Diversity, inclusion and equality (DI&E) are an integral part of our firm’s strategy.
We can already proudly say that over one third of our partners are women, but we want more. We have therefore set up several programmes to attract and retain talented professionals from different backgrounds. We are not there yet, but we are making progress towards creating an environment where everyone at Van Doorne can be themselves and can get the best out of themselves.
DI&E committee
In 2020, as the first Law firm in the Netherlands, we established a DI&E committee that is currently made up of 11 members from different layers of the organisation. Its members have a number of hours available for their committee work. Since August 2023, we have employed a full-time DIG Lead to manage the committee. In 2024, we started setting up employee resource groups (ERGs) for the LGBTIQA+ community and young parents in the office, for example.
SER Diversity Charter
In 2022, we signed the SER Diversity Charter and committed to increasing diversity in the office, especially cultural diversity. Van Doorne was the first law firm to sign the SER Diversity Charter.Our progress is measured in collaboration with Statistics Netherlands. To this end, a strategy has been formulated that focuses on the following:
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- Processes: Recruiting and selecting talented professionals on the basis of objective information. Soft skills such as intercultural communication are included in the assessment criteria.
- Training and education: Raising awareness in the organisation about a safe working environment and microaggressions, and strengthening soft skills related to collaboration, giving feedback and coaching leadership.
- Procedures: Specific measures to increase inclusion, such as a prayer room, a lactation facility and a transition leave arrangement.
Joint networks
Being stronger together, we don’t go at it alone. In 2016, we were one of the founding members of Forward, a foundation committed to increasing the visibility and acceptance of the LGBTIQA+ community in the legal profession. In 2022, we partnered up with Bridges Network and in 2023 we spearheaded the creation of the Lequal Foundation. Both organisations aim to increase cultural diversity.
