DLA Piper recognised for Best Social Mobility Strategy and Sustainability in Early Talent Recruitment

Last Thursday, DLA Piper won the Best Social Mobility Strategy and Sustainability in Early Talent Recruitment awards at the targetjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2024. The awards are one of the most recognised early careers recruitment accolades in the UK, celebrating employers across all industries and sectors who offer the best early careers recruitment and development activities.

The Best Social Mobility Strategy award recognises the strength of the firm’s widening participation approach to targeting, attracting, and recruiting students from lower socio-economic groups across DLA Piper’s early careers programmes. A key part of our diversity, equality and inclusiveness policy is that a person’s start in life does not determine the type of job they go into and the success they have in their career.

The Sustainability in Early Talent Recruitment award was decided by student judges in a rigorous process and recognises how the firm has embedded its sustainability strategy in early careers activities, enabling early careers hires to thrive in a more sustainable future whilst ensuring that sustainability is considered within our student recruitment processes and programmes.

Alongside, these two wins, DLA Piper was also shortlisted in the Most Popular Graduate Recruiter in Law category.

Commenting on the award is Jean-Pierre Douglas Henry, Managing Director, Sustainability and Resilience, DLA Piper: “Achieving this external recognition for our commitment to sustainability in our early careers programmes is a brilliant achievement for the firm. Sustainability is a strategic priority for the firm, and we are committed to making businesses better by helping clients and communities transition to and thrive in a more sustainable future. Sustainability education is central to achieving this, and we are committed to equipping students, apprentices and graduates with the knowledge and skills required to make the transition to a more sustainable economy.”

Sandra M Wallace CBE, Joint Managing Director, UK and Europe and Executive Partner Co-sponsor of Horizons, our social mobility people network added: “Talent is everywhere, yet opportunity is not. We are committed to creating change in the legal profession enabling talent from all social backgrounds to be welcomed and nurtured to create meaningful careers. Our student, graduate and apprenticeship programmes provide early careers experiences that that set individuals’ up for long-term career success, and I’m looking forward to welcoming our fourth intake of solicitor apprentices to the firm later this year.”

Susan Broadway, Head of Talent Acquisition, added: “Sustainability and social mobility are central pillars of our early careers work, and I’m delighted that we’ve been recognised for our work in these important areas.”