Organizational Strategy, Systems, and Processes
Good intentions are meaningless without bold action. At Seyfarth, we constantly seek to evaluate what works and how we can do better. We know that it is not enough to provide education and awareness but we must also examine the systems and processes we use in the business and practice of law. As such, we look at our talent development, human resources, compensation, and other processes with an eye of mitigating undesired consequences and addressing cultural and diversity blind spots. We also focus on measurement and accountability as a key inclusion driver.
Leadership. Our inclusion and diversity strategy is driven from the highest levels of the firm by the firm's chair and managing partner, in collaboration with our Chief Inclusion & Diversity officer. Together, they work with two national co-chairs of the Inclusion & Diversity Action Team, and regularly report to the firm’s executive committee.
National Inclusion & Diversity Action Team (DIAT). Seyfarth's inclusion and diversity initiatives are led and implemented by our leadership within a matrix organization. Besides our leadership, six firm-sponsored affinity groups support collaboration and community within Seyfarth and national participation with leading affinity bar organizations, and support our partnerships with external diversity and inclusion focused organizations. Each office also maintains a local leadership team, focused on supporting the local community and its inclusion and diversity efforts.
Policies and Practices. We develop policies and practices with a diverse workforce in mind, and have won national recognition for these practices from the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance, Working Mother magazine, and the Human Rights Campaign. We develop toolkits on hybrid work, well-being, engagement, and other topics to assist our leaders in supporting an inclusive and engaged workforce.
With the creation of Seyfarth Life, we targeted efforts to increase the firm's organizational resiliency through a focus on well-being and performance for all personnel. Seyfarth Life enables the firm to achieve the highest levels of client service and career satisfaction for all personnel through individual development, innovative benefits and career paths, user-friendly technology solutions, and the cultivation of strong interpersonal relationships. We were one of the first firms to create a formal program to address the mental and physical well-being of our people, and we are an original signatory of the American Bar Association's Well-Being Pledge. Seyfarth Life allows us to increase the resilience of personnel and improve mindfulness, which is a key strategy for increasing inclusion by helping people confront bias.