News & Views

Evidence from the UK has indicated a rise in neck and back pain as a result of working flexibly in ill-configured environments. Employers need to ensure that flexible working arrangements provide those working from home with the right advice about ergonomics, heating and cooling, exercise and discipline. 

See some information from HRLeader HERE, which also has some links to Comcare and Safe Work Australia

The fourth edition of The Australian Pro Bono Manual was released in November 2022 and is now entirely on-line. This is a practice guide and resource kit for law firms and is the latest in a series that has been published over 20 years.

It is designed as a practical ‘how to’ guide for establishing and developing a law firm pro bono program and is primarily directed to firms that either do not have, or are in the process of establishing or developing, a pro bono program.

Go to the manual HERE

The UN Global Compact Network Australia (UNGCNA) has  partnered with Accenture to explore different approaches to the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within Australian businesses through the release of a new publication "Shining a Light on the SDGs: An Australian Business Approach".

This publication acknowledges how businesses play a key part in progressing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A recording of the report launch event can be seen HERE.

At a meeting of the "UN Group of Friends" on Gender Parity,  Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said it was “vital for the United Nations to represent the values it stands for – the values enshrined in the Charter – and to lead by example. Gender parity in our personnel is the only way to achieve gender equality in our work.”

Those wishing to align their values to the Sustainable Development Goals should follow his examples - READ HERE

AusLSA member firm DLA Piper recently outlined their strategy for the firm for further growth in the Australian market.

Key to this strategy are environmental, social and government governance (ESG) issues in order to assist clients to transition to a more sustainable future.  They note that while the pandemic is fading, skills shortages are not and recruitment and retention are even more important than before. Read the Lawyers Weekly article HERE.

Hot off the press from COP27...Scope 3 makes up the majority of companies’ emissions. It is therefore essential that we tackle them in order to avoid global temperatures reaching catastrophic levels. Watch this presentation (select the slideshow called SCALING SCIENCE BASED DE..) to learn more about the challenges companies face with scope 3 today and the next steps the SBTi is taking to overcome them.

As part of their objectives to meet the demands of the climate emergency and help members decarbonize all aspects of their operations, City switch recently launched a pathway to net zero programme.

If you missed the launch a recording is available HERE and an overview of the programme is available HERE.

The 2022 Workplace Giving Awards will take place on 24 November 2022. Proudly hosted by the Commonwealth Bank in Sydney, Melbourne and online the Award ceremony will be MC’d by renowned Australian journalist and broadcaster, Geraldine Doogue AO. All organisations are welcome to attend this special celebration of workplace giving. Register HERE

Gender Equity Insights is an annual report produced by Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC) in collaboration with WGEA. 

In 2022, BCEC | WGEA Gender Equity Insights used data on the location of employment, collected by WGEA for the first time. They found workforce segregation was the key driver of the gender pay gap. Australia's gender pay gap would narrow by a third if all industries and occupations achieved a 40:40:20 gender split. Read the report HERE.

In considering returning to the office we need to appreciate that the office has changed. Desks become sterile, bins have moved, and office interactions have changed. This begs the question, "do we really need to come back to the office at all"? Firms now need to entice workers to return and there's lots of challenges.

Read a really interesting analysis of the issue from Lawyers Weekly HERE.