Transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson, which has its second largest UK office in Bristol, has strengthened its commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment by adopting the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles.
The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPS) are a set of seven principles that offer guidance to businesses on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community. 
They are jointly established by the UN Global Compact and UN Women and are aligned with international labour standards and human rights.
By signing the WEPs, Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) joins a global network of more than 7,000 organisations dedicated to advancing gender equality and creating a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
The WEPs also support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on gender equality.
WBD officially signed the principles this week to coincide with an event hosted by WBD Thrive, the firm’s women’s network, and WBD Reach, its Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage network, for International Women’s Day (IWD).
Former England international footballer Anita Asante spoke at the event, sharing her stories of teamwork, allyship and discussing how individuals and organisations can help build inclusive working environments.
Anita is a passionate ambassador for Show Racism the Red Card, the UK’s anti-racism educational charity, and Amnesty International UK.
She has become one of the game’s leading advocates and allies, championing marginalised communities and promoting the need for gender, racial and LGBTQ+ equality.
WBD UK managing partner Paul Stewart said adopting the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles was a public statement of the firm’s support and commitment to being a responsible business leader.
“These principles provide a powerful framework to advance gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community and we are committed to playing our part in setting a global norm for the private sector,” he added.
“As a firm, we hold ourselves accountable and have a number of initiatives and policies in place to foster a diverse and inclusive culture, such as our gender pay gap reporting, our agile working scheme, our mentoring and sponsorship programmes, and our involvement in various networks and campaigns.
“We recognise that there is always more to be done and we will continue to work with our clients, colleagues and communities to drive positive change.”
Sima Bahous, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women said: “We congratulate Womble Bond Dickinson for taking the first step on their WEPs journey.
“We consider Womble Bond Dickinson a key partner in closing gender gaps in the workplace, marketplace and community and in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.”
