Pinsent Masons recognised in gender equality list

Pinsent Masons has been recognised as a market leader in workplace gender equality.

The firm was listed in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2016, which commends organisations that are leading the way in gender equality and diversity by actively recruiting, retaining and progressing female talent.

The firm was also the first legal firm to be ranked in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, and is currently the top-ranked professional services firm in that list.

Pinsent Masons was also in the vanguard of law firms to set targets for senior female representation within its business. Project Sky was launched in 2013 as part of the firm’s gender-balance initiative with the objective that women will comprise at least 25 per cent of the firm’s partnership by May 2018.

Currently in Scotland there are 17 female partners (24.6 per cent) and since Project Sky started 12 female employees have been promoted to partner or legal director, representing 36 per cent of all senior promotions in that period.

Richard Foley, senior partner at Pinsent Masons, said: “Our vision is to be recognised as a market leader in the global sectors in which we operate, differentiated by our approach to innovation. We see market leadership as being about more than simply being excellent lawyers, however.

“It’s about having a people strategy that allows talent within the firm to flourish - irrespective of gender and background - and innovating for and with our clients who face similar challenges. This ranking is a welcome validation of the work we have been doing to achieve that, albeit we recognise there is more we must do.”

Linda Jones, employment practice head and leader of Project Sky, added: “This recognition is a result of a continued focus on creating an inclusive culture across the business. A diverse workforce means our clients benefit from a range of knowledge and experience, and a more innovative work product. We are committed to building an environment in which our employees can thrive and become true high performing individuals.”

The full alphabetical and unranked list can be found online: http://gender.bitc.org.uk/TTT502016