The UK Diversity Legal Awards are the only industry awards which focus solely on recognising, promoting and celebrating equality, diversity and inclusion across the legal profession.
Mills & Reeve’s submission was a joint nomination for our disability network, Ability, and our diversity, inclusion and wellbeing (DIW) team who have worked together to implement initiatives to enhance the experience of disabled employees, applicants, and clients since they were set up over three years ago.
Some of the work that has been done, listed in the winning submission, includes various firm-wide training opportunities for staff including disability awareness, neurodiversity, deaf inclusion and several mental health awareness sessions. Other work includes the updating of a number of guidance documents and policies, developing the firm’s recruitment practices and putting adjustments in place to support clients.
This commitment to improving firm practices not only supports the DIW strategy but also runs in line with the firm’s 2025 strategy “to develop leadership mindsets and an agile, inclusive, diverse culture while creating an environment where people thrive and others want to join”.
Natasha Broomfield-Reid, head of diversity, inclusion & wellbeing said: “This award celebrates the excellent contributions made by the DIW team, Ability network and recruitment team to raising knowledge and awareness across our firm of the benefits of building practices, processes and a culture that is inclusive of disabled people. It also recognises the work we are doing with clients - not just for those who have a disability themselves, but also to collaborate with and support them to enhance their own inclusion programmes.”
Further recognition of the work that Mills & Reeve has done to enhance our recruitment practices came in the form of a high commendation in the recruitment team category at the Business Disability Forum’s Disability Smart Awards. The judges noted the work that the team has done to break down barriers in the recruitment process experienced by disabled people.
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