Is IP Inclusive? Key Takeaways from EDI Updates
Part of the MWA team had the pleasure of joining IP Inclusive’ s event, The case for EDI: why we need to continue. The event aimed at highlighting why equity, diversity and inclusion still matter to the IP profession and how we can continue to champion them.
As a specialist IP recruitment firm, MWA is focused on ensuring we support all candidates to access all levels of opportunities. We have the pleasure of working with hundreds of clients across Europe and are strongly invested in this profession, and in promoting inclusivity for all. With our exposure to organisations – both private practice and in-house – we believe it’s key to continue spreading the word about EDI so that it remains key on the profession’s agenda, despite potentially corrosive global shifts.
There were certainly some positive statistics emerging from the discussion – particularly regarding gender equalities in pay and women’s promotions in private practice firms. However, there is clearly still much to be done. There has been a drop in minority ethnic hires and no black partner hires have been made in UK firms in the last three years. Data also indicates that gay and bi-sexual men are paid on average 50% less than heterosexual men. The source of this data is due to be published in due course, and we will share these once available.
The statistics quoted clearly show there are significant strides left to take in the profession. One particular area of interest is entrance into the profession – ensuring there are inclusive policies at an educational level. There are often social barriers, among others, into the IP profession and there is still much work to be done on removing these. The topic of attracting diverse talent into the IP industry is one that we are looking at in detail with leaders in the profession. We look forward to publishing insights on this shortly.
We have shared a few thought-provoking prompts below to support you in reflecting on the EDI agenda within your team, organization or even at a personal level.
Looking forward, we aim to share more insights on the topic of EDI and support our clients with advice about an inclusive hiring process. Please reach out if you would like to discuss how we can support your organization.
