A business like ours is truly dependent on the enthusiasm,
commitment and intellect of its people, as well as the quality of
the relationships that they build with clients. We firmly
believe that treating people well pays dividends and that
philosophy is at the heart of everything we do.
We are the largest law firm in the country to obtain a
Silver Investors in People award, having been one of the first law
firms in the UK to receive IiP accreditation across all of our
offices in 2000. Our 'Academy', is a national training
initiative designed to align learning and development for both
lawyers and support staff with the firm's business
objectives. We invest substantially each year in learning and
development because we believe this ensures our people are at the
top of their game and can provide the best service to
clients. We have developed a comprehensive competency
framework for all our lawyers that is designed to encourage
behaviours that will assist in the development, recruitment and
retention of our people.
The Beachcroft Forum is a consultation and
information-sharing group comprising representatives from each
location. The group has helped as a sounding-board in a
number of areas, including the firm's bonus scheme.
We are committed to improving the impact of our business on
society, on the environment and on the economies of the regions
within which our offices are based and we are working to align our
commitment to pro bono and other voluntary work with our approach
to investing in people. We recognise the wish of many people
in our business to work voluntarily, using their legal,
professional and personal skills within a structure provided by the
firm to maximise the beneficial impact of their contribution.
We recently published our environmental charter and although we
have the second lowest carbon footprint in the legal market it is
our intention to reduce our carbon-dioxide emissions further this
year by 5 per cent. We will achieve this objective by
reducing waste, recycling, reusing materials, realigning our
policies and practices, and refocusing our behaviours.