We are proud to introduce this review, which gives an insight into just some of the ways in which we have begun to make a positive contribution to society in recent years.
2. We are Loyens & Loeff
A full-service law firm offering an integrated range
of tax, legal and notarial services to those doing
business in or from the Netherlands, Belgium,
Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Independent and international
Loyens & Loeff is an independent firm with a network
of 13 offices in major global financial centres, staffed
with specialists in Dutch, Belgian, Luxembourg and
Swiss law. Our presence in Amsterdam, Rotterdam,
Brussels, Luxembourg and Zurich forms the majority
of our business.
Innovative and pragmatic
Each problem requires a customised solution.
Our pragmatic approach and drive to devise
innovative solutions allow us to effectively
address the demands of our clients’ domestic
and international businesses.
Focused and engaged
Entrepreneurship, client focus, quality awareness
and social engagement all characterise our firm’s
culture. We offer a challenging work environment
and equal opportunities for all our employees; we
do our utmost to protect the environment and we
invest in neighbouring communities.
A B O U T U S
1,419Employees
408Attorneys at law
93Civil law notaries
329Tax advisers
€291mTurnover
London
Brussels
Paris
Tokyo
Hong Kong
Singapore
Rotterdam
Amsterdam
Dubai
Arnhem
Zurich
Luxembourg
New York
13Offices
Most Innovative
Law Firm in Europe
(Nominated by
The Financial Times 2013)
Most Innovative
Law Firm in Corporate Strategy
(Nominated by
The Financial Times 2013)
Loyens & Loeff CSR Review
3. Welcome to our
corporate social
responsibility review
We are proud to introduce this review, which gives
an insight into just some of the ways in which we
have begun to make a positive contribution to
society in recent years.
I hope it gives a sense of what our 1,400-strong team has achieved on this vital
agenda, but equally that it provides a candid account of a firm at the beginning
of a journey to understand and address its responsibilities. For us, this review is
particularly significant because it creates the foundation from which to develop
a more strategic, robust and impactful approach in the years ahead.
CSR is about far more than recycling and switching off lights; it’s about acting
on our responsibilities to society and the environment. We owe this to our clients,
because they count on us to be a reliable and responsible partner. We also owe it
to society, because we realise that we benefit from society and have been given
many privileges and opportunities. And we owe it to ourselves, because we
are not just professionals, but also members of society; we want our work to be
rewarding in all aspects, not just professionally. And so while CSR may very well
be good for business, improving productivity, delivering bottom line savings, in the
end we spend our time and efforts on CSR because it is the right thing to do.
This review comes at a propitious moment, as we celebrate 15 years of Loyens &
Loeff. So, as well as being solid years for our business financially, it has also been
a milestone period in terms of how we position ourselves within society. We have
begun to set in motion a process towards a formal CSR strategy, involving all our
employees to gain a clear picture of the Loyens & Loeff culture; we also worked
alongside clients on their own CSR journey. Since 2012, we have given 2,632
hours of pro bono legal, tax and notarial advice to small businesses, charities
and public bodies, and almost €1.5 million in direct sponsorship. We set stretching
targets around gender diversity and made progress capturing environmental data
and reducing unnecessary business travel.
Across all of this, we worked with others, building partnerships with academic,
government and charitable organisations. Indeed, we have signed a Declaration
of Sustainability Ambitions, alongside other global businesses in Amsterdam’s
Green Business Club.
Despite steady progress, as we reflect on the journey so far, our partners share
the view that there is still far more we can do. Through this review you will see
plans for 2015 and beyond and we are deeply committed to ensuring we deliver
on those plans and take our responsibilities on this agenda seriously. As this is
our first review, we are covering our progress to date in order to provide a context
to our CSR story thus far. These are exciting times for our firm and we are
privileged to be part of this journey to a better future.
Contents
02
Our CSR journey
04
Operating
responsibly
07
Supporting
communities
12
Caring for
our people
17
Protecting
the environment
This review
is particularly
significant because
it creates the
foundations from
which to develop
a more strategic,
robust and
impactful approach
in the years ahead.
Willem Jarigsma
Managing partner
Pieter van Druten
Chairman of the Board
Loyens & Loeff CSR Review 01
4. O U R C S R J O U R N E Y The Loyens & Loeff ethos of fair,
transparent business has underpinned
our approach to CSR. Engaging
others along the way, we apply these
principles both internally and in our
interactions with clients and partner
organisations. As always, we know
there is more we can do in truly
embedding an ethos of responsibility
into our operations but drawing upon
our values as a foundation is a
positive first step.
In addition, we also draw upon
‘underlying values’ of co-operation
(see page 03), diversity (see page 14)
and innovation. Together, explicit and
underlying values are embedded in our
comprehensive Mission, Values and
Conduct Protocol, which sets out how
we confront issues ranging from
corporate culture, conflicts of interest,
and bribery and corruption, to
grievances and social media risks.
Where we’ve
come from...
With nearly 100 years of heritage
behind us, we have made steady
progress in understanding and acting
on our responsibilities to neighbouring
communities and the global environment.
Our values Our CSR journey so far
2010
Co-founder ofAmsterdam’s Green
Business Club
2011
Signed the Talent to the Top
Charter on gender diversity
2012
Shared Values Code created
2013
Diversity action plan to
2017 created
Nominated Most Innovative
Law Firm in Corporate Strategy
by the Financial Times
Conducted a ‘cultural barometer’
to understand our firm’s culture
Became a partner in KLM airlines’
Biofuel Programme
2014
CSR vision framework drafted
Signed a Declaration of
SustainabilityAmbitions with
the Green Business Club
Conducted risk assessment
survey and workshop
Client
focus
Investing in the quality
of our service and
trying to understand
our clients better.
Social
engagement
Contributing our knowledge
and expertise – our pro
bono work.
Quality
awareness
Securing the quality of client
documentation and internal
quality management.
Entrepreneurship
Working independently
and mitigating risks while
exploring new, innovative
ways to improve our
clients’ organisation
or trade.
02 Loyens & Loeff CSR Review
5. ...and where
we are going
CSR is now one of the strategic themes
for our firm. In 2014, we began the process
of establishing a formal strategic framework
to inform our direction.
CSR strategy
Vision
Policy framework
Initiatives and programmes
Inspirational focusStewardship
Goals, targets & KPIsGoals, targets & KPIs
Drawing on in-depth interviews with
partners, as well as desk research
into CSR insights and trends, the
framework will act as a blueprint for
how we will monitor, measure and
drive impact. It will do this by creating a
vision and policies to provide structure
to the initiatives and programmes
already in place. It will also set
measurable goals and key
performance indicators (KPIs).
Developing a pragmatic strategy that
is suited to our sector and size and that
the whole firm buys into is an ongoing
process. We are currently consulting
with colleagues via questionnaires and
workshops to understand where to
focus our efforts. In September 2015,
we will dedicate our annual conference
(attended by all employees in every
global office) to the subject of CSR.
Following this, we will further develop
our strategy and we look forward to
reporting progress on this.
Achieving
more together
As our CSR journey evolves,
we rely more than ever on
partnerships to leverage our impact.
We also believe it is essential to
add a global perspective to our
expert knowledge. So, as well as
working alongside clients, sector
peers and charitable organisations,
we keep in close contact with the
academic community, international
thought leaders and business and
industry organisations. These
partnerships help us maintain the
innovative edge that our clients
expect from us.
We have participated in the
Law Firm School since its
founding in 2008, an initiative
of 16 internationally operating law
firms that have a presence in the
Netherlands; and the Green
Business Club since April 2010
(see page 08). We are also
members of Business & Society
and Time4Society.
Loyens & Loeff CSR Review 03
6. OPERATING
RESPONSIBLY
A trusted
partner
Operating responsibly means being trusted
by our clients to deliver accurate, neutral and
confidential tax and legal advice. It also
means being respected as a corporate
citizen in society.
04 Loyens & Loeff CSR Review
7. O
ur Mission, Values and Conduct
Protocol provides a structure
to build this trust and respect,
while internal Learning & Development
clarifies the behaviours and conduct
expected of our team.
Protecting and
engaging clients
It is our duty to assure clients that
we operate responsibly at all times.
This includes never taking bribes or
engaging in corruption and maintaining
the utmost security of client (and
employee) data. Our Code of ICT
Conduct safeguards information
through mechanisms such as
encryption software for the firm’s
computers and mobile phones.
This is one measure within a wider
risk management system which we
strengthened in 2014 by conducting
a risk assessment survey and
workshop attended by all partners,
Loyens & Loeff is
excellent in terms
of responsiveness,
business acumen and
quality of advice.
Loyens & Loeff
client reporting to
the global directory
Legal 500
PolicySupplier Code
of Conduct and
Sustainable
Procurement Policy
Help ensure that CSR
extends down our
supply chain
Firstin the Incompany
100 survey
49employees have
charitable board/
committee
responsibilities
outside the firm
the outcomes of which included clarity
on our priorities, and the goals and
actions needed to address these.
Risk awareness emerged as a key
issue (specifically information security)
as well as culture, behaviour and
values, revising our client acceptance
procedure, and partner compliance
and assessment.
Our Engagement Partner
Client teams play an active role
in maintaining positive client
relationships. In addition to our
value-added services, we strongly
believe that seamless project
management is key to exceeding
expectations. Loyens & Loeff came
first in the Incompany 100 survey,
the largest independent customer
satisfaction survey among business
service providers. We scored
particularly highly in know-how,
professional skills, vision and service.
Loyens & Loeff CSR Review 05
8. Governance framework
O P E R AT I N G
R E S P O N S I B LY
C O N T I N U E D
Good governance
Our partners are committed to
operating the firm ethically, fairly
and transparently. This is vital to
our licence to operate and maintains
relationships of trust with our clients
and partners. Employees at all levels
are able to feed concerns or
suggestions through a series of
channels (including a dedicated
grievance procedure and committee)
and ultimately to the Executive Board.
As we begin our journey to formalise
a strategic approach to responsible
business, we have established specific
structures to ensure issues around
responsible business remain high on
the agenda. A dedicated CSR partner,
supported by a project team (to which
any colleague can make suggestions
or submit an idea), is tasked with
embedding CSR within wider systems
of governance.
Service delivery and client management
Board (8 partners with board assignment)
Shareholders (partners)
Practices, sector teams (junior & senior professionals)
Alignment & feedback
Alignment & feedback
SupportSupportAlignment
&feedback
Alignment
&feedback
Localmangement
ineachoffice
BusinessServiceDepartments
(HR,F&C,IT,M&B)
Council
6 Non-Executive
Board members
Executive Board
2 Executive
Board members
Decision and
controlling function
• Management of the firm
• Long-term strategy
• Decide on the new
projects, standards
& policies
• Monitor implementation
Major topics:
• Approval annual accounts
• Long-term strategy discussions
• Review and selection of possible new partners
• Select new partners
Meeting in:
April
June
September
December
Meet 4 to 5 times a year. Final decisions making according to one man/one vote principle.
• Day-to-day management
• Initiate new projects,
standards & policies
• Implementation of
Board decisions
Board
Secretariat
Looking ahead
Responsible and ethical business
is becoming increasingly important
to our clients and is evident in our
day-to-day interactions with them
(including request for proposals and
our third party Code of Conduct). We
are mindful that our portfolio of tax and
legal services that specialise in
environmental planning, renewable
energy and corporate governance
has the potential to grow in a low-
carbon market. There are also
opportunities to deliver thought
leadership via our value-added
services (events, briefings, training,
publications and secondments).
In 2015, the Law Firm School,
one of our education partners, will
launch a new chapter on ethics to its
education programme. This reflects
our own journey towards becoming
a more responsible, values-driven
business. We will also be providing
staff training on our Mission, Values
and Conduct Protocol.
In new work bids,
clients are requesting
information most
frequently on diversity,
pro bono activity and
environmental initiatives.
They are also looking
for robust governance
and risk management.
This reinforces the
business case for
corporate responsibility.
Pieter van Druten
Chairman of the Board
06 Loyens & Loeff CSR Review
9. SUPPORTING
COMMUNITIES
Being a good
neighbour
Evidence shows that businesses thrive
when neighbourhoods thrive. This is why
investing in our communities is not only
about being a good neighbour, it’s about
safeguarding a future pipeline of talented
people, and creating resilient local supply
chains and new client opportunities.
Loyens & Loeff CSR Review 07
10. S U P P O R T I N G
C O M M U N I T I E S
C O N T I N U E D
€1,486,428in sponsorship
given to good causes
since 2012
€15,000
scholarshipWe offer a scholarship for a young
postgraduate student to undertake
a Master of Law degree programme
Giving back
Recognising that the world is
becoming increasingly polarised
between those who have and do not
have access to justice and freedom
of speech, we try to contribute to
tackling social inequality in the
communities we work in, and in the
way in which we operate our firm.
We do this by championing issues
of human and labour rights, youth
and education.
We view supporting arts and
culture as fundamental to promoting
education, and this has been at the
heart of our communities strategy
for many years.
Food for thought
Loyens & Loeff Amsterdam has
been supporting the city’s food bank
since 2012 through pro bono and
financial donations. In 2014, the
team leveraged its membership
of the financial district’s Green
Business Club, joining other
businesses to donate 39 crates
of food to those who have fallen
through the cracks of the city’s
welfare systems.
The team visited the food bank
and met with volunteers and clients
to hear first-hand just how easy it
can be to become hungry, even in
western Europe. Colleagues saw
how, in addition to providing food,
the centre formed a focal point for
wider support to get people back
on their feet. Volunteers also run
classes to demonstrate how it is
possible to cook cheaply and
nutritiously. The food bank project
is a real-life story of social equality
in action, right on our doorsteps.
Case study
Unlikely encounters
on the pitch
An enthusiastic team of Loyens &
Loeff footballers met their match on
a summer’s evening in Amsterdam.
They played 16-20 year-old
students from Calvijn met Junior
College in an event organised by
local charity Zingeving Zuidas,
which aims to build positive
relationships between businesses
and communities in Amsterdam’s
financial district.
Despite a close contest, the Loyens
& Loeff team kicked their way to a
semi-final victory. But even more
rewarding than winning was the
chance to integrate with others
in the neighbourhood and instil
a sense of social equality that
transgressed age, gender, race
and educational boundaries.
Case study
Your firm gives
its people a lot
of space and allows
them to propose
charities themselves,
which stimulates
strong commitment.
Willemijn Verloop
Founder
War Child
08 Loyens & Loeff CSR Review
11. We believe that social equality
begins with the basics. This is why
we contribute to food banks, vital
havens for those vulnerable in society,
even in some of the world’s most
developed countries.
Fundamental to how we give back
to society is our heritage of charitable
sponsorship. In 2014, we gave
€595,205 to charitable organisations.
As an example, Loyens & Loeff
provides essential funding to the
Legal Aid Center in Amsterdam, an
organisation run by volunteers that
gives 5,500 people access to legal
services, people who otherwise could
not have afforded it. In 2014, alongside
two other law firms in the city’s
financial district, we pledged to give
€8,000 annually as well as advice
from our civil law notary, Rien
Meppelink, who became Chairman
of the Board at the Legal Aid Center.
Examples such as this complement
our pro bono work and reflect the
causes close to the heart of those who
work for Loyens & Loeff. Volunteering
time and money also helps to engage
and inspire our people (see page 13).
Spotlight
Sponsorship
€ 595,205
595,205
461,557
429,666
2014
2013
2012
Since 2007, employees have had
the opportunity to exchange their
Christmas gift for a donation to one
of three charities. We gave a total
of over €22,468 to Right To Play,
which uses sport and play to enhance
child development in areas of
disadvantage; the Nije Foundation,
which inspires and facilitates a better
quality of life for (ex-) cancer patients
and their families, and Lawyers for
Lawyers, which campaigns for
freedom and independence in
the legal profession worldwide.
Helping youngsters
get organised
We have partnered with JINC for
six years, supporting its mission to
expose young people to the world
of business from an early age. We
provide six half-day placements a
year for students in their first year of
high school. The goal is to enable
youngsters to make the right
choices and to offer them better
prospects for work to reduce the
likelihood of students dropping out.
Between 2012 and 2014, 215
students had a placement at our
office in Amsterdam, while 40
students had a placement in our
Rotterdam office during the last six
months alone. In 2014, we also ran
workshops for students in the first
year of high school to demonstrate
the importance of planning and
calendar management.
The Loyens & Loeff
work placements and
workshops provided
to young people have
helped us to deliver on
our charitable mission
for six years. The
structural financial
contribution provided
by Loyens & Loeff
meant that JINC is
not dependent on
subsidies. As a result,
we are able to operate
quickly and alertly.
Jantine van Netten
Project coordinator
JINC
Case study
Low-cost
communication
Our tax advisers and civil law
notaries have been lending their
expertise to the social enterprise
BenBenet, whose mission is to
give those at the base of the
pyramid access to low-cost
communications and banking
infrastructure, with applications
ranging from disaster recovery,
financial inclusion and agriculture
(sensor-based communications)
to community networks.
Case study
Loyens & Loeff CSR Review 09
12. Arts and culture:
a partner’s view
Bartjan Zoetmulder has been a
partner at Loyens & Loeff since
2003. He shares his views on the
importance of arts and culture to
the heritage of the firm.
How has Loyens & Loeff
supported art and cultural
initiatives over the years?
We have been supporters since
day one. Over the years, we’ve
developed warm relationships with
museums, galleries and orchestras
on the doorstep of our European
offices, helping ensure that arts and
culture are accessible and can give
inspiration to all.
Can you tell us about your
support to Dutch orchestras
and the Rijksmuseum?
We have not only been supporting
the Royal Concertgebouw
Orchestra for more than eight
years now, we also actively partner
with the Rotterdam Philharmonic
Orchestra. And one of our partners,
Rien Meppelink, has provided pro
bono notarial support for many
years to the Rijksmuseum in
Amsterdam.
How do you think this has
helped engage Loyens &
Loeff employees?
To give an example: as part
of our support to the Royal
Concertgebouw Orchestra,
we actively participate in a number
of their events, such as the world
tour in 2014. We offer our people
the chance to learn about the
excellence, talent, leadership
and diversity that the orchestra
fosters. The Royal Concertgebouw
Orchestra organises an annual
talent programme in which some
of our associates have participated,
learning management skills from
the perspective of being in
an orchestra.
S U P P O R T I N G
C O M M U N I T I E S
C O N T I N U E D
Pro bono
Contributing our legal, tax and
notarial expertise is the most
effective way in which we can
make a tangible difference in our
communities. In doing so, we support
small businesses, charities, schools
and public bodies. Over the last three
years, we have measured the impact
of our pro bono initiatives.
Pro bono hours given by employees,
and equivalent value:
€ 313,857
2012
2013
Hours
Hours
Value
718.8
313,857
891.7
369,069
1,021.9
385,048
2014
Hours
Value
Hours
Value
Our people can nominate
organisations that they care about and
we encourage fee earners to pursue
pro bono work. Below are some of the
organisations we regularly assist:
H U M A N
R I G H T S
W A T C H
As well as sharing our know-how
with good causes, we also work with
academic and government partners
to shape future legislation on key
societal issues.
Building youth
resilience, Brussels
Employees in our Brussels office
have been lending a hand to
Tanuso VW, the city’s Centre for
Youth Care that supports young
people up to the age of eighteen
and their families. Tanuso offers:
• advice for youngsters aged 17 and
over who are no longer at home,
enabling them to live with foster
families or independently;
• school holiday classes for children
between 6 and 18 years, focusing
on social skills and building
self-esteem and confidence;
• a home and care for children
who can no longer live with
their families.
Around thirty enthusiastic Loyens &
Loeff colleagues have volunteered
their time to turn the garden into a
games and recreational space for
the young residents.
Case study
10 Loyens & Loeff CSR Review
13. Going forward
As our strategy begins to take
shape, we look forward to addressing
the synergies between our charitable
sponsorships and wider issues of
social inequality, for example. In
doing so, we aim to have a deeper
and more lasting impact in our
community investments.
719
hoursgiven by our employees
in pro bono legal, tax and
notarial advice
€313,857given in free legal,
tax advice and
notarialy support
27Loyens & Loeff
employees cycled
to the top of Mont
Ventoux to raise €15,000
for Ven2-4Cancer initiative
Pro bono
highlights 2014
Alongside financial support, we
provided €313,857 in legal, tax
advice and notarial support to,
among others:
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF),
for instance on immigration law
• The 1%Club, which offers crowd-
funding for start-ups that want to
contribute to a better world
• War Child, which protects children
from violence in war zones
• Terre des Hommes (TDH) which
works for the rights of the child
and for equitable development
• Emma Children’s Hospital
It’s empowering
being able to help
an organisation
with ideological
aims by using your
own know-how.
Jasper Neefe
Senior mentor
Loyens & Loeff Academy
The right to play
One billion children live lives of trauma in areas of conflict. The Right To Play
Foundation trains local teachers and youth leaders to be coaches, helping
children become more resilient through playing sports and games. We offer
our legal expertise and Hermine Voûte, partner at Loyens & Loeff, is on the
Board of the Foundation.
Marijn Bruins, a real estate attorney and lease specialist, and Paul Visser
have been involved in supporting Right To Play by helping them with the lease
agreement for their new premises. “The Foundation’s priorities were to obtain a
decent-sized office and a reasonable lease term. We put the ball back into the
landlord’s court. And not only did he agree to these conditions, he was even
willing to offer a discount and sponsorship.”
Case study
Loyens & Loeff CSR Review 11
14. CARING FOR
OUR PEOPLE
Shaping
positive futures
As a professional services firm, our
employees are the greatest assets we
have. We rely on talented individuals who
offer a diversity of perspectives and we
have a responsibility to shape a positive
future for them, from induction to retirement.
12 Loyens & Loeff CSR Review
15. H
aving the right culture in place
is the first step to harnessing
people’s potential. We strive
to offer a workplace that is dynamic
and challenging, but also inclusive,
flexible and supportive. Diversity and
work/life balance have been appointed
as key priorities, as well as training
and development.
In an independent survey, Loyens &
Loeff Netherlands emerged as Best
Employer in the business service
provision sector, while our own ‘Culture
barometer’ conducted in 2013 revealed
encouraging results with high scores
for engagement (8.0/10) and pride
(8.1/10) among partners and senior
associates. Slightly lower scores
were reported for satisfaction (7.7/10),
which will inform our approach to
people and culture in the year ahead.
With 74% of senior associates and
partners participating in the culture
barometer exercise, we learned that:
• there is a culture of high
ambition (most wanted to
continue working at Loyens
& Loeff and become partners);
• male and female experiences
of culture were similar; and
• experiences between partners and
seniors differed, with seniors noting
that they lacked time for a personal
life and indicating a need for more
structured coaching and feedback.
8.0/10Employee engagement
8.1/10Employee pride
High engagement level
Employee
engagement
8.0/10
8% 33%
59%
Employee
retention
8.2/10
11%
50%
39%
Employee
satisfaction
7.7/10
11%
32%
57%
Employee
pride
8.1/10
8% 48%
44%
Respondents rated
the topic 9/10 or higher
Respondents rated
the topic 6-9/10
Respondents rated
the topic 6/10 or less
Talent
Continuing to attract the best talent
relies on a package that not only
supports and rewards, but also
develops people. Our greatest
opportunity to learn is on the job,
working with and alongside our
clients but we also offer numerous
opportunities for employees to receive
guidance from more senior colleagues
(e.g. partners and senior associates).
We are beginning to capture staff
feedback more frequently. For
example: during formal career
performance meetings, we carefully
record all input and check that the
action points are followed up.
We believe that it is vital that
employees pursue continuous
learning so they can offer the most
innovative solutions to our clients
and remain motivated in their roles.
We offer a comprehensive induction
programme through the Loyens &
Loeff Academy, which gives junior
attorneys, tax advisers and civil law
notaries the opportunity to meet
international colleagues and discover
how to put our values into practice
(see page 02). The induction
programme is followed by an extensive
learning & development programme
to enhance both technical (legal),
interpersonal and leadership skills.
Bring a Friend event
In 2014, employees at Loyens &
Loeff were given the chance to
invite their friends to our office by
signing up for the Bring a Friend
event. This event is for friends that
are in their third or fourth year of
studying Dutch Law, Notary Law,
Tax Law and/or Tax Economics,
and provides an opportunity to get
to know the office by discussing a
legal case. Initiatives such as these
help develop the next generation of
tax and legal professionals.
Case study
Loyens & Loeff CSR Review 13
16. During the elevator
pitch workshop,
we learned how to make
a good first impression
in two minutes. The
secret is to display
enthusiasm and give
clear and simple
explanations, without
resorting to technical
statements or
complex jargon.
Muriel Denruyter
Marketing & business
development manager
C A R I N G F O R
O U R P E O P L E
C O N T I N U E D
Diversity
Our business requires a diversity
of perspectives and talents that
reflect our client base. A culture of
inclusiveness ensures that we find
the best people for the job, regardless
of ethnicity, age, gender, sexual
orientation or disability. We know
that we can do better to achieve this
and we are working hard to integrate
a culture of inclusiveness into all
processes from recruitment and
training to cultural change, and
executive and leadership development.
However, we recognise that we
still have unacceptably few female
partners (11), heads of department
and directors.
A priority since 2008 has therefore
been gender diversity. We established
a Diversity Council to explore the ratios
of male and female staff employed by
Loyens & Loeff between 2003 and
2013, and to raise awareness of the
importance of an inclusive and flexible
culture through a range of initiatives:
• Awareness training for all partners,
with a focus on leadership style
and diversity.
• Career Watchers Programme.
Female talent is monitored and
supported by mentors (who are
partners). It was decided to extend
this to male mentees in 2012.
• Signing the Talent to the Top Charter
in the Netherlands (see page 16),
which aims to promote the influx,
flow, and retention of women ‘at the
top’, thereby setting a target for 15%
of partners or heads of department to
be women by 2018 (30% by 2025).
• Working Parent lunches. An
opportunity for parents to exchange
thoughts on how to combine work
with having children.
• Appraisal and career review forms.
We have added a series of questions
about work/life balance to make this
an integral part of the conversation.
• Executive Board and Committee.
More attention is focused on the
male/female ratio.
With a clear vision, targets and a
2013-17 action plan, the Diversity
Council recognises that there is still
a long way to go in achieving a truly
inclusive and flexible working culture.
We recognise that the percentage of
female senior fee-earners is still much
lower than males (despite a similar
influx of juniors) and there is therefore
a very large outflow of females at the
intermediate-level. Beyond genuine
attention for those groups that are
currently under-represented in our firm,
we will have to include innovations
in the field of career development and
employment. Against this background,
the name of the Diversity Council was
changed to Social Innovation Council
in 2012. The Executive Board and
the Social Innovation Council are
committed to exponentially increasing
the number of women serving on
bodies such as the Board and the
Partner Appointment Committee.
Partner spotlight
On 29 April 2014, Winfried van
den Muijsenbergh was knighted in
the Royal Order of Orange-Nassau.
He is chairman and co-founder of
several organisations, among them:
UNESCO Netherlands, the Pacific
McGeorge School of Law, the
Atlantic and Pacific Exchange
Program, the Hugo Grotius
Founding, the Center for
International Legal Cooperation,
the Liliane Fonds Foundation,
Dance Studio Al Porto, Poets of
All Nations, Free Word Foundation,
the Selexyz Proza Debuutprijs
Foundation, and the Netherlands
Sultanate of Oman Foundation.
On behalf of His Majesty the King,
Hamith Breedveld was knighted in
the Royal Order of Oranje Nassau
on 15 May 2014, in recognition of
his extraordinary effort to help
society to a higher level. The Mayor
of Rotterdam recalled the boundless
energy that Hamith has given to
society from an early age and the
generous way in which he has
always shared his knowledge and
experience with others, especially
his pioneering administration work
for the Vincentius Foundation in
Rotterdam, supporting individuals
and groups in social need, and his
work for Stadsherstel Historisch
Rotterdam were praised. The latter
aims to maintain and operate historic
and landmark buildings in Rotterdam
and the surrounding area.
Case study
14 Loyens & Loeff CSR Review
17. More
than 30of our partners and
associates hold a
position as professor,
teacher or assistant in
the leading Benelux
universities or
business schools
30%target: 30% of the firm’s
partner base to be
female by 2025
The programme has
primarily increased
my awareness of
differences between
people, not only between
men and women; it was
a great starting point to
appreciate my own
distinctive qualities and
how to make the most
of them within our firm
and when dealing with
business relationships.
Lucia Sahin
Tax adviser
Top Mom
In the Netherlands, only 7% of senior positions are filled by women. Loyens &
Loeff has supported the Lifeguard Academy’s ‘Top Mom’ programme since 2012.
Top Mom aims to tackle the barriers to women gaining and upholding senior
positions in businesses such as juggling children with work, societal expectations
around being a mother and remuneration disparities between men and women.
The programme consists of:
• training in personal effectiveness for young mothers or pregnant women
in senior roles;
• coaching from a psychologist specialised in behaviour change, personal
effectiveness and communication.
Participants have attended from Ernst & Young, Fortis, KPMG, McKinsey &
Company, PwC and Stibbe. Following the three-day course, women continue to
gain insight and motivation from the network, defining their limits and managing
feelings of guilt that may be experienced by working mothers.
Case study
Loyens & Loeff CSR Review 15
18. P I L L A R 3
C A R I N G F O R
O U R P E O P L E
C O N T I N U E D
Our mission for the
next three years is
to help create a culture
of inclusiveness
that favours diverse
talent, one in which people
know that their opinions
are taken seriously and
giving them the
opportunity to develop.
Frank Leijdesdorff
Partner and Chairman
Social Innovation Council
Loyens & Loeff
In 2014, we launched ‘Career
Watchers’ for the third time. In this
programme, partners coach female
colleagues to support them in their
career goals and challenges. Our
buddy system has also proven
successful in Belgium.
Looking ahead
Our human resources (HR) team
has committed itself to support two
of the strategic themes within our firm:
Talent Development and Partner
Development. Two themes with
underlying initiatives such as: making
partners (enhancing the current
career performance route), modifying
the appraisal system framework,
introducing a partner assessment cycle
and developing leadership programmes
for associates and partners.
Gender diversity will remain a key
priority for us in the years ahead as
we work towards our target of 30%
women in senior roles by 2025.
We will be taking the recommendations
of the Talent to the Top Monitoring
Committee forward to do this.
We will also:
• Enhance coaching and
feedback opportunities
• Focus on individual qualities,
appreciation and recognition
• Improve clarity on partner
appointment criteria
• Reduce presence culture,
accept flexible working hours
and working from home
• Strengthen a sense of team
spirit and a culture of shared
responsibilities
Case study
Talent to the Top
In 2011 Loyens Loeff, alongside businesses, organisations and institutions
based in the Netherlands, signed the Talent to the Top Charter, committing
ourselves to establishing and reporting on measurable targets, as well as
devising a strategy and action plan for placing and retaining more women in
senior roles (defined as partners, heads of department and directors). We report
progress annually to the Monitoring Talent to the Top Committee, using a
bespoke tool to monitor the conditions conducive to achieving our goals. At the
end of 2014, 59.1% of employees were female, higher than the sector average.
However, only 11.5% of senior positions were occupied by women, putting us
off-track to meet the Talent to the Top Charter’s target of 15% by 2018.
Women as a percentage
of the workforce
Percentage of women
in senior roles
2014
59.1%
2014
11.5%
2013
58.5%
2013
11.1%
The Committee has therefore made the following recommendations:
• Establish a rigorous diversity policy, managed within clear governance systems
• Ensure greater leadership commitment and make sufficient resources available
to drive the agenda
• Embed the strategy within human resource processes including recruitment
and selection, career planning and learning and development
• Leverage the Social Innovation Council (made up of male and female partners,
senior employees and staff members) to communicate ambitions internally,
profiling examples of females ‘at the top’ and create a culture of inclusivity
16 Loyens Loeff CSR Review
19. PROTECTING
THE ENVIRONMENT
Towards a
cleaner future
We see the potential in a cleaner, greener
economy. By becoming an efficient, smart
business we will save time, money and
energy while also realising new client
opportunities in environmental law and
alternative energy.
Loyens Loeff CSR Review 17
20. 46,000kilowatt hours saved
in Amsterdam in 2014
by sourcing more
efficient data servers
and using LED lights
in communal areas
Bicycle
policyOur bicycle policy
promotes the option to
cycle to work. We also
encourage employees
to use Tax-E, our electric
taxi service provider
P R O T E C T I N G T H E
E N V I R O N M E N T
C O N T I N U E D
A
s a professional services
firm, our greatest impacts are
business and commuting travel,
waste, energy and paper consumption.
We focus our environmental initiatives
in these areas.
Cutting carbon
Although we are early on in this
journey, we are measuring and
monitoring energy and travel data
at our primary European sites.
We are also beginning to calculate
a carbon footprint baseline for these
offices, which will help us make
further reductions going forward.
Spotlight
Brussels
energy use
Electricity
consumption
(kWh)
378,076
378,076
389,272
444,083
2014
2013
2012
Our 2014 electricity consumption represents
74.1 tonnes of CO2 based on average
Belgium electricity mix (Conversion factor
source: UK Government/ DEFRA). Green buildings
Loyens Loeff took part in
PROVADA, an annual real estate
exhibition in Amsterdam. This year’s
theme was (Re) Building the
Business and was the inspiration
for an event we hosted around
transforming real estate and making
it more sustainable. Around 75
clients attended the event and
discussed the importance of
sustainable buildings to the
business world, including the
increasing incentive for property
investors to satisfy tenants’
‘green’ expectations.
Case study
18 Loyens Loeff CSR Review
21. Placeholder
imagetobe
replaced
Resource efficiency
Reams of paper and hard copy
files have come to symbolise the
legal profession. At Loyens Loeff,
we are determined to change this
perception by reducing our paper
consumption and associated waste.
In our Amsterdam office, we recycle
approximately 47 tonnes of paper
per year and paper is certified to
the Forestry Stewardship Council
(FSC), as it is in Rotterdam. In
our Luxembourg office, paper is
certified by The Programme for the
Endorsement of Forest Certification
(PEFC), an international non-
governmental organisation dedicated
to promoting Sustainable Forest
Management through independent
third-party certification.
Spotlight
Brussels
paper use
Consumption
(sheet)
184,750
184,750
129,000
2014
2013
Our waste contractor, Sita, has
a Green Label standard, investing
0.6-2.5% of our fee in The Carbon
Neutral Group’s sustainable energy
projects and those initiated by the
Dutch branch of CARE International.
In addition to paper, we also recycle
batteries, toners, lamps and other
hazardous waste. Old mobile phones
are sold to start-up Tech Returns to be
given a new lease of life, with funds
from phones sold donated to charity.
Flying on French fries
Global mobility is central to our firm and business travel is by far the greatest
contributor to our carbon footprint. We are a partner of the KLM Royal Dutch
Airlines’ Biofuel Programme, the world’s first biofuel proposition for contracted
corporate accounts, developed alongside the World Wide Fund for Nature
(WWF). The first ‘French Fries Flight’ took place on 8 March 2013. As a partner
in this initiative, we can be assured that certain flights we take will run on recycled
vegetable oil from restaurants, replacing in part kerosene fuel and stimulating the
further development of biofuels.
Case study
Loyens Loeff CSR Review 19
22. We participated in
WWF’s Earth Hour by
switching off all lights.
Aruna Ghisaaidobe-Nanda
Office management executive
Our annual Power
Utilities Seminar was
used to give small
businesses the chance
to pitch green ideas
to a jury of business
leaders. The winner,
Being Development
(a sustainable real
estate developer),
received €5,000 of
tax and legal advice
to propel its growth.
Niels Muller
Senior tax advisor
P R O T E C T I N G T H E
E N V I R O N M E N T
C O N T I N U E D
Spotlight
Rotterdam waste
generation
Waste generated
(tonnes)
150.6
150.62014
While not a material environmental
impact, we do measure and monitor
our water consumption and take
measures to save water where we can.
Spotlight
Luxembourg
water use
Water consumption
(m3
)
3,839
3,839
3,543
3,732
2014
2013
2012
Blue roofs
Most people have heard of
green roofs. A new idea is gaining
momentum: blue roofs that capture,
regulate and reuse rainwater
and convert waste water into
energy. Working with the Green
Business Club, Loyens Loeff is
championing sustainable building
projects like these by contributing
legal expertise. The GBC water
project group, for example, is made
up of developers, financial experts
and attorneys at law.
The energy project
group enabled solar
panels to be placed
on the roof of the
RAI conference
centre to set a good
example. Making
an adjustment to
a building in this
way also has legal
and tax implications.
A tax expert and an
attorney at law from
our firm were
therefore part of the
realisation process.
Timo Huisman,
Attorney at law and Chairman
of the Amsterdam GBC
Case study
20 Loyens Loeff CSR Review
23. Looking ahead
We recognise that we need to go
much further in consistently measuring
environmental data, as well as
reducing paper, energy and carbon.
Therefore, while we have established
some useful baselines, going forward
we are committed to expand the scope
of our reporting and ensure we report
consistently for all European sites
(expanding to global offices in a
subsequent phase).
From 2015, we have ensured all
our tea and coffee is Fairtrade and
all paper cups are bio-compostable.
We will also be offering a hybrid vehicle
option within our leasing policy and
have installed charging stations in
Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
Our Amsterdam office
is equipped with a
rainwater system.
Hans Jager
Head of facility services
The great plastic challenge
As part of our involvement with the Green Business Club, two of our employees
in the GBC Young Professionals Programme came up with an initiative to collect
plastic around the financial district. During the challenge week, the project
gathered momentum and other businesses in the area including Accenture,
Google, De Brauw, Baker and BCG joined in.
Participating recyclers (including Sita, our own Green Label contractor) took
plastic waste for free or at a reduced rate during the Plastic Challenge week.
The waste collected was given to first-year art students at the Rietveld Academy,
who made sculptures from the waste. The sculptures were part of an outdoor
exhibition in the financial district; one sculpture was a gift to the Amsterdam
Alderman for Sustainability.
Case study
16.8
tonnesof CO2 saved through
the use of biofuel in
aeroplanes as part of our
partnership with KLM
Loyens Loeff CSR Review
24. For more information, please contact:
Pauline de Hek-Jonquière
Head of Marketing Communications
T: +31 20 578 50 28
E: pauline.de.hek@loyensloeff.com