The Coca-Cola Company Names Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. as Recipient of Its First “Living the Values” Award
General Counsel Geoff Kelley
The Coca-Cola Company (CCC) bestowed its first annual Living the Values Award (LVA) on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, at The World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, GA. The award acknowledges and honors the U.S. law firm with whom CCC does business that best demonstrates a commitment to diversity by incorporating creative and innovative solutions that also align with the company’s diversity values. The law firm of Shook, Hardy & Bacon (SHB) is the first to be honored; John Murphy, Chair of SHB, accepted the award on behalf of the firm.
“It is appropriate that we recognize positive actions and those who model and align with our values as a business,” said Muhtar Kent, President and Chief Operating Officer of CCC, who delivered the keynote address and presented the award. Adds Geoff Kelly, General Counsel and Senior Vice President of CCC, who also presided over the ceremony, “Diversity is and will continue to be a core element of The Coca-Cola Company’s values and corporate culture. We all have an obligation to call out areas for improvement to continue change.”
CEO Muhtar Kent & SHB Chair John Murphy
In 2007, a questionnaire was distributed to the company’s “partner” law firms requesting descriptions of their practices and values that support and drive diversity and inclusion. Firm responses were evaluated against the best-in-class practices in each area; SHB earned the highest aggregate score.
In an effort to steward change, SHB has incorporated diversity into its mission statement and established a diversity committee in 2000. The firm focuses its diversity efforts on the triple challenges of recruitment, retention, and the promotion of a diverse workforce. Additionally, the diversity committee and the director of Strategic Diversity Initiatives develop training and sponsor programs that emphasize the importance of diversity at SHB, fostering a culture of true inclusiveness.
“The Coca-Cola Company is one of the world’s most diverse global companies and Shook, Hardy & Bacon is honored to be the first recipient of its Living the Values Award,” said Murphy. “Shook is committed to maintaining a diverse, inclusive environment, and we recognize that this is not a destination, but a journey that requires a long-term investment.” DB
MCCA and Balanced Worker Project Join to Address Relationship Between Law Firms and Today’s New Associates
MCCA has joined with The Balanced Worker Project to create “From Recruitment to Retention: Attracting and Connecting to Today’s New Associates.” To be held in September, this two-part Web-based seminar is the association’s first on the new generation of associates entering the practice of law.
Founded by Judith Finer Freedman, the Balanced Worker Project was established to help workers fulfill their career dreams without giving up their life dreams. The organization addresses current workplace difficulties, including the failure of flexible schedules to be translated into workable policies, the difficulty managers have in finding effective solutions to retain new hires, the disconnect new hires feel from workplace realities, and the difficulties graduate students face as they try to pursue a successful career while fulfilling family responsibilities.
Participants in this two-part seminar will learn what this new generation values, and thus be able to create recruitment and retention tools to address their unique set of workplace needs and desires. The first session will examine the skills, work ethic, and workplace expectations from the perspective of the Millennial generation, and will explore the points of disconnect with members of law firms’ management. This session will focus on communication strategies, as well as recruitment and retention tactics. The second session will begin an interactive format, with participants identifying specific concerns in advance of the session. The discussion will focus on case studies related to these raised issues and practical resolution strategies. All issues will be described without reference to any specific organization.
For more information, please visit www.thebalancedworkerproject.com. DB
From the July/August 2008 issue of Diversity & The Bar®