Consilio released its Diversity & Inclusion 2020 Annual Report, the company’s second annual report on its D&I program. The report outlines key company initiatives and progress made in 2020 to address diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and sets out Consilio’s goals for 2021. To underscore its commitment in this area, the company announced that it expanded its D&I leadership team with the appointment of three senior-level executives responsible for overseeing initiatives in the year ahead.
“While D&I has always been a focus for our organization, the events of 2020 furthered our commitment to purposefully maintain momentum of Consilio’s initiatives to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace,” said Andy Macdonald, CEO of Consilio. “We are encouraged by our progress on some of these most critical issues, but there’s still significant work ahead as we set our ambitious goals for 2021 and continue to focus on sustaining a culture of inclusivity.”
D&I Highlights from 2020
The report explains key initiatives undertaken in 2020 and details performance against goals, including:
Increasing Workforce Demographics - The report provides an overview of Consilio’s workforce demographics and its progress on collecting more and better demographic data. The company reported the following data regarding those employees who self-identified their diversity dimensions:
- Forty-four percent of document review attorneys in the U.S. identify as lawyers of color
- Fifty-six percent of document review attorneys in the U.S. are female
- Women comprise 38% of Consilio’s global workforce
- Employees of color represent 33% of Consilio’s U.S. workforce
Improving Inclusion Survey Results - Consilio conducted a two-phase survey of employees about workplace inclusion to assess their views on culture, first in May and then again in December. In May, the survey showed that 81% of employees responding felt that Consilio was inclusive, which increased to 85% in December. When polled on whether they felt personally included in their workplace at Consilio, 77% reported feeling that way in May, which increased to 81% later in the year.
Expanding Recruiting Pool of Diverse Applicants - To strengthen the company’s recruiting and hiring process, Consilio’s HR team rolled out two new recruiting platforms with the goals of broadening recruitment sources and attracting a more diverse pool of applicants. The new platforms will enable Consilio to tap into a network of more than 15,000 community organizations and promote job opportunities to a more diverse pool of candidates.
Creating Employee Affinity Groups - Consilio formed an Affinity Group Steering Committee to help strengthen the sense of inclusion at the company and promote workplace diversity. Using input from internal employee surveys and following best practices, the Committee oversaw the launch of four affinity groups focused on Black employees, women’s issues, multi-cultural workforce issues, and health & wellness.
Continuing to Invest in Local Communities - Consilio was able to continue its tradition of financial contributions and sponsorships to organizations that work to advance diversity and equity, and to serve the disadvantaged in the communities where their offices are located. This year, Consilio supported more than 40 mission-driven organizations.
Looking to the Year Ahead
The report also outlines key D&I focus areas for Consilio in 2021, including:
Analyzing Workforce Diversity Data - Consilio will expand its analysis of the diversity demographics of its workforce to better manage progress towards diversity goals. A major part of the effort will be encouraging more employees to self-identify diversity characteristics in recurring surveys, as well as improving standardization of diversity metrics data collection.
Fostering Workplace Inclusion - Consilio plans to heighten its focus on a culture of inclusion, through the expansion of its affinity group network and the creation of other programs designed to bring together and solicit the viewpoints of its diverse, global workforce.
Increasing Supplier Diversity - Consilio will launch a significant new program around supplier diversity. Beginning with analyzing the company’s current spend on vendors, it will establish go-forward goals for increasing its spend with diverse suppliers.
Consilio Expands D&I Leadership Structure
To underscore its commitment to achieving tangible progress on D&I initiatives this year, Consilio has expanded its D&I leadership team with three senior appointments:
Maureen O’Neill has been appointed Diversity & Inclusion Officer, responsible for leading strategy and efforts that create a diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment. Having previously served in roles supporting the firm’s D&I initiatives, she will continue partnering with the internal Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board and the Client Advisory Board on Diversity & Inclusion.
Nicola Mason has been appointed to the newly created role of Program Lead for Workplace Diversity. She will be responsible for assessing workforce demographics, setting diversity benchmarks and goals, and maintaining a diverse pipeline of candidates for opportunities at Consilio.
James Edwell has been appointed to the newly created role of Program Lead for Workplace Inclusion. He will create programming designed to foster a culture of inclusion by ensuring that all employees feel valued and empowered, their viewpoints are heard, and they are comfortable expressing their authentic selves at work.
“As we continue to face challenging circumstances around the world, more than ever organizations must heighten their focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace,” said O’Neill. “I’m energized by the ambitious goals we’ve set for ourselves going forward, and look forward to serving with Nicola, James, and other leaders across Consilio as we build an even more diverse and inclusive work environment.”