As a law firm, we are bound by professional ethics in how we conduct ourselves, upholding the rule of law and providing independent advice in the best interest of clients.
Everyone at Ashurst Perkins Coie is expected to adhere to the highest standards of ethical behavior in the conduct of our business and activities worldwide. We also expect our suppliers to behave ethically and in accordance with our Supplier Code of Conduct or relevant terms of engagement.
We take our corporate citizen obligations seriously to comply with the evolving regulatory landscapes, including on:
- human rights due diligence;
- counter-financial crime obligations;
- protecting personal and client data;
- managing risks and opportunities in the adoption of AI-powered technology; and
- increased transparency through legally required reporting on climate, environmental and corporate responsibility.
While the right to access legal advice fundamentally underpins the proper functioning of any community based on the rule of law, we continue to develop our approach to responsible business and our impact on our communities with our Business Strategic Alignment Committee.
Our Enterprise Risk Management Framework (ERMF) sets out how we will identify, assess, and manage risks and opportunities across the firm, so we can deliver our strategy within an agreed risk appetite and our professional and regulatory obligations. The business owns its risks and controls, the ERM function provides the common methodology, challenge and consolidated reporting to leadership to support timely decisions.
We are committed to training our people to support engagement with risk management and are evolving our reporting capabilities across relevant sustainability-related risks and opportunities to provide greater transparency to our people, our clients, our suppliers and our communities.
We recognize incidents can occur from time to time. We therefore promote a culture of openness, transparency and accountability so issues are surfaced early, addressed quickly, and lessons are learned and embedded.
We support a strong speak-up culture across the firm and our wider networks and strive for a respectful and psychologically safe working environment. Everyone working at or with Ashurst Perkins Coie, is encouraged to report suspected wrongdoing as soon as possible. Their concerns are taken seriously and investigated as appropriate. Our whistleblowing, grievance and anti-harassment or bullying policies provide guidance as to how to raise those concerns, and reassurance that anyone working at Ashurst Perkins Coie is able to raise genuine concerns in good faith without fear of reprisals, even if the concerns turn out to be mistaken.
We welcome comments and feedback on our approach to Responsible Business. Please email us at responsiblebusiness@ashurstperkins.com.
