Corporate Social Responsibility

Since Ravenscroft & Schmierer was founded in 1985, we have made it our mission to be inclusive, sustainable and to promote diversity. We are one of the first signatories of the Diversity and Inclusion Charter for Employers of the EOC (Equal Opportunities Commission). Moreover, we are proud to be a Shark-Free Company following the HKSF (Hong Kong Shark Foundation) guidelines. In addition, Ravenscroft & Schmierer is a member of the SALG (South Asian Lawyers Group) where we regularly recruit interns, and we signed the Green Arbitration Pledge.

Additionally, we are a supporting organisation of the Equal Love Coalition, as we believe that everyone should have equal opportunities in life, and our LGBT+ employees should be treated equally and be able to live a life free of prejudice and discrimination.

Diversity and Inclusion Charter

We believe that racial discrimination should be tackled in the workspace. As such, Ravenscroft & Schmierer became one of the first signatories of the Racial Diversity & Inclusion Charter for Employers of the EOC (Equal Opportunities Commission). We hoped that by joining this initiative and embracing the best possible practices, we can go one step further into promoting diversity and inclusion.

The EOC is responsible for implementing the four anti-discrimination ordinances in Hong Kong, namely the Sex Discrimination Ordinance, Disability Discrimination Ordinance, Family Status Discrimination Ordinance and the Race Discrimination Ordinance.

A key strategic priority of the EOC is to ensure equal opportunities in employment for racial minorities, and to encourage and promote racial diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace. The Charter provides employers with a checklist of policies and practices to further their D&I objectives, which we have implemented at Ravenscroft & Schmierer.

The Firm's Diversity in Numbers

66%

Female employees

Nationalities

Average age of employees

Hong Kong Shark Foundation

Every year, at least 100 million sharks are caught worldwide for shark fins and other products, with over 50% of the world’s shark fin being traded through Hong Kong alone. As apex predators, sharks are a crucial part of the marine food chain. The demand for shark products has contributed to the rapid decline of many species, with several already nearing extinction.

Removing sharks from our oceans will threaten the delicate balance of ecosystems that are valuable sources of food and key elements in regulating our climate. Oceans absorb carbon, generate oxygen and are essential to our survival on the planet.

Therefore, Ravenscroft & Schmierer committed to become a shark-free company in 2022.

Campaign for Greener Arbitrations

Ravenscroft & Schmierer is a signatory of the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations, an initiative to reduce the environmental impact of international arbitrations. The campaign was founded by international arbitrator, Lucy Greenwood, in 2019, with the aim of significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the arbitration community. As such, we are committed to achieving sustainable change in the way arbitrations are managed. We promote awareness of the environmental impact of arbitrations and best practice guides on ways we all can act to minimise our carbon footprint.

Pledge for Greener Litigation

The Firm adopted the toolkit launched by the Greener Litigation, ensuring that the Firm’s policies, operations, and litigation practices have taken into consideration the environmental impact.

As part of our commitment, the following procedures are in place:

corresponding to clients and employees electronically, unless a hard copy is expressly required;
question the need to use hard copies when requested;
limiting the printing of hard copy bundles and other documents whenever possible;
avoiding unnecessary travel in relation to a dispute in which we are acting;
committing to the use of renewable energy sources wherever possible;
notifying and encouraging clients, solicitors, and other parties involved in disputes of our support for the Greener Litigation.