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At Edwin Coe we recognise that we must integrate our business values and operations to meet the expectations of our stakeholders. We consider our stakeholders to include clients, employees, suppliers, the community and the environment.

Our corporate social responsibility policy states:

  • We recognise that our social, economic and environmental responsibilities to these stakeholders are integral to our business. We aim to demonstrate these responsibilities through our actions and within our corporate policies.
  • We take seriously all feedback that we receive from our stakeholders and, where possible, maintain open dialogue to ensure that we fulfil our responsibilities.
  • We will be open and honest in communicating our policy and performance to our stakeholders in our continual commitment to sustainable development.
  • Our Managing Partner is responsible for the implementation of this policy and the responsibility for our performance on this policy rests with all employees throughout Edwin Coe.

For further information please contact Sean Bannister, Head of Tax and CSR.

Firm-wide Activity

  • Green Mark

    Edwin Coe has been awarded Green Mark Level 1 accreditation.

    Green Mark provides an internationally recognised environmental certification for companies that want to assure their clients and employees that they are conducting business to recognised environmental standards.

  • Free2B Alliance

    Edwin Coe’s Charity of the Year 2023/24, a London based community organisation supporting LGBTQ+ young people and their parents, championing empowerment, acceptance, providing safe spaces.

    find out more about their work

  • Aspiring Solicitors

    Edwin Coe works with Aspiring Solicitors whose aim is to provide opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds who aim to become solicitors, and to enhance diversity and inclusion within the legal profession. Their development programmes for students and graduates include coaching, mentoring, events, work experience and competitions.

    For more information please visit the Aspiring Solicitors website.

  • Living Wage Foundation

    We are a Living Wage Foundation accredited employer.

  • Global Angels Foundation

    Intellectual Property Partner Maggie Ramage regularly supports the Global Angels Foundation. Since launching in 2005, the organisation helps to transform disadvantaged communities around the world.

  • Pro Bono Work

    We are deeply committed to the charities and non-profit sector and have established a pro-bono programme which includes undertaking work for a number of charities and locally based projects. A significant amount of our pro-bono activity relates to projects in Africa, typically concerning education or work with deprived families and children, human rights and civil justice issues.

    Edwin Coe strongly supports all work undertaken by fee-earners on a pro bono basis. This includes (but is not limited to) representing those not able to afford representation in front of tribunals, including the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Competition Appeal Tribunal. We also undertake work on behalf of international bodies to assist emerging Sovereign States in relation to good governance – this work has recently included projects undertaken in Lesotho and Uganda.

  • Little Van Gogh

    Edwin Coe’s staff Corporate Responsible Survey identified support of the Arts as a preference. We are delighted to announce that we are Patron of the Arts for a small company called Little Van Gogh. They provide paintings of up and coming artists and we support their work by exhibiting artwork within our Edwin Coe board rooms. There are ten pieces of art by one artist and we change artist every two months. The changing of the artwork injects energy into the space keeping it engaging and importantly, ensures that the artwork is always noticed and doesn’t simply become part of the furniture.

    Our patronage is a fantastic talking point for clients and visitors, and all the artwork is available to purchase and is reasonably priced.

  • Dress for Success

    Edwin Coe support Dress for Success Greater London, a registered charity that provides professional attire, interview coaching and more to help disadvantaged women succeed and achieve economic independence. Dress for Success is part of a global movement for change, empowering women to obtain safer and better futures. Edwin Coe employees support this movement by donating handbags, shoes and accessories to put the finishing touches to an interview outfit.

    For more information please visit the Dress for Success website.

  • Advocate - legal assistance from volunteer barristers

    Barrister-Partner Thomas Johnson volunteers some of his time, skills and expertise as a panel member of Advocate. Advocate is a charity that matches volunteer barristers who provide pro bono legal advice, drafting, mediation assistance and representation, with deserving cases for those who are unable to obtain legal aid and cannot afford to pay.

    Read more: Thomas Johnson completes Advocate’s 25 for 25: Pro Bono Challenge

  • Charitable Events

    Edwin Coe regularly participates in charitable and fund-raising activities. Our efforts to date include hosting charitable art exhibitions. These events have helped to raise many thousands of pounds for various charities over the years, including Street Child Africa, John Groom, East Side Educational Trust, The Children’s Heart Federation, and the Parkinson’s Disease Society, to name but a few.

    The firm also sponsors and supports client-related charitable events and the participation of staff in a wide variety of local and national charitable and fund raising activities.

  • Community Involvement

    At Edwin Coe, our lawyers regularly give their time to speak to local business groups, societies and educational institutions on topics of specific concern or interest.

    Edwin Coe is delighted to support the Hoopers African Trust. Hoopers Africa Trust (HAT) is a charity founded to provide education to vulnerable girls, particularly in the rural areas close to the Masai Mara district of Kenya. Roger Hooper, the wildlife photographer, observed that many girls in these most rural areas were not receiving secondary education. Knowing the importance of educating these girls not only for themselves but for the future of Kenya, Roger was determined to do what he could to change the situation.

    In 2007 Roger founded Hoopers Africa Trust. Edwin Coe Private Client Consultant, Nick Giles, is a trustee for the Charity and is responsible for making sure that the requirements of Charity Law are satisfied. Nick carried out the legal work to set up HAT and has been involved ever since. This has included visiting Kenya to meet the students every other year since 2007.

    Since the establishment of HAT, the charity has brought immense achievements in principally girl-child education. The number of HAT beneficiaries now stands at 200. Aside from beneficiaries the charity has directly supported seminars, which have positively impacted on the others in the surrounding locality.

    In 2014 HAT celebrated its first university graduate, who subsequently went on to complete a Masters Degree in Kishwahili and Religious studies. It is a great milestone for the charity. www.hoopersafricatrust.org

  • Environmental Policy

    We take seriously our impact on the environment and take steps, wherever possible, to encourage our workforce to help reduce the firm’s carbon footprint and its impact on the environment.

    Re-cycling and environmental initiatives include (but are not limited to):

    • Cardboard is collected separately and pulped into raw product for use in various manufacturing processes.
    • Confidential waste is removed for secure shredding before being pulped and re-cycled by an approved licensed contractor.
    • Used toner cartridges are collected and used in the re-manufacturing process of new cartridges, thus avoiding landfill.
    • Lighting: office lights are turned off outside of normal office hours and low energy bulbs are used in areas of the building which are required to be permanently lit for safety reasons and throughout the offices where practical.
    • Office equipment: our policy is to switch off all computer and office equipment (where it is safe and practical to do so) at the close of each working day. Old mobile phones are sent for reuse in developing countries. Computer equipment is disposed of via Computer Aid International, an organisation which provides refurbished computers for reuse in education, health and not-for-profit organisations in developing countries.
    • Travel: the firm advocates travel by train instead of air for staff attending national meetings and encourages the use of video conferencing, where feasible, in respect of overseas meetings. Less than 3% of our work-force drive to work; the remainder travel by public transport, cycle, run or walk to work.
  • IP Inclusive

    Edwin Coe is proud to be a member of IP Inclusive, a task force committed to making the IP professions more inclusive. The organisation encourages IP professionals to adopt best practices for securing increased diversity and inclusion. They also offer diversity training and support for IP professionals.

    For further information please click here.

  • Diversity and equal opportunities

    Equality & Diversity Policy

    Statement of Policy

    The aim of this policy is to communicate the commitment of the Firm to the promotion of equality of opportunity within Edwin Coe.

    It is our policy to ensure that all job applicants and employees receive fair treatment regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic and national origin, disability, age, trade union membership, religious beliefs, work location and working hours. We do this by adhering to all equal opportunities legislation and ensuring that we are fair, objective, transparent and free from discrimination in all of our systems, processes, procedures, activities and decisions.

    We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination. All job applicants, employees and others who work for us will be treated fairly and will not be discriminated against on any of the above grounds. Decisions about recruitment and selection, promotion, training or any other benefit will be made objectively and without unlawful discrimination.

    We recognise that the provision of equal opportunities in the workplace is not only good management practice; it also makes sound business sense. Our equal opportunities policy will help all those who work for us to develop their potential and the talents and resources of the workforce will be utilised fully to maximise the efficiency of the Firm.

    To Whom Does the Policy Apply?

    Equal Opportunity policy applies to all those who work for (or apply to work for) Edwin Coe LLP:

    • Job Applicants and Potential applicants
    • Employees
    • Contract workers
    • Agency workers
    • Trainee workers and students on work experience or placements
    • Volunteer employees
    • Former employees

    Commitments

    HR has overall responsibility for ensuring the correct application and implementation of the policy.

    All partners have a responsibility to:

    • Ensure the non‐discriminatory treatment of all job applicants and employees and promote equality of opportunity.
    • Identify and remove discriminatory attitudes and practices within the firm.
    • Raise the level of employees’ awareness of the policy’s existence.
    • Deal fairly and speedily with any discriminatory issue raised in the course of employment.
    • Support and contribute to the monitoring and review process.
    • Be aware of the diverse needs of employees and support them appropriately.

    All employees have a responsibility to:

    • Comply with this policy and continue to ensure that the principles of equal opportunities and diversity in the workplace are upheld.
    • Treat colleagues and stakeholders with dignity and respect.
    • Have due regard to equal opportunities in the work they do and decisions they make. Promote diversity in the workplace.

    Legislative Basis

    The acts listed below set out the legal basis of equal opportunities. They also provide for rights of appeal and sanctions to be invoked where discrimination is proved. The relevant acts are:

    • Sex Discrimination Act 1975
    • Race Relations Act 1976 and 2000 as amended
    • Disability Discrimination Act 1995
    • Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 Part‐time Workers

    (Prevention of less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2

    • Equal Pay Act 1970
    • Data Protection Act 1998
    • Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1994
    • The Asylum and Immigration Act 1996

    Implementation

    HR has specific responsibility for the effective implementation of this policy. Each partner, fee earner and business support staff also has responsibilities and we expect all our employees to abide by the policy and help create the equality environment which is its objective.

    In order to ensure this policy is disseminated and adhered to, we shall:

    • Communicate the policy to employees, job applicants, and contract or agency workers.
    • Incorporate specific and appropriate duties in respect of implementing the equal opportunities policy into job descriptions and work objectives of all staff.
    • Provide equality training and guidance as appropriate, including training during induction and management courses.
    • Ensure that those who are involved in assessing candidates for recruitment or promotion are trained in non‐discriminatory selection techniques.
    • Incorporate equal opportunities notices into general communications practices, (e.g. Induction programmes, staff newsletters, and intranet).
    • Obtain commitments from other persons or organisations such as subcontractors or agencies that they too will comply with the policy in their dealings with our Firm and our workforce.
    • A diverse workplace is promoted and celebrated through our policies and how we operate.
    • Ensure that adequate resources are made available to fulfil the objectives of the policy.

    Monitoring and Review

    We shall establish appropriate information and monitoring systems to assist the effective implementation of our equal opportunities policy. The effectiveness of our equality and diversity policy will be reviewed regularly and will be updated in accordance with new legislation introduced which needs to be reflected in the policy.

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