Herbert Smith Freehills has renamed its decade old LGBT Network as the IRIS Network, taking the alliance global and open to all partners and staff worldwide.
The rebranding is in line with the firm’s logo, an iris, which it says signifies the organisation’s curiosity, insight and openness.
“Re-naming the LGBT Network to IRIS Network reflects the strong connection the network has with the heart of the brand,” the global firm notes in a release.
“IRIS is also the Greek goddess of the rainbow, the international symbol for LGBT communities world-wide. This makes it the perfect name to symbolise the firms' commitment to sexual orientation and gender identity inclusion. All of the regional LGBT and LGBTI Networks will now be known as the IRIS Networks,” HSF says.
HSF conducted a competition across its offices and the new name was one of the over 70 suggestions made.
“Taking the IRIS Network global builds on the strength of our LGBT programs and presents an opportunity to grow network membership, including the very important role allies play in demonstrating their support for inclusion, and connecting with people in our smaller offices where a local network may not exist,” says Justin D'Agostino, the global executive sponsor of the network.
According to HSF, the objective of the global LGBT network is to support LGBT inclusion across the firm’s international offices. In addition to the programmes led by the regional IRIS Networks, the global IRIS Network aims to connect the people across the firm, grow network membership including Allies, facilitate firm-wide communications via a single global mailing list, provide a forum for consultation on issues of global significance and share best practice across the firms' regional IRIS Networks.
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