Responsible Business

We strive to create an environment where our people feel safe to be their authentic selves and inspire our people to understand, explore and appreciate the critical role wellbeing plays in a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Having a diverse workforce is only one part of the equation. Inclusion is critical. Inclusion and inclusive leadership empower our people to feel valued, respected, and safe and unlock the value of their diverse perspectives and skills. 

Gender Pay Gap Employer Statement

This year for the first time, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) will publish the pay gap results of individual law firms. We welcome this as KWM is committed to transparency and sharing knowledge to drive positive change for women in our industry.  We are very proud to report that we are performing well in “like-for-like” roles. We have a 0%-3% difference across legal career levels, some favouring men and others women, and a 0%-6% difference in Shared Services, mostly in favour of women. Organisation-wide, we have a pay gap of 9% (average total remuneration) and 12.3% (median total remuneration) in favour of men. This is mainly due to a segment of our workforce being employed in traditional feminised clerical and administrative roles which attract lower market value pay than other roles in the firm. While this is an issue across the legal industry and not unique to KWM, we are doing what we can to remediate this gap. You can learn more and read the Statement below.

Key contact: Corinne West, Head of Diversity & Inclusion

Risk management is often seen through a compliance and obligation lens. At KWM, we approach risk through an opportunity lens, focusing on the upside and reward for the firm.

All businesses must confront and overcome risks on their pathways to success. For 200 years, KWM have been committed to helping our people and our clients manage these risks to enable their growth. Throughout this time, we’ve always acknowledged that a culture of ethics and integrity is key to successful risk management. 

Key contact: Carolynne Lepp, Manager of Operational Risk & Compliance

We understand that creating sustained generational change starts with our local communities. It is only by bringing our collective voices together, listening to and learning from community, that we can have open conversation about the issues that matter.

We believe how we work is as important as the work itself, so we're committed to social impact through deep, genuine, long-term, and trusted partnerships with community-led organizations, emerging leaders, and respected advocates.

Developping stronger partnerships with community enables us to focus more holistically on the outcomes, needs, opporunities, and challenges as defined by communities. We recognise as a firm that we're on a journey of continous learning and that we don't always know what is best, so we listen to the voices of community to guide us to the answers.

Our five-year social impact strategy, Standing Strong & Tall Together, focuses on strengthening communities, creating generational change, and elevating young people so that they stand strong and tall.

Our work closely aligns with the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and other significant frameworks. Through our trusted partnerships, we seek to strengthen communities via strategic legal, justic, and advisory projects, holistic pathways programs, and targeted philanthropy and grants.

Key contacts: Dusan Stevic, Senior Associate & Pro Bono Manager & Clementine Johnson, Head of Social Impact & Shared Value.