In our Diversity Legal Outlook 2024, we look ahead to some of the key developments and issues across diversity, equity and inclusion impacting global employers in the coming years.
DEI: Where now? Navigating a safe legal path in challenging times is our thought leadership series providing insights, commentary and guidance for employers on some of the most complex and technical areas of UK law, regulation and governance on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.
Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance published an article by Linklaters' Simon Kerr-Davis and Laurie Ollivent on the current global landscape for prioritising action to improve corporate diversity, equity and inclusion mitigating legal risk and tools for boardrooms to consider, such as targets, incentives, diversity shortlists and more.
The last decade has seen an unrelenting focus on culture within financial services firms. Focus has now shifted to the role diversity, equity and inclusion play in supporting better decision-making, better outcomes for firms and customers and enhanced risk management.
20 November 2024 //
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes annual updates on gender pay gap in the UK, where it summarises differences in pay between men and women, arranged by reference to age, region, occupation, and full or part time categorisation.
5 November 2024 //
On 26 October 2024, the new mandatory duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees came into force. Many aspects of the new duty will be relevant to those advising organisations on diversity, equity and inclusion issues, policies and procedures.
22 August 2024 //
An employment tribunal has found that the appointment of an ethnic minority employee to a vacant role without any competitive recruitment process was positive discrimination. In our latest blog post, we discuss the tribunal’s judgment and the importance of policies, rationale and training for employers navigating the grey area between lawful positive action and unlawful positive discrimination.
20 August 2024 //
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published a report on 7 August 2024 to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD Committee). The report analyses racial discrimination in Great Britain in several areas, including rights at work, and outlines corresponding recommendations to the UK and Welsh governments.
31 Juli 2024 //
Improving diversity, equity and inclusion remains a strategic priority for many employers. As DEI ambitions grow, positive action can be a powerful tool to improve diversity in the workplace. Explore our new thought leadership series providing practical overview of the differences between lawful positive action and unlawful positive discrimination and how employers can navigate the grey area and promote DEI whilst staying on the right side of the legal line.
5 Juli 2024 //
As the dust starts to settle on this year’s General Election, we look at the key DEI-related rights and actions the new Labour government proposes to introduce.
5 Juni 2024 //
Whilst much of the focus has been on achieving greater diversity within the board, the spotlight is increasingly moving towards the board’s responsibility for the organisation’s overall D&I strategy. But how do boards safely drive change from the top and to what extent should boards intervene or let change happen organically?
16 Mai 2024 //
The FCA confirmed to the Treasury Committee last week that it will be hitting pause on the diversity and inclusion proposals set out in its recent consultation but will be pressing ahead with other aspects of the consultation relating to non-financial misconduct.
14 März 2024 //
As we marked LGBT+ history month in February 2024, this article considers the current position of LGBT+ employees in the workplace in the UK and further afield.
12 März 2024 //
The Parker Review published its annual report this week, with encouraging progress on boardroom diversity for ethnic minorities, but recognising that there is still more work to be done to improve ethnic minority representation at a senior management level.
7 März 2024 //
We look at the latest results from the FTSE Women Leaders Review on the representation of women on the boards and leadership teams of the UK’s largest companies.
23 Februar 2024 //
Research found that 67% of working women between the ages of 40 and 60 said that menopausal symptoms have had a mostly negative impact on them at work. Based on the result, EHRC has published new guidance for employers on supporting workers experiencing menopausal symptoms.
23 Januar 2024 //
There are over 1.6 million workers in the UK tech industry. However, the sector has the lowest proportion of workers aged over 50 of any of the UK STEM sectors, fewer women in the workplace than compared to other sectors, a lower percentage of disabled workers than average for the rest of the UK workforce, disproportionate representations of ethnic groups, and a significant underrepresentation of certain socio-economic groups, particularly at a senior level.
18 Januar 2024 //
We predict the key diversity, equity and inclusion topics impacting global employers in the year ahead.
20 November 2023 //
A new report explores equity, diversity, and inclusion in the UK investment management industry.
10 Oktober 2023 //
10 October 2023 marks World Mental Health Day: a day to create awareness about mental health and show how mental health matters.
25 September 2023 //
In consultation papers published today, the UK’s financial regulators have set out proposals to boost diversity and inclusion across the sector.
30 August 2023 //
What is ethnicity pay gap reporting and what does the government’s guidance say? We help employers navigate the guidance, including collecting ethnicity data, dealing with smaller and incomplete data sets, and how to report. We also discuss what the future holds for ethnicity pay gap reporting.