Gowling WLG has won 'DE&I: Law Firm initiative of the Year' at the Legal 500 UK ESG Awards 2025, which celebrates ESG initiatives that are championing diversity, inclusion and sustainability in the UK legal market.
The prestigious 'DE&I: Law Firm Initiative of the Year' award recognises the firm's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) strategy – inclusion for All (IFA), how it is guiding the firm's approach in this area and the results and wider impact it is making.
Sally Glarvey, Head of DE&I and Wellbeing at Gowling WLG said: "Receiving this award is something everyone at Gowling WLG can be proud of and is the culmination of our sustained progress towards our targets on DE&I. Part of what makes us unique is our people and the experiences they bring to working with clients. And that's why we want to support all our people to be the best they can be – to value our shared passions and also differences."
The Legal 500 UK ESG Awards took place in London on Tuesday 25 March and saw winners named across 19 categories for specific teams and initiatives and 13 individual awards. Gowling WLG featured among the finalists in both the 'Best Environmental/Sustainability Strategy' and 'DE&I: Law Firm Initiative of the Year' categories at this year's awards.
This latest success follows several other DE&I-related achievements for Gowling WLG in the past year, with an award for 'Excellence in ED&I' at the People in Law Awards 2024 and becoming the first law firm to be recognised as a Visibly Better Employer by the Royal National Institute of Blind People. The firm is also proud to be Certified" by Great Place To Work® for the 25th year in a row and is named in its UK's Best Workplace" lists for Women, Wellbeing and Development. In addition, Gowling WLG achieved Mansfield Certification in 2024 – a structured process designed to create inclusive leadership opportunities for all qualified lawyers.
To find out more about Gowling WLG and its approach to DE&I and sustainability, visit the firm's latest Sustainability Report. Alongside its own work in this area, the firm's specialist ESG team is also working with clients on a range of ESG-related matters – helping them understand their responsibilities and identify areas of risk and opportunity as they move forward with their sustainability strategies and long-term ambitions.