Responsible business
We act sustainably together as a responsible business driven by an inclusive, innovative and learning culture.
Being responsible is not only one of our values, it's a core part of our strategic vision, governance structures and board discussions. Working together with our clients and community partners, we aim to build better businesses and protect the world.
We act sustainably together as a responsible business driven by an inclusive, innovative and learning culture.
Being responsible is not only one of our values, it's a core part of our strategic vision, governance structures and board discussions. Working together with our clients and community partners, we aim to build better businesses and protect the world.
Protecting our culture of inclusion
We're committed to delivering an inclusive environment where we empower all our people to lead, learn and grow. By bringing new experiences and viewpoints into the firm we're able to gain new perspectives, enhance teamworking and create extraordinary results for our business.
Our inclusion programme has five priority areas, each with partner champions and network groups to drive engagement.
Gender balance
Cultural diversity
LGBTQ+
Social mobility
Wellbeing and disability
We each have a responsibility to shape our culture, and our trainees are involved in the committees of all our inclusion networks. For more information on how we're working to improve inclusion, read our gender pay gap and diversity reports.
Investing in our communities
We build long-term relationships with charities and community organisations that champion inclusion and the arts including:
We began our relationship with the National Portrait Gallery in 2005, when Taylor Wessing sponsored The World's Most Photographed, an exhibition created by the NPG jointly with the BBC to showcase the most photographed personalities in the world. In 2008 we launched the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, one of the most prestigious international photography awards, which showcases new work submitted by some of the most exciting contemporary photographers.
The Roundhouse is an iconic live performance venue and a 'hub' of inspiration and creativity. But the venue you know is only half the story. The Roundhouse is a charity that supports thousands of young people every year. Below the main space lies a space for diverse young people aged 11-30 to conceptualise, collaborate and create. This includes musicians, poets, performers, film and radio makers. We want to make a positive impact in our local communities, so we invest in initiatives such as the Roundhouse where tangible differences are made on a regular basis.
We work with Future First to support in their mission of increasing access to professional careers for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. We run insight days and mentoring programmes, including CV writing workshops, mock interviews and building your brand workshops.
Taylor Wessing is proud to be a sponsor and supporter of the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre at 60-62 Hopton Street. The Centre initially came about as a pop-up Centre in response to the severe isolation and loneliness the LGBTQ+ community has felt since lockdown began, and they aim to provide some comfort and solace for LGBTQ+ Londoners and their friends and allies. The centre is now a permanent space. The centre works with some of the capital’s amazing LGBTQ+ service providers, offering a holistic programme of services, events, talks and workshops, combined with a cafe space that invites visitors to simply just be. The Centre will always welcome you with open arms.
You can make a difference by fundraising, mentoring students or using your paid volunteering days to give back to your local community.
We also have a strong focus on pro bono work and are a member of the One Million Hours project. Our trainee solicitors provide vital access to justice via legal advice clinics, where you'll experience the impact the law has on people in our local community whilst developing new skills and gaining valuable experience.
Reducing our environmental impact
Our climate is in crisis, and we must act now to cut emissions and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. We've reduced carbon emissions by around 20% for direct operations and our business travel, and have achieved ISO 5001 certification for energy management.
We've taken a leading role on cross-industry climate action as founding members of the Legal Charter 1.5 and the Legal Sustainability Alliance, and member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance. We're determined to do our part and you can drive change as a trainee solicitor through involvement in our Sustainability network.
Our initiatives
We have partnered with Aspiring Solicitors for several years supporting the objective of increasing social mobility within the legal profession. More recently we have built a Head Start programme with Aspiring Solicitors which enables us to provide support and guidance, reducing any barriers, at all stages of the career from joining our Vacation Scheme to qualifying with the firm.
BASS Mentoring
In collaboration with the Black Aspiring Solicitors Scheme (BASS), we invite a cohort of Black and mixed-race Black heritage mentees to join a series of virtual and/or in-person workshops. The workshops are designed to upskill mentees, developing their application skills and commercial awareness, and provide insights into working in commercial law. They also build their professional networks and develop their soft skills.
Not every candidate’s achievements look the same on paper. That’s why we use Rare Recruitment's Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) to consider every student's achievements in context, helping to identify those with the greatest potential, from all backgrounds.
We have an open dialogue around disabilities from the start; whether it’s discussing concerns about the recruitment process or our working environment. We partner with MyPlus Consulting to make disability confidence part of our student recruitment strategy, beginning with attracting candidates, through to assessment and onboarding.
We have partnered with myGwork, as the largest global business community of LGBTQ+ professionals, graduates, inclusive employers and anyone who believes in workplace equality. It empowers the LGBTQ+ community by offering individual members a safe space where they can connect with inclusive employers, find jobs, mentors, professional events, e-learning/training and news.
We have a duty to protect our planet and the responsibility to preserve the environment for the early talent we recruit. That is why we have been proud signatories of the Sustainable Recruitment Alliance since its inception. Our focus is to be mindful during early careers processes to reduce the amount of merchandise, travel, food and onboarding materials that are used, and wasted. We also prioritise the ethics – ensuring we are working with suppliers that protect people involved in supply chain, as well as the environment.