Social Movements Impacting the World of Work – Innangard Virtual Conference 2021 Podcast

The panel discussed some of the pros and cons of organisations aligning themselves with social movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter (BLM), how organisations are responding to these movements and how these have impacted on employer regulation and reporting requirements.

Rohan Burn, Senior Associate at People + Culture Strategies, Innangard’s Australian member firm, chaired this fascinating panel discussion accompanied by Schona Jolly QC, Barrister and human rights expert from Cloisters Chambers (UK), Ma Eugenia Gay Rosell, Dean of the Barcelona School of Law and Chair of the Barcelona Bar Association in Spain and Beth Hale, Partner and General Counsel at CM Murray LLP, the UK Innangard member firm.

In the UK, Parliament’s Women and Equalities Select Committee led an inquiry into the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with regulators such as the Financial Conduct Authority and the Solicitor’s Regulatory Authority taking note. The SRA later issued a notice warning solicitors against using NDA’s inappropriately.

The #MeToo movement led to a change in the law in Tasmania, Australia that previously limited victims of sexual assault or rape from speaking up.

The panel discussed that not all social movements are equal. Employers should be careful to balance rights such as an individual’s freedom of expression and the right to a private life against the need for harmonious employee relations, particularly if employee views are offensive and might harm the employer’s reputation if made public.

Any statements made by organisations taking a particular stance with a social movement such as BLM should be followed with action.