Clayton Utz awarded 2017-18 WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation

Sydney, 21 February 2018: Clayton Utz has for the fourth consecutive year been awarded an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation, announced by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) today.

The firm is one of just 120 organisations to achieve the prestigious citation, which recognises the commitment and actions employers are taking towards realising workplace gender equality. The citation criteria assesses employers on remuneration, flexible working, learning and development, harassment and discrimination prevention, organisational leadership and gender equality targets.   

Clayton Utz Chief Executive Partner Rob Cutler said the citation reflected the effectiveness of the firm's approach and its progress in cultivating workplace diversity and inclusion.  

"We have achieved marked improvement through identifying and targeting the systemic issues hindering gender equality," said Rob. "One mark of our progress is our female partnership target. In 2014, we committed to improving the representation of women in the partnership and set a target of  35% women partners by 2025. In the last three years, we've moved from 19% to 27% women partners. We strongly believe this trend will continue in the coming years."

Recent diversity and inclusion initiatives at Clayton Utz include a support program for parental leavers to improve their return to work experience, and heavy investment in the firm's enhanced flexible work program for all employees, which has resulted in a 33% increase in formal flexible work arrangements since its launch in 2015, as well as a raft of informal flexible work arrangements.

Rob added that the firm was also widening its focus to invest in broader inclusion measures.

"A key learning for us has been that diversity and inclusion is best approached holistically. For example, our experience is that the actions we have undertaken to promote and improve gender equality in our firm have for the most part been actions that have benefited all our people, not just our women. Diversity and inclusion are critical to the success of our firm."