We planned to excel by operating as a world-class organisation through seven key projects.
| Action | Summary of progress for the year | Complete/not complete |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory Performance Indicators To implement the new system of Key Performance Indicator reporting for the Regulatory sub committees, including trends analysis and quality control of decisions. | This objective has been met and is being reported to the Regulatory Committee in December. | Complete |
| Use of Technology in Committees Following completion of the Board pilot, we will: 1) review the feasibility of introducing tablets and specific meeting software to committees in order to achieve best value and data protection compliance; 2) introduce the technology to appropriate committees. | The technology has been introduced to those committees dealing with sensitive material along with the Board. | Complete |
| Data protection compliance We will ensure all processes are in place to achieve full GDPR compliance no later than May 2018. | GDPR compliance was met on schedule by 25 May 2018. System embedded, staff and committee awareness of requirements high, now dealing with low level non-reportable breaches and continuing to improve internal processes. Board receiving regular compliance reports. | Complete |
| Investors in People We will aim to improve our performance across each of the 9 standards within the revised IIP framework, and address every recommendation following our next formal assessment in February 2018 by the end of the operating year. | This objective has been met. All actions on the IIP action plan schedule for 2017/18 have been delivered. Interim review will be carried out in February 2019. | Complete |
| Equality and Diversity We will: 1) Conduct research to profile the profession and publish the results. 2) Review and promote the equality standards. 3) Continue to raise the profile of the Lawscot Foundation, building on the previous year’s success, increasing our fundraising and supporting a greater number of students. | The profile of the profession research: Research and draft report has been completed and the report has been seen by Council and Board. Promotion of the Equality Standards has been put on hold pending the results of the survey, and will be reviewed in the next practice year. Lawscot Foundation: 9 additional students selected and each matched with a solicitor-mentor and a student buddy Foundation was promoted at PC renewal stage via video featuring one of the student recipients. Income for the year exceeds target. | Complete |
| 70th anniversary We will develop a plan for the Law Society’s platinum anniversary in 2018, ensuring this major milestone is used to showcase the contribution of Scottish solicitors over the last 70 years. | We developed a plan for our 70th anniversary in 2019 which will help us to showcase the important role of Scottish solicitors over the past 70 years including how the legal profession has been shaped, adapted and excelled. | Complete |
| Committee participation We will attract solicitor and non-solicitor members to serve on our committees by improving our recruitment process and increasing the awareness of our committees’ work. | Like for like comparison with previous year only possible for those committees recruiting in both years. For those committees combined applications were up 27% compared with 2017.
The recruitment campaign for each round involved:
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Complete |
The principle focus of our CSR Team is to utilise all resources efficiently to reduce our carbon footprint, engage in various activities that promote health & wellbeing and promote the Society as a good neighbour assisting and contributing in the community and charitable causes.
Throughout 2018, 17 members of staff participated in a ‘CSR day’ which equates to 13% of colleagues. Details of these days are included below. We aim to raise awareness and organise more days in 2018.
- Building fencing at Gorgie City Farm
- Gardening at Marie Curie Hospice
- Spending a day with Kids Love Clothes - preparing clothing parcels for children
- Running a cricket after school club at a local primary school
- Performing as a Justice of the Peace
Each year we aim to work in collaboration with our charity partner of the year, this year that being Ovarian Cancer Action, voted for by colleagues in memory of our much-missed friend and colleague Jeune Robertson.
Throughout the year colleagues have participated in many fundraising events and raised a magnificent £8869 for the charity. This year’s major challenge involved walking the entire 134 miles of the John Muir Way, in a single day, in relay teams. Forty colleagues, family and friends undertook the walk, the major fundraiser for which was a pub quiz which raised almost £1000. A smaller team of colleagues also did a ‘walk in her name’ and walked the entire Water of Leith Walkway in Jeune’s memory. Other events included two teams running in the Edinburgh Marathon Hairy Haggis Relay and many bake sales at our offices.
We also organised a very successful blood donation day at the local blood donation centre. This was centrally organised, however all Law Society colleagues are entitled to donate blood within working hours at a time convenient to them.
