Helping our colleagues grow and feel engaged in their work, and supporting them on their career paths is a key part of what it means to be a responsible employer.
We recognise that personal and professional development requires different types of learning – and that people learn in different ways. Our aim is to provide a range of learning opportunities that our people can use according to their own needs and preference, from formal training to pro bono work. Colleagues can also sharpen their skills through volunteering or being part of a local office champion group.
Highlights
- 382 colleagues completed our S&ESG 101 training internationally
- 1,939 of our lawyers have given their time to pro bono projects in 2020
The DLA Piper Academy
In September 2020 we launched the DLA Piper Academy, a single online platform for everyone in our business to access targeted training and development plans. In the first three months since its launch, more than 6,000 Academy learning sessions were completed. Currently, 37% of our people across the firm internationally have attended an event or programme delivered through the Academy.
Community activities and pro bono work
It’s part of our culture to encourage our colleagues to apply their professional knowledge and skills to social and community causes. This includes providing opportunities for lawyers to work pro bono to strengthen civil society and support vulnerable individuals, and for all our colleagues to volunteer, for example, as mentors on outreach initiatives like Head Start and our Global Scholarships Programme.
Internal engagement on climate action
eMission 2030 is our internal international campaign to engage our colleagues in helping us meet our science-based carbon reduction target. The campaign shares quarterly updates, educational material and communications on our progress towards the target. It brings together a network of over 150 office champions, who work to translate our international climate strategy and priorities into local office-led actions.
Embedding sustainability into everyone’s skillset
In November 2020 we launched a firmwide S&ESG introductory training programme to ensure we are equipping all of our people with relevant sustainability skills and knowledge. This is now being followed by sector- and theme-specific trainings around the ESG agenda.
Employee networks
Our employee networks play a key role in engaging our people with diversity and inclusion issues. This includes holding events and having frank conversations about important topics such as the impact of COVID-19 on workplace gender equality, the Black Lives Matter movement and what it means to be an ally.
What’s next
We are investing in digital learning technologies, ramping up our Solicitor Apprenticeship programme, and expanding our S&ESG training for all our colleagues. Read more in our Sustainability Report 2020/21.
