We're not perfect. But we believe in always trying to be better.

To us, respect, inclusion and wellbeing are about recognising that everyone is different and creating a business that values those differences.

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and the promotion of a workplace culture where all our people can succeed. Our Inclusion & Wellbeing Manager, Emma Smith, works in partnership with all areas of the business to make sure we’re constantly improving our practices and embedding our core values of respect and inclusion in everything we do.

We are proud that ‘inclusivity’ is regularly the top rated factor in our internal engagement survey, but its important to us that we don’t stop there and that we continue to make Burness Paull a welcoming and inclusive place for all.

To allow everyone’s voice to be heard, we formed a strategy group, BeIncluded, to find out what matters to our colleagues and how we can provide support on issues which might affect them at and/or outside of work.

Headed by Sarah Phillips, the group works closely with our employee networks and representatives from across the firm to ensure that respect and inclusion are constantly on our agenda.

Emma Smith

Inclusion & Wellbeing Manager

emma.smith@burnesspaull.com

+44 (0)131 473 6059

LGBT+ inclusion

The work of our BeProud network in bringing together LGBT+ colleagues and allies to help shape a more inclusive environment for all, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, is fundamental to our commitment to make sure everyone can be their true selves at work, and be valued for it.

Our policies and practices are designed to be inclusive of all family situations and gender identities. As a Glass Network ally firm, we are proud to champion the work they do to support LGBT+ professionals in the Scottish legal community.

In recognition of the efforts of the BeProud network, we were pleased to have won the Best Small Business Category at the 2019 Proud Scotland awards and Most Improved Employer at the Stonewall Scotland 2020 Awards. Immigration partner Jamie Kerr won the Professional Services Award at the Proud Scotland Awards 2021, in recognition of his commitment to outstanding service to LGBT migrants.

 
Social mobility

We work hard to make sure we recruit the best teams from the widest pool of talent. We know there are challenges and barriers facing some candidates and we want to make sure bright, ambitious individuals get the same chance to shine.

Some of the external organisations we partner with to help us achieve wider inclusivity are:

• The Robertson Trust - We have partnered with the Robertson Trust to be the first firm to offer a legal ‘Career Pathway’, supporting Robertson Trust scholars with training and guidance through workshops, mentoring and networking opportunities. The Pathway will allow scholars the opportunity to gain access to our summer internship scheme, with a view to securing a traineeship.
• The 93% Club - We’re proud to be the first Scottish law firm to support The 93% Club as a corporate sponsor. The 93% Club strives to reshape industries where state-educated individuals have historically been underrepresented. By addressing barriers to social mobility and tackling class inequality across professional sectors in the UK, the club is dedicated to creating a fairer, more inclusive future for the next generation.
• PRIME - PRIME is a legal sector initiative and our participation in this programme is to provide fairer access to quality work experience for school-age students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. We delivered this remotely during the pandemic.

• Rare Recruitment - In 2019 we implemented a contextual recruitment system to allow us to understand graduate candidates’ achievements and experience in context, enabling us to find the best hires from the widest talent pool possible.
• LawScot Foundation - We are a sponsor of the LawScot Foundation, aimed at widening access to the profession for academically talented students from less socially advantaged backgrounds.
• Race Fairness Commitment - In October 2020 we signed up to Rare’s Race Fairness Commitment to implement data-driven measures to help identify potential barriers that hold back people of colour in the legal sector.

Race & ethnicity

As part of our commitment to widening access to the legal profession, we are involved in a number of initiatives to widen access to the profession and ensure a supportive workplace culture for those from minority ethnic groups.

In October 2020 we signed up to Rare’s Race Fairness Commitment to implement data-driven measures to help identify potential barriers that hold back people of colour in the legal sector.

Gender equality

Part of our commitment to being a responsible and inclusive employer is closing the gender pay gap and promoting gender equality throughout the firm.

When it comes to gender equality, being a member of the 30% Club and hitting our 30% female partnership target last year was a step in the right direction but there’s more to be done. We’re building a culture that encourages women to reach their full potential through supportive family policies and the promotion of shared parental leave and flexible working. We’ve rolled out training, resources and a policy framework to ensure those impacted by menopause feel supported at work and our employee networks encourage open discussion on difficult topics such as baby loss, fertility and caring responsibilities.

Gender pay gap reports

• Gender pay gap report 2023
• Gender pay gap report 2022
• Gender pay gap report 2021

• Gender pay gap report 2020
• Gender pay gap report 2019

 
Neuroinclusion

We want to ensure that we recruit and retain the best talent possible, and part of this is committing to be a neuroinclusive employer, supporting our neurodivergent colleagues to reach their full potential at work.

We are proud to partner with leading neurodiversity charity the Salvesen Mindroom Centre and have signed up to its Neuroinclusion at Work programme, the first project of its kind in Scotland, helping employers improve the experience of neurodivergent colleagues in their organisations.

Through this partnership we are actively implementing policies and procedures to improve our recruitment, onboarding and HR processes to support a neurodiverse workforce. Some examples of recent activity includes:

• Awareness raising and education to reduce the stigma often associated with neurodiversity
• Introducing an inclusive recruitment toolkit for managers that includes specific information on being a neurodivergent-inclusive interviewer
• Investing in a behavioural assessment platform which allows us to assess candidate potential based on a combination of indicators rather than relying on aptitude testing and interview alone

• Ensuring our offices allow for quiet spaces, single pods and collaboration areas to suit a range of individual preferences and needs
• Working with an external auditor to assess and improve the accessibility of our website for external users

We want to share our learnings and experiences with clients and the wider community, and so sponsored and spoke at the first Mindroom's It Takes All Kinds of Minds Conference in March 2023, where our Inclusion & Wellbeing Manager and representatives from our market leading employment team ran sessions on neurodiversity in the workplace and best practice.

Alan Thornburrow, Chief Executive of the Salvesen Mindroom Centre said: “It has been fantastic to have Burness Paull as one of the first partners in our Neuroinclusion at Work programme. The combination of their commitment to being an inclusive employer alongside their position as a leading law firm advising employers across the country on HR and employment law makes them a valuable partner. We have already worked together on a number of initiatives and I am really excited about continuing to build on this relationship, which will benefit not only the employees of Burness Paull but the wider community through their involvement.”

Menopause at work

We are the first law firm in the UK and first organisation in Scotland to be reaccredited as 'Menopause Friendly’, recognising the ongoing work the firm is doing to support colleagues experiencing menopause. This comes three years after we were the first employer in Scotland and the first law firm in the UK to receive the industry-recognised Menopause Friendly Accreditation accolade.

We have a policy framework and a range of training, support and resources in place, including trained Menopause Champions, to ensure ongoing support to colleagues impacted by the menopause.

We are winners of the ENEI ‘Enhancing Wellbeing and Belonging at Work’ award 2021 and the UK Diversity Legal Awards 2021 'Best Law Firm Diversity & Inclusion Initiative' for our work in this area.

“It is fantastic to see Burness Paull receive re-accreditation as a Menopause Friendly workplace. They have been groundbreaking in their support for colleagues experiencing menopause, as evidenced by being the first Scottish employer to receive the accreditation. It’s so heartening to see they haven’t paused on the journey, continuing to listen and respond to the needs of their employees and provide such a tailored and practical programme of support which improves the working lives of those who benefit from it" - Deborah Garlick, Director, Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace

Supporting mental health

It’s important to us to create a healthy, safe and positive working environment, offering colleagues the support and resources they need to maintain their mental, physical and financial wellbeing.

We were awarded See Me in Work partnership status in recognition of the work we have done to reduce mental health stigma and discrimination and embed a mentally healthy culture.

We have over 40 trained Mental Health First Aiders across the firm, offering support to colleagues experiencing mental health issues or those who need someone to listen. They are able to provide initial support and signpost appropriate professional support where needed.

We also hold regular workshops on topics around mental wellbeing and everyone in the firm has 24hr access to support and resources if they need assistance.

We are proud to have been the first Scottish law firm to have signed up to the Mindful Business Charter and we are driving forward changes to remove avoidable sources of stress in the workplace. We have a MBC Champions in each division/department who drive forward these principles in practice.

Armed Forces Covenant

We are signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and we have been awarded the Silver Employer status – this is given to employers who commit to being an armed forces friendly organisation for employees and their families and demonstrate this through inclusive recruitment and employment policies.

Some of our latest initiatives: