The Rt Hon Fiona Woolf CBE
Alderman of  City of London & Partner, CMS

‘I am pleased and proud to be one of the patrons of the InterLaw Diversity Forum’s Apollo Project, which aims to drive real improvements in workplace culture creating a level playing field for all individuals and future-proofing our organisations.

Having assumed the role of Lord Mayor Of London in 2013 (only the second female to have done so in 800 years), I am acutely aware of the need for businesses and institutions to open their doors to more diverse talent. Innovation thrives upon it; the City depends upon it. This is why I made harnessing the power of diversity one of my four mayoral programmes. The work of the Power Of Diversity Programme still continues.

A plethora of research published in 2012 makes it abundantly clear that diversity initiatives as currently applied are not working. ‘Softly softly’ simply isn’t cutting it. It’s time for a radical re-think and InterLaw’s Apollo Project sets out to lead this charge.

By drawing on the collective intelligence of a wealth of organisations nationally and internationally, the Apollo Project exists to seek out and disseminate the very best practice in diversity, and give business a range of options and practical tools to help it harness the talent of the whole workforce, not merely the elite. Apollo Project resources will provide you with access to real life case studies, tools and techniques that organisations with the best track record on diversity are using to recruit, retain, enable, develop and support their people for the long term, regardless of race, gender, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or socio-economic background.

This is where you come in. To be effective, Apollo needs your ideas, your challenges, your best practice examples and your case studies, so please don’t be shy. Share your examples so we can share the learning and be the change we want to see. By pulling together, we can make the difference that has eluded us for so long. Visit the Submission Form & Guidance page for more information and the submission form.

To borrow from the original Apollo Project, the InterLaw Diversity Forum believes the time is overdue for ‘one giant leap’, and I agree. I hope you will make it with us.’