EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
The UK Diversity Legal Awards 2021 Progressing Neurodiversity at Work 2022 An online event by the Institute of Government & Public Policy 31st March 2022, 9:00am – 4:00pm Overview of the Event It is estimated that 1 in 7 people in the UK are neurodiverse, with 90% of disabilities being invisible. Neurodiversity is an integral part of human diversity and is an invaluable part of the workplace. Well-known organisations such as Microsoft, Google and Goldman Sachs actively recruit neurodiverse individuals. Neurodiversity is an umbrella term which includes people who have dyslexia, dyspraxia (DCD), dyscalculia, Autism and ADHD. The shift in attitudes around neurodiversity is vital in creating an inclusive and diverse workforce. These differences should be accepted in the same way gender or ethnicity should be. This timely event will examine the key barriers facing neurodiverse individuals in the workplace and how these can be removed to ensure positive participation and success. It will assess the need for a more inclusive recruitment process and career development, one that supports neurodiverse talent. Understand the benefits of neurodiverse employees and the new perspective they may bring to an organisation. Through a series of keynote presentations and case studies, hear from policy leaders, leading practitioners, and charities pushing for better neurodiversity in the workplace. To view the agenda or access more information, please visit https://igpp.org.uk/event/Progressing-Neurodiversity-atWork-2022. A limited number of discounted attendance fees have been offered to SLS members, so if you are interested in attending, please contact Helen Opie at Surrey Law Society. ■
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he UK Diversity Legal Awards took place on Tuesday 30 November 2021 at Plaisterers’ Hall, London and saw inspirational nominees crowned winners in a broad range of categories, including: ■ The Recruiting Diverse Talent Award ■ The Disability Inclusion Award ■ The Mental Health & Wellbeing Award ■ The Outstanding Race & Ethnicity Employee Network Award ■ Diversity Champion of 2021 Award The Awards are the only industry awards which focus solely on recognising, promoting and celebrating equality, diversity and inclusion across the legal profession. They are open to individuals and organisations of all sizes and submissions were welcomed from firms, chambers, in-house legal teams (private and public sector), suppliers to and individuals within the legal profession. Submissions were invited that covered one, some or all aspects of diversity; to include social mobility, gender, ethnicity, disabilities and sexual orientation. For supporters and winners of a UK Diversity Legal Award, this provides a platform from which to raise the profile of the excellent work being done and also demonstrate a proactive commitment to this important area of the profession’s development. In particular, it’s hoped that these awards will help raise standards across the profession, as those making submissions seek to create ever-more impactful policies, processes and initiatives. A black-tie event, the awards dinner also presented a great opportunity to say “thank you”, to the teams and individuals within those organisations who have a handson role in managing and delivering on this important area of work. The UK Diversity Legal Awards is a Black Solicitors Network (BSN) initiative and you can find more information on the programme at: https://diversitylegalawards.org. ■
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