Sections eight and nine of the operational employee survey assessed the both perception of the importance of both external and internal feedback and asked if the participant had ever provided feedback in relation to CR.
Section eight sought opinion on the importance of external feedback to CR programmes. In relation to this 88% of the response rate was spread over the ‘agree’ and ‘strongly agree’ options (55% and 33% respectively). There was an identical response rate in relation to the importance of internal feedback which highlights the overall appreciation of the value of stakeholder input.
Importance of Stakeholder Feedback (%)
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 External Internal
Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly disagree Figure 7.8 Operational Employees in relation to Stakeholder feedback
Section nine asked respondents to confirm whether they had personally provided feedback on their firm’s CR activities to which 56% answered yes while 44% answered no which indicates that although there are channels to provide feedback within the group, more encouragement is needed to use these channels.
7.19 Measurement and Verification of CSR Performance
The Annual CR Report outlines a set of targets designed to track the progress of CR initiatives against the overall CR goals. These targets are reviewed throughout the year by senior management. The targets are set to ensure the firm maintains momentum and are shared with staff and stakeholders on an annual basis (Clifford Chance, 2012i). TD confirmed that the targets are regularly achieved and he anticipates continued success.
TD explained that although the firm are satisfied with CR progress to date there are always opportunities for improvement. He explained although that the specific targets set out in the
corporate report represent opportunities for improvement in general terms the firm strive to keep raising the bar and so have set the following targets for 2013:
•
To enhance the pro bono and community outreach contribution we make to the communities in which we operate.•
Achieve 51,000 pro bono hours in 2013 (or 16.7 hours per FTE).•
Increase the proportion of lawyers undertaking pro bono work from 48% to 60% by the end of 2014.•
Increase the number of business services staff volunteering hours by 10% from 4,000 to 4,400 by year end.•
Increase the number of partners sitting as trustees on not-for-profit boards by 10% from 105 to 116 by year end.•
Increase the number of partners leading pro bono relationships by 15% from 55 to 64 by year end.•
Develop at least ten strategic global relationships with NGOs by year end.•
Increase the number of clients with whom we work jointly on community involvement initiatives to 30 and increase the number of initiatives with those clients to 40 by year end.TD explained that Clifford Chance currently utilised an in-house approach to CR measurement as the Global CR Committee felt this was most appropriate. This was surprising to the researcher as Clifford Chance is signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and played a central role in supporting its development. TD explained that although the firm supported the Global Compact it felt that the associated GRI guidelines in their entirety were not applicable to the firm. They have therefore chosen to report on the GRI indicators which they feel are most relevant to their business and of greatest interest to their stakeholders.
7.20 Opportunities for Improvement
As well as setting and striving to achieve specific targets TD explains that the firm are always on the look out for opportunities to improve on the existing strategy. He explained whilst these opportunities are continuously presenting themselves they are many and generally at a regional level and to be acted upon have to fit the firms criteria. For opportunities of a more general nature he referred the researcher to the 2012 CR Report (p.26-27) which identifies how the firm are currently seeking to improve their overall approach to CR. These relate to:
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Governance: Increase partner visibility and leadership in CR activities.•
Business alignment: Increase engagement with our people and embed CR into client relationships.•
Environmental: Every office to achieve minimum standards by 2013 in every category; offices achieving the minimum standard to maintain progress.7.21 Conclusion
From the analysis of the interview and the results of the survey it is apparent that Clifford Chance employ a well structured and focused approach to CR. The firm sees the alignment of CR activity with the business as being imperative to its overall success and so have made a significant long term commitment. On a personal level TD expressed pride in his association with both the firm and its CR achievements and a satisfaction that his entire role was that of one focusing on Pro Bono and CR activity. He is confident that the firm will achieve its goal of becoming the leader of an elite group of law firms and he is confident that CR will play an important part in this.
Section ten of the operational employee survey queried the extent to which CR was important to the long term success of the company. 44% of respondents agreed that CR was important to long term success, while 55% saw CR as playing a peripheral role in the long term success. None of the respondents choose the option that claimed CR is unimportant to the long term success of their company.
Throughout the course of this case study Clifford Chance has maintained a consistency of approach in line with the strategy introduced in 2005. The firm believe their CR strategy to be innovative within the legal industry and central to their ambition of becoming the leader of an emerging group of international law firms. The firm believe that their chosen strategy is producing the desired results throughout their stakeholder network. Their approach has received substantial recognition as being an example of a clear alignment of business and social goals.
Clifford Chance employs a mature CR strategy for the knowledge intensive services sector and one that has thus far been successful. It is therefore considered as relevant to the construction of a CSR guidance framework.