The Company is committed to ensuring that we operate in an ethical manner and take responsibility for our community, environment, and our people.

 

The Company is committed to ensuring that we operate in an ethical manner and take responsibility for our community, environment, and our people. We will be open and honest in communicating our policy and performance in our continual commitment to sustainable development.

The responsibility for our performance on this policy rests with all employees.

 

1. Environmental Initiatives

Oakwood Solicitors Ltd is committed to achieving a sustainable and environmentally efficient working environment. The principles of sustainability are integrated into our daily activities and business practices.

This additionally plays into how we source our supplies and the volume of supplies we order; this is done to prevent mass waste and reduce our carbon footprint. Equipment when not in use if switched off or set to sleep, and we are in the process of changing light fittings to LED panels to reduce our energy consummation.

We are dedicated to reducing paper consumption and to recycling as much of our waste as possible. Our Industrial Disease department has taken the step to
become completely paperless. The department has been paperless for the last 5 years, our aim is to continue with this motion across other departments in the
firm, our aim is to reduce our paper usage by 25% over the coming year.

Drinking water is provided to staff by means of a filtration system from the mains water supply, additionally they have access to water coolers that are distributed
throughout the building.

This prevents the need to supply mineral water bottles and reduces waste. Staff have also been provided with re-usable branded water
bottles; this is to prevent additional plastic waste. Drinking glasses are provided for staff and clients, rather than disposable plastic cups, to additionally reduce
waste. This is the same for hot drinks.

 

2. Charitable Causes & Activities

Partners, Solicitors and support staff work together to support a range of charitable organisations. This support is expressed through numerous activities such as; fundraising, charitable schemes, Free Will Months, free legal advice sessions and training for the wider community. We actively encourage staff involvement in supporting the wider community.

The head of our Stress at Work department and Director Jessica Rowson is on a panel of experts who are campaigning for legislative change, to provide
change for those who suffer from workplace bullying. This is an exciting venture for us, and one which we hope will have a positive impact on the legal
landscape of employment law.

We have also spent the last couple of years working towards a number of accreditations. To date, we are recognised with:

• Disability Confident Employers
• Child Friendly Leeds Ambassadors
• Vulnerable Adult Training
• Dementia Friends
• Solicitors For the Elderly
• Leeds Domestic Violence Service

We have been more recently involved in ‘The Free Solicitor Advice’ project. We have also been offering pro-bono services to a number of organisations including,
but not limited to:

• Beat Autism
• Breast Cancer Haven
• Chasing the Stigma
• Leeds Cares
• Leeds Domestic Violence Service (including Leeds Women’s Aid,
  Women’s Health Matters & Behind Closed Doors)
• Leeds Survivors Led Crisis Service
• Leeds Weekend Cares Association
• Mencap
• Muted
• National Bullying Helpline
• Papyrus
• RSPCA
• St. Gemma’s

We hope that in providing access to free legal advice, as we have been doing, we can help a wider range of clients to gain access to the help and support that they
need, which they would have otherwise been unable to fund.

 

3 Disability Confident Employer

Being a Disability Confident Employer means that we are committed to challenging attitudes towards disability and want to increase understanding of
disability in our workplace. We want to support; employees, applicants, clients, and caregivers in every aspect of our business and throughout a claims process.

As a business we commit to:

• being inclusive and accessible during our recruitment process
• communicating vacancies to the disability confident scheme
• offering an interview to a person who considers themselves to have a
  disability
• providing reasonable adjustments and measures for all disabilities
• supporting existing employees who have disabilities with any adjustments
  they may need
• supporting and supplying specialized services to our clients with disabilities
• supporting caregivers and clients with disabilities through external events
  and talks have clear and concise documents and data.

We commit to do this by:

• having inclusive; work experience schemes, apprenticeships, employment,
  placements, and internships.
• by altering the way that we relay information to clients to make it clear and
  concise
• to make reasonable adjustments and have regular Health & Safety checks
  to maintain safety for both employees and clients alike.
• by hosting events and talks for caregivers and someone who considers
  themselves to have a disability so that they are made aware of what
  services are available to them and can assist them.
• by making all our online and written content clear and concise. Whether this be adjusting documents, forms, and letters – so that all clients have a clear understanding of the work that is being undertaken and of what they are agreeing to.

 

4. Child Friendly Leeds Ambassadors

As a Child Friendly Leeds Ambassador, Oakwood Solicitors Ltd stands for the right that every child has the right to the best possible; health, education, opportunities, and services – for them to live their best possible lives. We are working towards creating better outcomes and opportunities for children and young people in Leeds.

We commit to:

• offering work placements dependent upon skill alone (a person’s
  background or personal circumstances will not be taken into account.)
• work with young people to help them develop CV writing skills, complete
  mock job interviews and provide feedback on the work experience they have
  provided.
• by offering apprenticeships, internships, work placement programmes, and
  student placements.
• by connecting with our local schools and offering advice sessions to parents
  for planning for their futures and that of their child’s.
• Supporting parents and guardians through events, services, and advice
  given.
• to promote this through our networks and social media accounts, along with
  providing clear and concise documentation.
• promote online safety amongst children and young people. Support
  campaigns of this nature, and actively engage in change.
• support the ‘Get comfortable talking about it’ campaign to raise awareness
  of the issue of domestic violence.
• work with our local Domestic Violence Prevention charities and
  organisations, support them both financially and in-kind to protect all
  children.
• as a firm with a Psychiatric Injury team, and Mental health first aiders, we
  will work to assist; young people, their families and the professionals who
  support young people, with emotional wellbeing and mental health issues.
• campaigning for open conversations surrounding Mental Health issues, and
  the prevention of bullying and harassment.
• by supporting and offering our services to charities, organisations, and
  networks – that support and assist children throughout different aspects of
  life.

 

5. Promoting Individuality

At Oakwood Solicitors, we promote equality and diversity in the workplace as well as our policies and procedures. We take a strict approach to breaches of these
policies and any issues will be dealt with in accordance with our Disciplinary Procedures.

We ensure that we do not discriminate against or harass other people including current and former employees, job applicants, clients, customers, suppliers and visitors. This applies in the workplace, outside the workplace, when dealing with customers, suppliers or other work-related contacts or on any occasion when a staff member is representing the company.

The firm provides an environment which allows everyone to develop and grow regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, maternity or pregnancy, race, religion or belief.

We have a 75% workforce of women at Oakwood Solicitors that work part time, full time, or flexi-hours to ensure that they achieve a work-life balance with their children, friends and family. This is also highlighted in that 30% of our staff have children.

The Managing Director and fellow Directors are all female and we are big advocates at Oakwood Solicitors of ensuring that women are given fair and equal opportunities in the workplace. We have seen home grown talent go up through the ranks to become solicitors, senior fee earners and Heads of Departments and we are proud of all their accomplishments.

Oakwood Solicitors Ltd has a focus on championing women in the workplace. Oakwood Solicitors Ltd is proud to promote individuality and encourage an equal
working environment, the firm has an inclusive culture in which every person is valued and is allowed to make an individual contribution in a working environment
which is free from any form of discrimination.

 

6. Physical & Mental Wellbeing

At Oakwood Solicitors, we are a team who values the mental and physical health of our employees. In regard to Mental Health and awareness, we have four qualified and trained mental health first aiders who are available to assist and help our staff as much as possible.

We also have an EAP service known as lifeworks that is available to all staff. Staff have their own personal logins and are offered an anonymous advice and support
service should they require it or deem it necessary. We have a strict Safeguarding, Health & Safety policy in place and have eight qualified first aiders on hand at the offices.

They are all up to date on their training and able to assist should it be deemed necessary. Equally, we invest in equipment which enable staff with long-term physical health problems to work efficiently and comfortably.
We have fire marshals across the buildings equally, who are trained, and regular fire safety training is provided to all staff.

 

7. Tackling Economic Inequality

On our path to tackling economic inequality. We look to invest in our staff, we want to retain and help grow our staff, which is why we continually look to
invest in training and courses which enable our staff to grow along with the business.

We also pride ourselves on the fact that we have managed to retain staff and even grow our numbers by approximately 20% headcount throughout the pandemic. We are keen to give young workers most effected by the crisis the opportunity to get their carers back on track and actively use the government apprenticeship programme for some departments across the firm.

We work with multiple companies in the apprenticeship programme to help young adults enter into the legal sector and we offer those who complete the
course with us the opportunity to stay on in a full-time role. During their apprenticeship we also offer training across a variety of departments so that apprentices can apply for other jobs within the company to receive promotions.

We also have a solicitor trainee on our books – one of the first companies to utilise this newly created route into qualification as a solicitor. This route was previously unavailable, its purpose to offer greater access to the legal sector without the requirement to attend university.

We offer a bonus scheme to our fee earning staff members in order to thank them for their contributions to the firm and additionally we have yearly pay reviews and promotions.