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A mini-guide to Corporate Social Responsibility CMS Cameron McKenna LLP
Message from Dick Tyler CSR is a key initiative in our Best Practice objectives. Our strategy encourages each partner and employee to spend 50 hours per year on CSR activity. For fee-earners, this target is intended to be in addition to the chargeable hours target. Equating to one hour a week, I am sure that the 50 hour target can be achieved without compromising utilisation figures. CSR works for us on a number of levels. It provides us with an opportunity to make a positive contribution to the communities in which we operate and to help provide access to legal support to those who need it but cannot afford it. Clients expect it as part of the fabric of the firms they work with and many like the fact that it is integral to our culture. It also provides engagement opportunities with them - participation in joint CSR initiatives is ideal for client bonding. At an individual level it is beneficial for personal and career development. Using professional expertise for CSR purposes leads to energized and refreshed minds, a feel good factor and often provides invaluable experience and skill development potential. It provides opportunities for team bonding and cross sector/department collaboration, and with a good cause benefitting, it is a win-win situation. As Senior Partner, I encourage you all to take advantage of the fantastic menu of pro bono, volunteering and charitable opportunities our firm has to offer.
CSR at CMS There are a number of ways you can achieve 50 hours of CSR time at our firm. By using our expertise and knowledge for the benefit of our local communities, we not only share best practice, but also gain new skills and broaden our horizons. We have a range of activities that you can get involved in and we hope that there is something that will appeal to everyone - from ad hoc business advice, raising money for charity or weekly sessions reading with school children. Our programme of CSR activity are split into six key areas‌ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Pro bono legal advice Social mobility and education Charity partnerships and giving Business expertise for not-for-profit organisations Diversity and Inclusion Environment
All partners and employees are encouraged to participate, turn over to see how you can get involved‌ To ensure we are achieving our target of 50 CSR hours per person, we need you to record them. For partners and fee earners please record your CSR hours under the PROFIT.00005 code and for support staff, please complete the monthly CSR time recording survey.
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1. Pro bono legal advice
LawWorks – sign up to the email group and receive monthly opportunities through various projects – LawWorks Community Groups, Email Advice, Mediation and Individuals Casework. Mainly desk based but occasional client facing. Contact Robert Powell. Advocates for International Development (A4ID) – sign up to the email distribution list and receive case requests in the areas of corporate, banking, litigation, real estate, general commercial, intellectual property, energy or international law, in the context of international development, as well as invitations to working group and public events. You can work in teams or individually. Desk based. Contact Catherine Westcott.
4 | Recording your CSR hours: PROFIT.00005 code
Islington Law Centre – clinics held on Monday evenings on issues such as Utility disputes, Debt/bankruptcy concerns, Landlord/tenant problems and Consumer/ Employment issues. Transport to the clinic provided. Client facing and some desk work. Contact Jai Patel or Scarlett West.
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2. Social mobility and education Hackney Mentoring Programme – partner with a Year 10 student in Hackney and help raise their aspirations with CV tips, career guidance and build friendships. Time commitment is flexible but recommended at least every fortnight. Contact Ingrid Blackwood-Belle or Billy Dunbar. Reading and Numbers – visit Year 5 pupils one lunchtime per week and spend 30 minutes one to one helping with their literacy or numeracy skills. Transport provided. Contact Billy Dunbar. Lawyers in Schools – bring the law to life for students! Take part in open discussions about areas of the law that affect young people - Family Law, Consumer Rights, Police Powers, Intellectual Property and Human Rights. Contact Robert Powell or Mark Jenkins in London. Fern Bunyan or Mihaela Grigorescu in Bucharest. 6 | Recording your CSR hours: PROFIT.00005 code
PRIME – PRIME is a legal sector initiative aiming to provide fairer access to law. Each year we invite 30 students to spend the week with us providing them with an unforgettable and meaningful insight into a top City law firm. There are a number of ways you can get involved including; delivering a career talk, having a student(s) work shadow you, delivering an employability workshop or acting as a mentor. Contact Ellie Garvey or Robert Powell for details. Bursary Competition – Our bursary competition is designed to support students from economically less privileged backgrounds from their initial application to university, by providing mentoring and advice for UCAS applications and the LNAT test, through to graduation, by contributing to their living costs while they study for their degree. The selection process involves an initial essay competition, followed by an interview. You can participate by designing essay questions, promoting the scheme to schools, checking eligibility criteria, marking essays, mentoring students or interviewing candidates. Contact Sarah Hyde or Ellie Garvey.
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3. C harity partnerships and giving
Workplace Giving UK We at CMS Cameron McKenna are a generous bunch. Did you know that almost a third of our UK staff donate through the Work Place Giving Scheme (WPG)? WPG is a tax-free and easy way to donate to your favourite charity. Simply sign up to the programme, choose which charity and how much you want to donate, and that’s it! Your donations will come straight out of your monthly salary - tax free! Examples of how your money can go so much further: 20% Tax band You donate £10 - the charity gets - £12.50 40% Tax Band You donate £10 - the charity gets - £16.66 50% Tax Band You donate £10 – the charity gets - £20 If you would like any further information on Work Place Giving, please contact Robert Powell. 8 | Recording your CSR hours: PROFIT.00005 code
CMS Cameron McKenna Foundation Each year, the CMS Cameron McKenna Foundation distributes grants between £500 - £1000 to charities who are put forward by employees. The Foundation is typically open for applications during the month of March. All employees are welcome to apply. Please contact Susan Barty for further information. Matched funding All employees are entitled to £200 per person per year matched funding for fundraising initiatives. Please note that this is not inclusive of Special Olympics GB, which will receive a firm donation at the conclusion of the partnership.
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Special Olympics is the firm’s charity partner until April 2013. Special Olympics provide year-round sports facilities for children and adults with learning disabilities of all levels. Our support spans right across our UK and CEE offices and you can play your part by volunteering, fundraising or offering pro bono/ business advice. You don’t have to be a sports fanatic, just show some enthusiasm, commitment and a little creativity. Volunteering – help out at local Special Olympics sports clubs by mentoring or coaching an athlete. Or how about setting up events or simply making refreshments for the athletes? Fundraising – no matter how much it raises, every little helps. From helping sell sweets on pay day each month to trekking the Himalayas you can get involved. If you have any ideas please contact Robert Powell. Pro Bono – Special Olympics are an international charity and occasionally require legal advice free of charge. Business advice – how about using your Marketing or HR skills and providing specialist advice to Special Olympics when they need it? Please contact Robert Powell for general information. 10 | Recording your CSR hours: PROFIT.00005 code
Barts and the London Charity (B+TLC) – B+TLC is an independent healthcare charity that supports Barts and The London NHS Trust. Our partnership started in 2010 and we hope to build a long and sustainable relationship with B+TLC by involving partners and employees in the following activities: Fundraising – you can run, walk, trek or cycle to raise funds or how about organising your own event? Volunteering – take young patients out on museum trips, be a hospital radio DJ, spend time with the elderly patients or how about decorating the children’s ward at Christmas time? Barts Committee – you can join the Barts Committee and be part of the strategic process. By liaising with B+TLC you can create volunteering and fundraising opportunities for your colleagues as well as participate! Please contact Billy Dunbar for further information.
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4. Business expertise for not-for-profit organisations Many people are invited to become trustees of charities or involved on committees due to their professional expertise and networks. Some participate in government initiatives looking for solutions to help our society, others like to volunteer or offer their skills to local hospices or charities close to where they live. Some people are school governors or sit on boards of social enterprises and some people even use their holiday allowance to fulfil these commitments. If it is appropriate for your efforts in this area to be recognised within the firm’s policy we would certainly like to hear from you and to record these hours under the PROFIT.00005 code. Please contact Robert Powell to register this activity. There is no obligation to record these hours but we would encourage you to do so. The firm’s policy on holding outside appointments and guidance relating to some of the risks can be found in “Managing Risk” on Spark. Appointments made in a purely private capacity do not need prior consent but those with clients require the approval of the Board, and those made in connection with your work should have the consent of your Practice Group Manager or office Managing Partner. If the appointment has sufficient connection with the firm’s business then your position could be covered by the firm’s D&O insurance and you should notify Craig Perry if you think this may be relevant to you. 12 | Recording your CSR hours: PROFIT.00005 code
5. Going green Part of our CSR success is attributed to our commitment to the environment. We appreciate that our offices and ways of working have an impact on our planet. A serious commitment to behave responsibly requires a demonstration of continued success and for several years, through dedicated management working with our environmental practice group, we have reduced our impact on the environment and have built the foundations for long term benefit. Recognised by clients and industry bodies, we have: —— reduced the operating times of our building systems to reduce energy consumption and thus carbon emissions. We saw a 8% reduction in 2010 and are well on the way to achieving a further 4% in 2011; —— over 100,000 kg of recycled waste including paper, cardboard, cans, plastics, glass and food waste; There are many more areas where we have been successful and further details can be found on Spark. You can get involved in supporting the firm to continue the good work; just turning off your PC, monitor and printer can have a huge impact. If you would like to get more involved and are passionate about the environment, please join our Green Team by contacting Paul Tritton for further details. 13
6. Diversity and Inclusion
The firm is committed to developing and supporting a diverse workplace that is reflective of the talents of society as a whole and that recognises high performers regardless of age, disability, gender, race/ethnicity, religion/belief or sexual orientation. Our diversity and inclusion programme aims to provide structure and formality around what is already a very supportive and respectful firm culture. The programme is led by the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, who advise on its strategic direction and annual plans, work with management on firm policies or related issues, and provide support and guidance for the firm’s networks. All our networks are inclusive and open to the entire firm. Partners and employees have the opportunity to join a network and participate in a variety of internal and client-facing network activities as part of their CSR time commitment.
14 | Recording your CSR hours: PROFIT.00005 code
Our current networks are: —— —— —— ——
Christian network Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) network Parents & Carers network Women’s network
If anyone wishes to set up a new network that contributes to the firm’s diversity and inclusion agenda, the committee can advise and support you in doing so. Please contact Daniel Winterfeldt or Donna Gildea for more information.
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Recording your CSR hours: PROFIT.00005 code For partners and fee-earners, all CSR activity should be recorded to the PROFIT.00005 code and then select one of the options in the drop down menu below.
When working on pro bono work for deserving individuals or third sector organisations, you should follow the usual procedures by opening a file and sending a retainer letter. For support staff, you will be sent a monthly reminder to record your hours in a simple survey. Please contact Robert Powell for further information.
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Setting up new programmes We are always keen to launch new programmes that fit within the firm’s CSR strategy, particularly in our regional UK and CEE offices. In Bristol, you can participate in the Reading Programme, Lawyers in Schools in Bucharest or in Warsaw you can collaborate with volunteers in London on the Welcome to Our World Project. If you have an idea for a new initiative please contact a member of the CSR Committee who will advise you of next steps.
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And finally‌ meet the CSR Committee The CSR Committee consists of senior management, fee earners and support staff to allow full coverage of the firm. The Committee meets regularly and its primary role is to support and govern the overall strategic direction of our corporate responsibility schemes and to encourage new initiatives both in the UK and overseas, ensuring our activities are aligned with the firm’s strategic plan and values. If you have any questions about our CSR programme, please contact a member of the CSR Committee.
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Robert Powell CSR Manager
Helen Rodwell Int’l Manager CEE Region
Olivia Quaid Partner
Guy Pendell Partner
Dick Tyler Senior Partner
Edward Benzecry Partner
Maxine Cupitt Partner
Paul Smith Partner
Donna Gildea Head of Information Technology
Scarlett West Solicitor
Craig Perry General Counsel
Heidi Keville Solicitor
Victoria Sabin Director of Communications
Gemma Sainsbury Solicitor
Tarryn Lazarus Senior Comms Executive
Michele Glover Secretary Commercial
Jennifer Emery Director of People
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© CMS Cameron McKenna LLP 2012
CMS Cameron McKenna LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registration number OC310335. It is able to provide international legal services to clients utilising, where appropriate, the services of its associated international offices. The associated international offices of CMS Cameron McKenna LLP are separate and distinct from it. We use the word “partner” to refer to a member, or an employee or consultant with equivalent standing and qualifications. Further information about the firm can be found at www.cms-cmck.com
Registered address: Mitre House, 160 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4DD. 1112-001193-2