In September 2021, we organised a Diversity & Inclusion themed month in our Dutch offices to raise awareness for this topic. Throughout the month, our office in The Hague was illuminated at night in rainbow colours. Activities included a lecture by a social scientist who has been researching diversity and tolerance in the Netherlands for over 10 years, and a session for the Dutch offices during which D&I within Bird & Bird was discussed by members of the Dutch and global D&I committees. Various educational materials have also been made available for employees to broaden their understanding of the importance of D&I within an organisation.
We are a member of the Dutch legal LGBT network Forward. Their mission is to promote the acceptance, recognition and visibility of LGBT’s within the Dutch legal profession. By organising meetings and networking events, Forward pursues the following goals: increasing diversity in its member organisations, creating a network for LGBT lawyers, and exchanging experiences and best practices.