Womble Bond Dickinson’s (WBD) Disability Network fosters a work environment based on mutual respect, inclusiveness and equal opportunities for all, especially those affected by disability and long-term conditions.
This past year, our Network has made significant strides in promoting DEI, including:
1. the Network, with a dedicated working group it assembled, achieved Disability Confident Leader accreditation in March 2024 – a prestigious accreditation (achievable only after rigorous independent assessment), which only 4 other UK law firms hold. This included overhauling our processes and policies and introducing significant changes to embed disability inclusion
2. the Network joined over 90 leading law firms across the UK, USA, and Canada to partner with Diversity Lab – through this, WBD has committed to “increasing opportunities to hire disabled people”
3. in May 2024, WBD joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative, to highlight that some disabilities and conditions are not immediately apparent – among only 3 other UK law firms. The green Sunflower symbol discreetly indicates the wearer may need additional support, understanding or patience. There is also a white Sunflower for allies. The Network rolled out firmwide training and offers sunflower lanyards, badges and bracelets to WBD staff
4. the Network marked Neurodiversity Celebration Week for the 2nd year running in March 2024. We displayed ADHD Foundation Umbrellas in each office for this national project – with bright umbrellas highlighting that all minds are unique, openly supporting and embracing those who think differently, and recognising the many talents and strengths of people who are neurodivergent
5. the Network launched an extensive Neurodiversity Toolkit guide, and created and issued Sensory Kits internally and externally for clients and recruitment candidates, with high take up
6. after a Network’s Steering Group member publicly shared their neurodivergence, they have been contacted by people around the UK and even in the US to speak about and present on neurodiversity
7. for International Day of Disabled People 2023, we hosted a “Disability Inclusion in the legal profession” webinar with the Law Society, launched a Reasonable Adjustments Policy, and shared Network member’s thoughts on “What do you want people to know about Disability”. We are now introducing Workplace Adjustments Passports
8. for National Inclusion Week 2023, we launched a creative hand and finger communal painting project in our offices, “making our mark for diversity” in paint, as all of us are unique, like our hand and finger prints are. Our artworks are displayed in our offices as a joyful reminder to embrace and enjoy our differences
9. we launched internal Disability:Connect sharing sessions – discussing mental health, being parents and carers, and accessibility
10. we share disability insights with recruitment assessors to recruit more diversely. We made our job adverts more disability inclusive. We embedded the disability guaranteed interview scheme. We added an accessibility tool on our recruitment webpages. We ask candidates about their life experience, not work experience. We give assessment materials in different formats and interview questions in advance.
Other initiatives have included:
1. we made our invitations and events more accessible, booking quiet rooms for those who need a sensory break
2. we updated our website with comprehensive accessibility information about each office – What3Words locations, directions, and information on lifts, wheelchair access, accessible toilets, hearing loops, guide dogs, and disabled parking
3. we recently restocked our offices’ DEI libraries with disability and neurodiversity books
4. our 2023–2024 calendar of awareness-raising on our WBD intranet covered World Cancer Day, Rare Disease Day, Neurodiversity Celebration Week, World Parkinson’s Day, Deaf Awareness Week, Mental Health Awareness Week, Carer’s Week, World Sickle Cell Day, World Alzheimer’s Day, Dyslexia Awareness Week, International Stuttering Awareness Day, World Diabetes Day, Autistic Pride Day and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, often with members’ personal stories and resources
5. we highlight disability wherever we can eg in our WBD Responsible Business Report 2023, and with our suppliers encouraging them to be Disability Confident too.
Our Business Disability Forum membership helps us learn and benchmark our progress.
In 2024, the Network was shortlisted for:
1. British Diversity Award’s Outstanding Ability Network of the Year
2. Legal500 ESG UK Awards’ Disability/Neurodiversity: Best Initiative to Attract and Retain Talent
3. Diversity Network Awards’ Outstanding Ability Network of the Year
and Network leaders were nominated for the West Country Women’s Award for Diversity and Equality 2023, and Legal500 ESG UK Awards’ Disability/Neurodiversity: Private Practice Champion of the Year 2024.
