We are pleased to report on the latest initiative by the ERA Pledge, the launch of the Pledge Corporate Guidelines on 26 November 2020. The Pledge Corporate Guidelines are a set of guidelines specifically designed for corporates to use to implement the diversity aims of the Pledge. The Pledge Corporate Guidelines can be found on the ERA Pledge website.

The Pledge Corporate Guidelines were drafted by the members of the Pledge Corporate Sub-Committee, led by Co-Chairs Samantha Bakstad of BP and ArbitralWomen member Sylvia Noury of Freshfields, together with Secretary Ashley Jones of Freshfields. The corporate sponsors of the Pledge Corporate Guidelines include Airbus, AngloAmerican, BP, Burford Capital, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Omni Bridgeway, Shell Corporation and Vannin Capital.

The Pledge Corporate Guidelines recognise that diversity is a critical lever for business success. Additionally, increased diversity improves the effectiveness of arbitral tribunals and the quality of outcomes by bringing a greater range of perspectives to bear on the decision-making process.

The Pledge Corporate Guidelines aim to make it easier for corporates to implement its pledge to support diversity by providing specific factors for corporate counsel to consider when involved in the appointment of arbitrators, the selection of counsel teams for arbitration and even in the workplace.

Learn more about the Pledge Corporate Guidelines in an article on the ArbitralWomen News Page authored by Dana MacGrath, ERA Pledge Corporate Guidelines Sub-Committee Member, ArbitralWomen President, and Omni Bridgeway Investment Manager and Legal Counsel.