Clifford Chance

As a global law firm, we are committed to maintain the highest professional standards around our use of AI, that protects our clients, adheres the law, and enhances the quality of our legal services to our clients. 

View our firm-wide AI principles

We commit to honour the British Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community.

We recognise that a firm operating in many jurisdictions needs to take into account local law and standards so please read this policy in conjunction with any specific office or jurisdictional guidance available.

We believe that being an equal opportunities firm means going beyond mere compliance with anti-discrimination legislation.

We believe that promoting diversity means creating an inclusive work environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed without obstacles based on their gender, gender identity and expression, marital and civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, age or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.

We recognise that people from varying backgrounds can bring a full range of worthwhile ideas and innovations to our working practices and business. Encouraging everyone at the Firm to respect the individuality of their colleagues and to feel comfortable in making their own contribution is a fundamental aspect of our values and critical to our business success.

Our Equal Opportunities policy applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment, including pay, promotion, training, transfers, and our approach to every other aspect of employment. The Firm aims to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and treated on the basis of their individual abilities and merits and the needs of the Firm.

We support our employees and the partners with a broad range of policies, practices and procedures which aim to recognise individual contribution and performance, develop each individual's capability and give everyone an equal opportunity to use their talent and fulfil their potential.

Equality of opportunity, fairness, trust, acceptance of differences and the rights of individuals, including the right to work in an atmosphere free from discrimination and prejudice, are important principles of the Firm; our 'Community' value, in particular, emphasises the importance the Firm places on inclusiveness and meritocracy and aims to provide an environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We consider that everyone has a responsibility to see that our policy is applied across all levels of the Firm and in everything that we do.

The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights which were unanimously endorsed by the Human Rights Council in 2011 state that all business enterprises have a responsibility to respect human rights. As a firm we have agreed to support and respect internationally recognised human rights, both as part of our commitment to the UN Global Compact and consistent with the UN Guiding Principles.

As one of the world’s leading law firms, we offer advice and guidance to our clients on how to address the impact of their business on the environment. This impact relates not only to compliance with environmental legislation in their own operations, but beyond to the relationships they have with their customers, suppliers, investors and other stakeholders.

View our firm-wide environmental policy.

This is a statement of the steps that Clifford Chance has taken in the financial year ending 30 April 2023 (the “reporting period”) to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in our business or in our supply chains.

View our Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement 2023.

As a leading global law firm we are rightly held to high standards in all we do. We believe that our licence to operate, the sustainability of our business and the achievement of our aim to be the law firm of choice for the world’s leading businesses are dependent on our ability to inspire trust and earn the confidence of our clients and staff and the third parties with which we deal. To do this we must act responsibly and seek to help all of our clients and staff in their future success. This includes having in place measures designed to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion. 

View our Prevention of facilitation of tax evasion statement.

As a leader in our field we are rightly held to high standards in all we do. We believe that our license to operate, the sustainability of our business and the achievement of our vision are dependent on our ability to inspire trust and earn the confidence of the people we work with. To do this we must act responsibly, and that means working collaboratively with our Suppliers and ensuring the right processes, procedures and controls are in place as part of our end-to-end supply chain. Our Supplier Code of Conduct provides a set of key principles that underpin the minimum standards we expect from the suppliers and contractors, and their subsidiaries and subcontractors, that provide goods or services to us. We seek to partner with suppliers who share our commitments and approach, and work with them to ensure they are meeting the principles of our Supplier Code of Conduct.

View our Supplier Code of Conduct.

Clifford Chance LLP regards this policy as complying with its duty under paragraphs 16 and 25 of Schedule 19 Finance Act 2016. This policy applies to Clifford Chance LLP and all UK affiliated entities for the financial year ending 30 April 2024.

View our Tax Policy for the financial year ending 30 April 2024.