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Rothschild & Co | Annual Report 2017
103
1. Overview
4. Financial statements
3.
Management report
2. Business review
This year saw the launch of the Women’s Leadership Forum, where all
female Managing Directors across the firm came to London for a day and a
half’s conference. Senior male Managing Directors were invited for the first
day to discuss challenges and solutions, hearing from other companies and
Managing Directors across the firm. The second day was a female Managing
Directors only day looking at building their skill set. The conference
concluded with female Directors from London invited to a panel discussion
on concerns and hearing how others have overcome challenges of being a
successful woman at Rothschild & Co.
Resulting from the Women’s Leadership Forum a committee has been
established to look at three different workstreams; promotion and
transparency; balance for all and confidence and belief; and sponsorship
and mentoring. These workstreams will commence work in 2018.
In the United Kingdom, the Diversity Committee continues with a number
of senior representatives from each major business of the Group. The UK
Diversity Committee supports the Women’s Network and the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Network. Both Networks have organised
a number of speaker series and social events to encourage the Network’s
overall objective to provide an environment of inclusiveness. The LGBT
Network continues to be a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions
Programme which is Britain’s good practice forum on sexual orientation
in the workplace.
The focus on staff to help them manage their work-life balance continues
with a series of workshops and seminars on health and well-being as
mentioned previously in Section 3.6.
In France, measures have been put in place to promote gender equality
in three key areas: recruitment, compensation and work-life balance.
Action plans are presented and reviewed every year with our social
representatives. We also have a plan in favour of more seasoned employees
which aims to measure and enhance their professional development and
transmit knowledge within the Group.
3.8 Measures implemented to promote
employment and integration of disabled people
Rothschild & Co ensures that in each location where it operates, no
discriminatory criterion is applied for recruitment, career development and
compensation decisions. Where an employee has a disability, Rothschild &
Co works closely with them and its Occupational Health advisers to provide
the appropriate adjustments and support to ensure they can be successful
and fulfilled in the workplace. In its United Kingdom environment, the Group
also collaborates with specific organisations and charities, for example Blind
in Business, to ensure that the Group is providing the best possible care
and support to its employees.
In France, the Group’s contribution to the employment of disabled persons
is conducted by financing specialised companies and by investing in
educational projects for disabled people.
3.9 Promotion and observation of the
International Labour Organisation’s Convention
The policies implemented by Rothschild & Co adhere to and are in line with
the main provisions of the ILO Convention, for example the elimination of all
forms of forced labour, abolition of child labour, elimination of all forms of
discrimination in respect of employment and occupation examples of which
we have detailed above under Equal Opportunities, but also in respect of
freedom of association and collective bargaining.
4 Environmental information
Rothschild & Co recognises its environmental responsibilities and the
importance of being actively engaged with environmental issues. Rothschild
& Co also recognises that environmental challenges present additional
business risks and opportunities that vary in type, severity and frequency.
In recognition of the effects of climate change and its potential impact on
societies and ecosystems, resource security and the stability of economic
markets, Rothschild & Co gives consideration to climate change challenges
and opportunities that affect its business.
Accepting the importance of the decisions made at the 21
st
session of the
Conference of the Parties in Paris in December 2015, Rothschild & Co has
adopted a Group Environmental Policy and guiding vision:
“Through our operations, products and services we will aim to add value
to our and our clients’ businesses in a sustainable, environmentally-
responsible way, to conserve and protect the world’s natural resources.”
The Group Environment Policy and vision are underpinned and aligned
with the six most relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
(“SDGs”) for the Group, from the 17 SDGs defined by the United Nations.
In line with the Group’s strategy, the six goals help focus the effort of
reducing the Group’s negative environmental impact from its operations.
Whilst the Group recognises the importance of all the SDGs, it has
specifically aligned itself with those it feels most relevant to the
environmental management of the business, these are:
To maintain a consistent, focused approach on the most material
environmental impact areas of the Group’s locations, Rothschild & Co
has implemented a continuous improvement programme called the
Environmental Management Action Plan (EMAP). The EMAP is aimed at
reducing the negative environmental impact of the Group’s operations.
This plan further supports local environmental initiatives run by building
landlords where Rothschild & Co and its affiliates are tenants.