitchell
Our Diversity and Inclusion strategy underpins our commitment to creating an inclusive workplace culture where all of our colleagues feel a sense of belonging and are enabled to thrive. Read more about our journey and the teams we have internally that are driving change.
Find out more about Diversity & Inclusion At Irwin Mitchell
Employee Advisory and Policy Creation
We’ve advised a small consultancy business that provides training to a broad section of the community with a focus on diversity, inclusion, equality and entrepreneurship. They also provide employability and wellbeing skills to underrepresented groups.
Find out more about our work
As an Employment Partner, Diversity & Inclusion has always been a passion. With an increased focus on ESG, we've seen D&I starting to make the board minutes and that's exciting. As a parent of a neuro diverse child, the right for all to be treated with dignity and respect and to be valued for their own unique contribution provides even more motivation to be part of making a difference.
I'm a Diversity and Inclusion expert and help organisations review their activities and culture, identify where they can make a real difference reflecting their customers and employees, develop a short- and long-term strategy and then deliver that strategy.
View Charlotte's Profile
Sustainability in business is about making a difference beyond short-term interests to build a better and fairer world for people and the planet with our finite level of resources. It doesn’t mean that business should not generate profit (far from it) but it’s long term value generation that will make the difference and comes from taking responsibility and having shared purpose at the centre.
When asked why this is important and urgent it brings to mind a quote from a film favourite - "There's a storm coming… batten down the hatches, because when it hits, you're all gonna wonder how you ever thought you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us."
View Hannah's Profile
Contact Details
For all ESG enquiries, please contact Hannah Clipston, Director of Strategic Growth (Corporates ＆ Institutions), by phone or email.
Sectors
Our specialist sports lawyers have in-depth knowledge of the sports sector, many of them coming from sporting clubs and organisations themselves. They bring this passion and experience to a broad spectrum of ESG related services tailored to this industry, from corporate governance and compliance to environmental planning of a new stadium to awareness training on Diversity and Inclusion. For more information visit our Sport Sector ESG page.
The manufacturing sector is at the forefront of both the challenges and opportunities of building a sustainable business. From energy and emissions and waste management to responsible sourcing and large diverse workforces and work environments, our multi-disciplinary team of experts can help with achieving both the short-term wins and long-term goals. For more information visit our Manufacturing Sector ESG page.
Whether you are a developer, investor or occupier, there are significant considerations to ensure that properties are built and operated efficiently and responsibly. Our expert legal teams can advise across multiple real estate sectors to assist you in complying with regulations and managing the environmental and social impact of any property or development. From implementing of green leases and issuing of environmental permits to sophisticated environmental planning expertise, the team can guide you to achieve your ESG goals. For more information visit our Real Estate Sector ESG page.
Consumer facing and retail businesses are often in the spotlight when it comes to being responsible businesses. Fair labour practices, hyper consumerism and waste, safe working environments, packaging and marketing claims are all in a day’s work for these businesses. Our diverse team of consumer and retail specialists can advise on how to anticipate and plan for ESG considerations in this fast-moving environment to protect your business and ensure sustainable growth. For more information visit our Consumer Sector ESG page.
