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The Responsible Business team at Kennedys deliver operational activities that aim to build a diverse workforce and inclusive culture, decarbonise our operations, support our people’s wellbeing, and have a positive impact on our communities through volunteering and pro bono support.
To achieve any meaningful progress in these areas, Responsible Business needs to be integrated throughout the firm’s strategy, governance, working practices and decision-making, with sufficient senior-level oversight.
This year, we strengthened our Responsible Business governance by establishing the Responsible Business Leadership Group (RBLG). As a sub-committee of the Executive Group, the group provides high-level governance of our operational Responsible Business strategy and goals. It is there to instil greater accountability at leadership level and provide high-level, firm-wide oversight, defining the values that guide our decisions, identifying the people responsible for them, and establishing how we’re held to account.
What is the Responsible Business Leadership Group?
The group brings together diverse perspectives to oversee environmental impact, social responsibility and governance. Its role is to support our compliance, strengthen our accountability, and ensure our Responsible Business initiatives - from decarbonisation to diversity, wellbeing and community impact - drive meaningful, sustainable change. As its work develops, the RBLG will share insights across regions and coordinate with related areas to enhance firm-wide oversight and support.
The Group’s remit covers the firm’s:
- Global impact on the natural environment and the environment’s impact on the firm, including climate change impacts, both direct (the firm’s own activities) and indirect (throughout its value chain globally, including suppliers and clients);
- Social interactions with, responsibilities towards, and impact on stakeholders globally (i.e. workforce, suppliers and communities); and
- Governance of RB-related areas, including compliant and ethical conduct of the firm’s global business in line with its purpose and enabled through effective decision-making, and effective integration of RB into firm’s strategy and operations.
Who are the members?
The group comprises partners from all five of the firm’s regions and includes representatives from the Governance Group, C-Suite, and ESG Product Group. Together, they bring a diverse, global range of perspectives. The 12 members are:
- Alan Demirkaya
- Andrew Alderson
- Anna Weiss
- Ben Aram, Chair
- Ed Glasgow
- Fernando Hurtado de Mendoza
- Jonathan W Thames
- Jonathan Wyatt
- Kate Hursthouse, Secretary
- Matthew Leake
- Safine Hadri
- Steve Oates
- Tracy Watkinson
We will provide an update on the group’s activities in our next Responsible Business Report. If you have any questions about the group, please do not hesitate to contact Ben Aram or Kate Hursthouse.