Hydrogen has joined forces with global law firm Ashurst to help diverse candidates progress fairly in their careers. Ashurst has launched a Diversity & Inclusion Recruitment Agency Commitment to address obstacles in recruiting legal talent by promoting equal opportunities for all, regardless of background.
The Commitment will see Ashurst work with Hydrogen to take proactive steps to ensure that candidates are representative of the widest talent pools, including but not limited to social mobility, gender, disability and LGBTIQ+.
The initiative builds on our joint commitment to the Recruitment Agency Race Fairness Commitment, launched by RARE recruitment, which promotes equal opportunities for people of all ethnic backgrounds.
By signing up to the Commitment, Hydrogen pledges to a number of measures including:
· Ensuring that shortlists and/or speculative introductions represent a diverse candidate pool;
· Annually undertaking analysis of quantitative data of the diversity of candidates in order to provide an overview of the market; and
· Encouraging open and honest communication, both in terms of feedback and in regards to any adjustments needed to support candidates to ensure each individual's needs are being met and to promote equal access and opportunities for all.
Furthermore, Hydrogen agrees to present the diversity breakdown of our own teams as part of our commitment to building a diverse workforce.
Here are a few words from Rebecca Owen, Resourcing Manager at Ashurst, regarding the partnership:
"As a firm, we are focused on increasing diversity in the legal industry and are committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are open and accessible to all. It is of the utmost importance to partner with recruitment agencies whose culture and values align with our own, and we are delighted to be working with these recruiters to drive change and create an environment in which people from all backgrounds can succeed."
Becky Morgan, Director – Legal at Hydrogen Group, also shares her thoughts on this project: