Russell McVeagh has launched its first-ever corporate social responsibility
report, detailing firm-led efforts to give back to local communities, employees, and the environment.
The report revealed that in 2016, staff contributed 428 charity days equivalent to $173,798. Staff also contributed 2,791 pro bono hours last year, equivalent to about $1.17m. Among beneficiaries of the firm’s pro bono work last year are Māngere and Wellington Community Law Centres, SPCA Auckland, Cure Kids, World Vision NZ, and the Ākina Foundation.
In terms of diversity and inclusion, the report revealed that the firm’s staff numbers slightly decreased in 2016 to 334 from 357 in 2015 and 352 in 2014. Among partners, men still outnumbered women, with a 72%-to-28% male-to-female ratio, a slight but steady improvement from 73%-27% in 2015 and 76%-24% in 2014. Women (55%) outnumber men (45%) among staff. In 2015 and 2014, the staff was about the same ratio, at 56% women and 43% men.
For its environmental sustainability effort, the firm has reduced its occupancy footprint to 7,434sqm in 2016 from 8,366sqm in 2015 and 10,608sqm in 2014. It has also reduced its energy bill to $222,235 from $240,846 and $230,734 in the two preceding years. The firm, which is actively reducing paper waste, used 9,642 reams of paper in 2016 compared to 13,443 in 2015 and 14,047 in 2014.
Related stories:
Rainbow tick for top law firm
Russell McVeagh rebrands
