공익인권법재단 공감(이하 ‘공감’)과 외국법자문법률사무소협회(이하 ‘외국로펌협회’)는 2015년 9월 7일 미래에셋 빌딩에서 외국로펌의 공익활동중개를 위한 협력 및 교류를 내용으로 하여 업무협약(MOU)을 체결하였습니다. 공감과 외국로펌협회는 공감이 진행하는 공익소송에 있어 외국로펌협회 산하 외국법 자문사들이 관련 국제법 및 영미법 자문, 공감이 지원하는 비영리 시민사회 사업에 관한 외국법 자문 및 공익법·제도 개선을 위한 연구조사 등에 대한 법률지원 관련하여 상호 협력하기로 하였습니다.
외국로펌협회는 공감의 공익법 활동에 관해 필요한 인적·물적 지원을 제공하도록 노력하며, 공감은 외국로펌협회의 공익활동 프로그램 개발·중개 및 공익법 활동 활성화를 위한 공익단체와의 네트워크 형성을 지원하도록 노력하기로 하였습니다. 또한, 공감과 외국로펌협회는 각자 업무수행이나 학술연구에 필요하다고 인정하는 경우 학술정보 등 필요한 자료를 공유하거나 제공하는 데에 상호 협력하기로 하였습니다.
이날 협약식에는 공감 측에서 안경환 이사장, 염형국 변호사, 황필규 변호사가 참석하였고, 외국로펌협회 측에서는 이원조 회장을 비롯하여 박진원 O'Melveny & Myers 대표, 이용국 Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton 대표, 김현석 Clifford Chance 대표, 윤석주 K&L Gates 대표가 참석하여 양 기관 간의 앞으로의 협력 방향에 대하여 폭넓게 논의하였습니다.
<편집자주> 아름다운재단은 앞으로 '다국적기업의 사회공헌 이야기'를 3회에 걸쳐 연재합니다.
한국사회에서 활동하는 다국적기업은 모두 1만5천여 개입니다. 이 중 활발하게 사회공헌 활동을 하는 곳도 있고 그렇지 않은 곳도 있습니다. 그 중 다국적기업최고경영자협회(KCMC)의 회원사로, 활발하게 사회공헌 활동에 참여하고 있는 10개 기업의 대표적인 사회공헌 활동에 대해 소개해드립니다. 특히 소개되는 기업들은 <2015>에 연구조사 및 후원사로 함께 하였습니다.
*다국적기업최고경영자협회(KCMC)는 다국적기업들이 다양한 활동을 통해 한국 사회에서 '사회적 책임'을 다할 수 있도록 노력하는 한국인 CEO들의 모임입니다.
우리사회 구성원으로서 역할을 다하기 위해 꾸준히 활동하고 있는 다국적기업의 다양한 사회공헌활동을 영상으로 만나보세요. 그 첫 번째 이야기, 혼자가 아닌 함께 성장하는 다국적기업의 사회공헌 이야기를 소개합니다!
'델몬트 후레쉬 프로듀스'는 최상의 품질로 신선한 과일 공급하는 120여년의 역사를 가진 세계적인 청과 기업입니다. 15개국주요생산국의농장에서우수한품질의과일을생산하고, 포장, 운송및판매까지일원화된시스템을통해전세계 100여개 국에 신선한 과일을 제공하고 있어요. 델몬트후레쉬프로듀스는 과일 시장의 다양성을 선도하고 있는 만큼, 기업의 사회공헌활동 또한 다양합니다. 그 중 한국 지사의 대표적인 사회공헌 프로그램‘델몬트 후레쉬 드림 캠페인(2012~현재)’을 소개하고자 해요.
이 캠페인은 지역사회 상권의 단 하나뿐인 작은 카페를 지원하는 소상공인 후원 프로그램으로 올해는 2~30대 스타트업 청년층이 운영하는 작은 카페 10곳에 바나나, 파인애플, 포도 등의 신선한 과일을 무상으로 제공하여 신메뉴 과일 음료를 개발, 판매할 수 있도록 돕고 있습니다. 대형 프랜차이즈 커피가 즐비하는 요즘, 델몬트후레쉬드림캠페인을 통해 아기자기하고 개성있는 음료를 맛볼 수 있는 맛있는 작은 까페들도 많이 생겨나길 바랍니다.
정부와 기업, 학교, 동네 커뮤니티를 막론하고 요즘 사회혁신가들로부터 자주 애용되는 용어인 ‘Design Thinking’은 말 그대로 디자인적 사고와 방법론을 통해 여러 가지 문제를 해결한다는 창의적인 사고 과정을 말하는데요, 기업용 소프트웨어 시장의 85%를 차지하고 있는 ‘SAP(에스에이피)’가 이 'Design Thinking'을 기업 경영의 핵심 전략으로 삼고, 이를 전 세계적인 사회공헌활동으로 풀어내고 있습니다.
특히 SAP코리아는‘드림디자인프로젝트', '디자인씽킹투어위드 프로그램(2014~현재)’ 등을 통해 청년들이 생활의 문제를 창의적이고 혁신적으로 해결할 수 있도록 지원하고, 미래세대 청소년들이 SAP 임직원 및 대학생 자원봉사자 멘토와 함께 진로와 자립에 대한 고민을 나누며 스스로 인간 중심의 사고력을 키울 수 있도록 돕고 있습니다.이밖에도 청년창업프로그램 'Run Simple Startup', 취준생을 위한 '레쥬메클리닉', 자폐인직업훈련프로그램 '오티즘@워크‘ 등 'Youth' 대상 사회공헌 교육프로그램을 수행하고 있는데요. 아래 영상에서 소개하고 있는 '사람책 도서관' 행사는 도서관에서 책을 대출하듯 청소년들이 멘토를 대출하여 서로 의미있는 대화를 나누는 재미있는프로그램입니다.
* 아름다운재단과 같은 비영리단체가 디자인적 사고 프로세스를 통해 어떻게 하면 지역사회 니즈를 잘 파악하고 많은 기업들과 함께 서비스 디자인을 수행할 수 있을까, 아마 저에게 가장 절실한 프로그램인거 같습니다 ;)
한국암웨이는 국내 진출 이래 사회공헌 현지화를 위한 전문적이고 지속적인 활동을 펼치고 있는 기업으로 체계적인 사회공헌 프로그램을 안정적으로 운영하고 있습니다.글로벌암웨이는 '한 사람 한 사람씩 도움의 손길을 펼쳐 아동의 삶을 변화시키자'라는 미래세대 아동을 위한 '원바이원(One by one)캠페인'을 전개하고 있는데요, 이런 본사의 이념을 바탕으로 한국의 실정에 맞게 진행하고 있는 한국암웨이의 '희망비타민캠페인'을 소개합니다.
희망비타민 캠페인은‘삶, 배움, 성취, 놀이’라는 4가지영역으로 운영되고있는데요. 아동의 문화예술, 과학창의 활동을 지원하는 창의인재 육성 프로젝트 ‘생각하는 청개구리’, 웰니스(Wellness)기업의 전문성을 살려 아이들의 균형잡힌 밥상을 책임지는 '건강지킴이', 암웨이 임직원과 ABO(Amway Business Owner, 암웨이독립자영사업가)로 구성된‘희망비타민자원봉사’ 등 다양하고 광범위한 활동들을 수행하고 있습니다. 특히 ABO희망비타민 자원봉사자들은 전국 15개 지역의 암웨이플라자를 중심으로 90여개 지역복지관과 1대 1파트너십을 맺어 지역밀착형 봉사활동을 매달 정기적으로 진행하고 있답니다.
Corporate social responsibility programs among the international law firms in Singapore originally involved simply writing checks to support local charities, but that’s changing. International law firms are facing pressure to expand CSR programs to Southeast Asia as clients, regulators and recruits demand genuine attention to their social impact globally.
While CSR is standard policy in the U.K., the U.S. and Australia, the regional Asian offices of international law firms have been playing catch up. Singapore is seeing some of the most marked efforts to fill the gap.
Lawyers in the city-state say they are observing an attitudinal shift in terms of institutional support for their CSR programs, and that pro-bono opportunities and industry expectations are increasing as senior partners increasingly recognize the role CSR plays in reputation building, recruitment and retention and client relationships.
The foreign law firms’ abilities to contribute and help drive CSR engagement across the local legal sector were specifically welcomed by the President of the Law Society of Singapore, Thio Shen Yi SC in his speech at the Opening of the Legal Year 2015, culminating in a call to “tap their reservoirs of expertise, experience and manpower.”
CSR Enhances Business Development
As consumers have become more ethically conscious of their purchases, companies in sectors as varied as financial services, garments, fast moving consumer goods and technology are increasing their focus on responsible procurement. Some of the global financial institutions, for example, are now requiring disclosure of CSR practices in their global and regional panel applications and U.S. multinational corporations routinely ask law firms to submit questionnaires outlining their CSR commitment.
Apart from legal adviser selection, some companies—particularly the international banks—are reaching out to the law firms for collaboration on CSR projects. For example, Bank of America (among a number of others) has a longstanding relationship with Points of Light, a global organization dedicated to volunteer service, which has been expanding its volunteer offerings globally, in particular in the Asia Pacific region.
Senior Management Commitment Enables CSR
An effective and sustainable CSR strategy also requires a strong personal senior partner commitment. Relatively young Singaporean firm TSMP Law has built a thriving community commitment, led passionately from the very top by the joint managing directors, husband and wife team, Thio Shen Yi SC and Stefanie Yuen Thio. Their annual CSR program dedicated to children, the elderly and migrant workers, includes charitable donations focused strategically on the most under-resourced of the nonprofit organizations working in these areas; two full office days a year dedicated by the entire staff of the firm to community engagement; as well as a strong commitment to providing pro bono legal advice with every lawyer in the firm required to commit to a minimum of 25 hours.
Sometimes simple gestures can be effective in fostering a a culture of CSR. Latham & Watkins’s Singapore office enthusiastically decorates the office doors of its lawyers that regularly meet or exceeded pro bono targets, creating indirect peer pressure for others to get involved and share in the fun.
Singapore’s Growth Drivers for CSR
While international law firms are increasingly sophisticated in their CSR programs, they generally are mostly focused at their main headquarters. Regulatory changes and customer trends are driving some international firms in Singapore to revamp their approach and “walk the talk” locally.
As the government continues with its initiatives to make Singapore a regional hub for the international legal market, foreign law firms seeking to renew or receive their Qualifying Foreign Law Practice last year scrambled to demonstrate their commitment to the community.
There are also the new demands that Singapore is putting on its current and future lawyers. The amended Legal Profession Act will come into force this year, and will require all Singapore qualified lawyers to disclose annually the number of hours they have spent each preceding year on pro bono work. Also, the two law faculties in the city-state, at National University of Singapore and Singapore Management University, both now require pro bono hours of community service as part of their degree. Both initiatives raise awareness of pro bono activities and encourage lawyers to participate in the work throughout their careers.
Separately, law firm rankings are also starting to incorporate CSR activities. The coveted American Lawyer rankings and awards now honor global citizenship, looking at each firm’s overseas pro bono activities not just their CSR programs in their American offices. This could have a dramatic impact on the perceived “world order” among the global elite firms, as there is still a lot of catching up to do in Asia. “In the U.S., it is a matter of shame not to complete 60 hours, but in the regional offices, it is a matter of honor to complete 60 hours,” said one U.S. law firm associate we spoke to, noting how difficult it can be to reach that number while working in Asia.
Challenges for Translating International CSR Programs in Singapore
International law firms have a long history of harnessing their specific professional skills to make a greater impact in communities and engage employees and clients in their home jurisdictions. The challenge these firms are facing is how to extend that culture to the regional offices where they operate with much smaller teams.
Recent changes are raising the profile of pro bono work in Singapore and driving participation and innovation from foreign and domestic lawyers alike. For example, while many pro bono programs such as legal clinics require the presence of a Singapore-qualified lawyer, the Pro Bono Services Office of the Law Society of Singapore (itself a registered charity) has developed opportunities for international lawyers that do not require Singapore qualification. These include prison interviews, legal research, contributions to community legal handbooks and the Joint International Pro Bono Committee, which is a clearing house for international firms to be matched with cross-border pro bono work in the region.
Time and lack of expertise are also issues. But both the senior partners and associates alike can participate in flexible projects that can be managed during lull periods, such as the Pro Bono Services Office’s research programs, and leverage their corporate law skills for the Law Society’s manual for social enterprises affected by cross border issues, or, for more senior lawyers, by volunteering on nonprofit boards in Singapore.
“Lawyers box ourselves,” says Linklaters partner Sophie Mathur, who is admitted in Singapore as well as England and Wales and is a champion for the firm’s diversity and CSR initiatives. “Our core competence is legal advice,” she continues, “but lawyers can contribute more widely. We are professional transaction managers, we are business savvy.”
Because overseas offices tend to be lean and less profitable, capacity issues and opportunity costs are intensified when a lawyer takes time out on pro bono matters. In these cases, charity activities are often a first step into CSR before taking on higher-value, skills-based volunteering. Olswang, a U.K.-based firm that is focused on technology and media, has collaborated with Urban Farm and the Willing Hearts soup kitchen. Staff and lawyers help grow vegetables in urban areas, and spend mornings chopping vegetables to donate meals to the needy in Singapore.
With the right leadership and planning, international firms can embed a strategic approach that takes into account not only social good, but also the untapped business benefits.
About the Authors:
Wendy Stimpson is a lawyer by profession, having worked at the London and Asian offices of leading international firms before moving into financial services, as a senior in-house lawyer and general counsel for the Asia Pacific region. Now based in Singapore, she founded Astrum Partners Pte. Ltd., which provides strategic consulting and senior search services for clients across Asia. Wendy volunteers as a director on the board of Very Special Arts Singapore Ltd., a charity providing access to the arts for people with disabilities.
Natalia Olynec is a sustainability consultant and adjunct professor. She was recently global head of sustainability at Damco, a business unit of Maersk Group, and on the steering committee of the U.N. World Food Program’s Logistics Emergency Team. Natalia has has collaborated in global teams on responsible procurement, human rights, energy efficiency and CSR communications. As a journalist, her analysis of business in developing economies has appeared on Bloomberg, the International Herald Tribune, Chicago Tribune and Economist Group publications.
Note: Astrum Partners Pte. Ltd. has a general working relationship with, and may therefore pitch work from time to time to, some of the law firms and financial institutions mentioned in this article.
