The gold status Leader in Diversity accreditation from the National Centre for Diversity builds upon the Law Society’s initial award as an Investor in Diversity in 2022 and recognises the progress the Society has made to further embed fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion, and engagement (FREDIE) at the heart of all its work.

Alongside the Leaders in Diversity award, the Law Society has also jumped up the rankings of the National Centre for Diversity’s Top 100 Most Inclusive UK Workplaces, rising from 97th in 2022 to 84th this year.

The accreditation follows an in-depth assessment by the National Centre for Diversity of the Law Society’s people-focused policies, as well as colleague surveys and focus group sessions. The audit noted the strength of FREDIE awareness within the organisation, how well its recommendations from the original accreditation have been implemented, and the Society’s success in building a culture around hybrid working.

Diane McGiffen, chief executive of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “This is an absolutely fantastic achievement for the Society, showing our ongoing commitment to our people and playing a leading role on FREDIE for the profession.

“The principles that underpin this award of fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion and engagement are at the forefront of our work and ensuring our workplace culture, policies and practices are as good as they can be. These values benefit us as an employer, as much as the people who work for us and society more broadly.

“Gaining this accreditation does not mean that our work on FREDIE stops. We are already closely analysing the National Centre for Diversity’s feedback in order to prioritise the areas it highlighted for us to develop further. There is always more to learn and do, but we are incredibly proud of our journey so far and what we have achieved.”