This week three Liskow & Lewis associates, Hilary Soileau, Trinity Brown, and Jackie Hickman, were invited to attend the BP legal department’s Summer Associate Diversity & Inclusion Day.
The program gave attendees the opportunity to gain insights into the behind-the-scenes workings of one of the world’s largest oil companies, including touring BP’s drilling simulator, the wind energy control room, and the commodities trading floor.
The focus of the day, though, was on the importance of diversity and inclusion, especially with respect to the legal team. Takeaways from the program include:
- Diversity Makes Business Sense – People often focus on diversity as an issue of fairness or as penance for past discrimination, but it is so much more than that. Companies with employees that have diverse perspectives make better decisions and consumers prefer companies with employees that reflect the make-up of the communities they live in. The bottom line is that companies that are more diverse make more money.
- Inclusion is Crucial – Inclusion is a less-often mentioned aspect of optimizing a talent pool, but it is just as important. Inclusion is the idea that not only will a company employ people with diverse perspectives, but these employees will be given meaningful opportunities to participate. Diversity is about representation, inclusion is about allowing diverse people to contribute.
- Diversity Should Matter to Everyone – Studies have shown that groups with diversity of perspective are more effective at analysis and decision-making than non-diverse groups. It benefits everyone when teams – including legal teams – have members with different points of view and experiences.
Thank you to the BP legal department for hosting the event, and to everyone who worked hard to put the program together. Liskow & Lewis is proud to work with a company with such a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.
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