Partners and ESG Risk and Investigations Co-Chairs Johnjerica Hodge and India Williams spoke in depth with Law360 about their insight into how to yield valuable information to inform companies and their stakeholders' goals through racial equity and civil rights assessments.
India noted that having a third-party law firm or consultant conduct the review is critical. She stated, "You're often able to have more fulsome conversations with an outsider, as opposed to someone from the company." She added that using outside counsel offers further advantages. "There's the benefit of having attorney-client privilege as they grapple with whatever issues they may be experiencing and remediate."
During an audit, Johnjerica indicated it is important to talk to the right people — mid-level management — for the most accurate information. She stated, "You really want to ensure that whatever that top-level message is, it's actually cascaded down, particularly when it comes to middle management. These people have a huge impact on your workforce."
"4 Tips For Performing Effective Racial Equity Audits," Law360, August 13, 2024
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