Read: Shoosmiths adds new Board backed diversity and inclusion activities for 2021
As part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion, UK law firm Shoosmiths will create new activities to drive progress on this business issue.
Shoosmiths’ Chief Executive, Simon Boss
The firm’s diversity and inclusion and learning and development teams are currently collaborating to create a new internal reciprocal mentoring programme for Shoosmiths.
Members of the firm’s senior management Board will be matched initially with a member of one of Shoosmiths’ employee-led inclusion networks on the reciprocal mentoring programme.
The programme will upskill employees on how to make a mentoring relationship mutual and will be an opportunity to discuss how the firm can make further progress and embed diversity and inclusion into the workplace, with the first mentoring sessions beginning in March 2021 and completing during the autumn.
Reciprocal mentoring aims to turn traditional mentoring on its head to open up a flow of knowledge and sharing of perspectives. In Shoosmiths’ programme, a more junior colleague will take the role of mentor and will be paired with a senior leader as their mentee, but the information flows will be two way.
The firm is also introducing a shadow Board, which will mirror the current structure of Shoosmiths’ senior management Board. Anyone working at Shoosmiths can apply for a place on the shadow Board to review the same business topics that the Board regularly meets to discuss.