For Pels Rijcken, Corporate Social Responsibility means the following: high-quality provision of legal services with consideration for business performance but also for social aspects and the environment. This vision is based on the idea that as a firm, we are inextricably linked with the world around us. As an organisation, you must account for the effects of our clients’ actions on the people in their organisation and on the environment in the broadest sense of the word. Our clients make a point of considering the longer term. We give expression to our vision by means of a sustainable business operation, a personnel policy in which a pleasant and stimulating work environment and diversity are central, and social commitment.
Pels Rijcken has consciously opted for a central location in The Hague, close to the train station and with easy access to the highway, but also in the vicinity of our largest clients. The majority (approximately 70%) of our employees come to work by public transport and/or by bicycle. We pay special attention to our work environment. We encourage working digitally and reducing the use of paper. The aspect of sustainability is taken into account when purchasing products and services.
The well-being of our employees and a pleasant, open working atmosphere in which there is room for dialogue are very important to us. All legal and non-legal colleagues receive training and development opportunities that are in line with their talents. The Pels Rijcken Training Desk, partly in consultation with HR, gives shape to inhouse training courses and advises on following external training courses. Pels Rijcken signed the letter of intent 'Diversity within the legal profession' and the Charter 'Talent to the top'. Out of the ten largest law firms in the Netherlands, Pels Rijcken has the highest percentage of women lawyers as well as women partners. Pels Rijcken is the first and only law firm to have been certified as Top Employer by the independent institute CRF.
Externally, Pels Rijcken displays its commitment to society in a number of ways:
Pels Rijcken wants to embed corporate social responsibility as an ideology throughout the organisation. In our view, this will only work if it is part of the DNA of the organisation and all employees ask themselves, from their own position, what they can contribute. By involving a broad cross-section of colleagues in the preparation and implementation of CSR activities, we increase inhouse commitment to this important subject. In addition to a CSR working group, we have about 20 CSR ambassadors who, together with their colleagues, focus attention on CSR.
Pels Rijcken chose 'Education' as the guiding theme in its CSR policy in early 2017, with a focus on written and spoken language. This theme is an appropriate match since we are a knowledge organisation. The theme is expressed not only in the activities we choose as a firm (such as Dag van de Duurzaamheid and NL Doet), but also in our policy on charitable organisations. Financial contributions or contributions in kind may be awarded to organisations engaged in education with a sustainable or lasting not-for-profit result. The preference here is for projects in the Haaglanden area.