Corporate Social Responsibility

Diversity, equality and inclusion

 

Our people are our business. Without our staff, our business would not exist. We therefore strive to offer the best environment for all, and actively encourage diversity, equality and inclusion across all our teams in all our offices, and apply the same principles when recruiting new team members.

Our key principles are:

• Provide equality for all
• Promote an inclusive culture
• Respect and value the diversity and differences of everyone
• Prevent discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• Promote and foster good relations across the business

 

We operate a flex time system for staff, to enable individuals to arrive and leave the office each day at times to best suit their own personal circumstances.

Community and charitable giving

Maucher Jenkins supports a number of different charities throughout the year, and employees are encouraged to suggest ways to fundraise collectively. We have recently supported Mind, Cancer Research and Save the Children.

Employees can also propose community projects where time can be given in place of money, for example volunteering for the National Trust to help clear/tidy landscapes and streams etc.

The partners have sponsored staff members to participate in the London Marathon, the Race for Life, and to complete the British Heart Foundation London to Brighton Bike Ride, as well as other charitable activities.

We collectively support Children in Need, Red Nose Day, Jeans for Genes Day and Macmillan Cancer Support, by holding cake sales, competitions, raffles and other activities in our offices throughout the year.

 

Training and education

We provide free IP education/training and workshops to local organisations such as Universities, Entrepreneurial/Investor groups and Chambers of Commerce, together with trade organisations such as CIPA, CITMA and the IPO. We also provide free initial IP advice sessions to businesses. This happens in the UK, Germany and China.

Low bono work

From time to time we offer certain businesses and individuals of moderate means, usually small charitable organisations, low bono work where we either provide full IP advisory services at much reduced rates or alternatively provide a limited scope of services for low cost. This provides the client with important high quality IP related legal advice which they would not normally have access to.

Environmental

We make every effort to help the environment and be as green as possible. Our key areas are:

Office accommodation/energy: the majority of our office lights are now on automatic timers and switch on when movement is detected and go off when it isn't. Where we do not have automatic lights, employees are asked to switch off lights as they leave. Air-conditioning/heating is only used in line with office hours and is off overnight and at weekends.

Recycling: we recycle as many of our consumables as we can, including all toner cartridges. Unwanted paper goes into shredding or confidential waste bags for recycling on a weekly basis. We also have recycling bins in all kitchen areas for cardboard, plastic, glass and cans which staff are encouraged to use.

The firm operates a paper-lite policy where possible. Client files are now held electronically in a Document Management System rather than in traditional paper files; and documents are only printed off in hard copy if specifically needed for review or for meetings.

Communications: almost all of our communications, both internal and external are now done electronically using email on online application systems, in place of paper copies.

Travel policy: all partners and staff are encouraged to use public transport where possible in relation to any travel to/from or outside the office.

Cycle-to-Work Scheme: Maucher Jenkins also operates a Cycle-to-Work scheme, including a Bicycle Purchase Scheme, where employees may take out an interest-free loan payable over a year to fund the purchase of a bike to use to travel to and from work.