A&O is one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Women for the third year in a row
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The list, which is announced annually, has now been running for more than a decade and identifies companies with gender equality as part of their business strategy. This year employers have been assessed on areas including their approach to recruitment, family friendly policies and how they have championed gender equality in the context of the pandemic.
Commenting on the firm’s inclusion on the list, A&O senior partner Wim Dejonghe said: “It is great news to see the firm included on this list again. We are committed to building on the strong representation of women in senior positions at A&O, so the recognition of these efforts by such a high-profile and well-established listing is particularly pleasing.
We recognise that barriers in the workplace can exist for women whatever their role and we will continue to address them through a range of measures including leadership accountability for talent management and effective sponsorship. Over the last 12 months this has meant adapting to the new challenges brought about by the pandemic – for example, we have updated the support we provide to new parents, both men and women, and ensured that people with family caring responsibilities can work with the flexibility they need.
Wim Dejonghe, A&O senior partner
Charlotte Woodworth, Gender Equality Director at Business in the Community, said: “Covid-19 has shone a light on how far we have to go on gender equality: by having to pick up things like the bulk of extra caring responsibilities, women have been disproportionately affected by lockdown.
“We congratulate the many employers who have maintained their efforts towards gender equality at this time, often introducing innovative policies to support their workforce during this period. This year’s application process for The Times Top 50 Employers for Women was the most competitive one we have seen in five years. Employers like Allen & Overy haven’t forgotten women at work and they are committed to making gender inequality a thing of the past.”