Inclusion and diversity

Our people are intrinsically linked to our continuing success. We value diversity and recognise it as an advantage within our firm.

We are committed to providing a diverse and inclusive environment for all of our people at Bell Gully, allowing them to bring their entire selves to work. Our commitment to providing an environment free from discrimination is formalised in our policies and, more importantly, in how we work together. This commitment is overseen by our Diversity and Inclusion Committee ('BelonG'), with governance by our Board.

BelonG brings together all of our diversity and inclusion initiatives, and emphasises our commitment to fostering and encouraging talent, regardless of ethnic background, physical ability, gender, sexuality, religion or age.

We provide ongoing education and awareness-raising programmes for our people, including Te Reo classes, Rainbow Tick, cultural intelligence, Chinese culture and unconscious bias training.

Bell Gully values our partnership with TupuToa, an internship programme creating additional pathways for Māori and Pasifika students, with strong connections to their culture and communities, into careers in the legal profession.

The team at Bell Gully are committed to achieving diverse and inclusive leadership and the firm is an active member of Diversity Works NZ.

Bell Gully is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination and this commitment is formalised in policies, and more importantly, in how we work together. Merit is the basis for recruitment, development and promotion in the firm.

Bell Gully are proud to have been certified with the Rainbow Tick and are signatories of the New Zealand Law Society’s Gender Equality Charter.

Bell Gully support networks

In addition to our internal Peer Support Network and mentoring programmes, Bell Gully has several support networks focused around diversity initiatives:

Women at Bell Gully,
The Rainbow Network, and
The Parents' Network.

Women at Bell Gully

Our Women at Bell Gully programme actively promotes the development, success, and retention of women at all levels of the firm. The programme focuses on inspiration (external speakers including Lisa Tamati, Leonie Freeman and Siobhan McKenna), connecting (internal speed networking and business development opportunities), and supporting female focused community initiatives (including Shine, Dignity and Breast Cancer Foundation).

Bell Gully was named a winner at the 2019 NZ UN Women's Empowerment Principles White Camellia Awards. The firm received an award in recognition of our work to promote education, training and professional development opportunities for women. The awards celebrate organisations that are taking positive steps to ensure our New Zealand workplaces are fair, equal and offer the opportunity to succeed. Bell Gully also received White Camellia awards in 2014 and 2015.

Bell Gully is a signatory of the New Zealand Law Society's Gender Equality Charter.

The Women at Bell Gully programme is partner-led, by Laura Littlewood in Auckland and Toni Forrest in Wellington. For more information email the Women at Bell Gully committee.

Rainbow Network

Our Rainbow Network is for Bell Gully staff and partners who are members of the rainbow community, as well as for others in the firm who want to support their rainbow colleagues. The network is one way of demonstrating that Bell Gully is a welcoming and safe place to be yourself.

Bell Gully is proud to have been certified with the Rainbow Tick after demonstrating its strong commitment to the inclusion and support of the rainbow community.

In 2019, Bell Gully hosted a panel session 'Breaking the Rainbow Ceiling' and extended the invitation to rainbow members in the legal profession. Following the event, Bell Gully initiated the establishment of a legal rainbow network, specifically for those in the legal profession or studying law.

Bell Gully holds various Rainbow Tick events, rainbow focus groups and forums and marks occasions of relevance to rainbow communities, such as Pride, Red Ribbon Day and Pink Shirt Day.

Bell Gully branded rainbow pins help show our support to members of the rainbow community, within the firm and our wider communities.

Parents Network

We support our new parents with additional parental leave, salary top-up payments and support while they are on leave. The Parents Network is a way for us to demonstrate ongoing support to our working parents.

Our Parents Network provides opportunities for our parents to connect with each other (e.g. Parents Network morning teas), as well as attending family focused events throughout the year (e.g. NCEA information session and Nathan Wallis' seminar on early brain development). We have an annual children's Christmas party and children's picnic, as well as an 'offspring in the office' day where people can bring their children to the office for some entertainment and the chance to interact with colleagues. It is important to us that we recognise the role our working parents play outside of the workplace, and to bridge the gap between home and work commitments.