Our People and Culture Forum (PCF) was formed as a channel for our people to generate, discuss, and help implement ideas for positive change within Johnston Carmichael.
The PCF was launched in 2022 and comprises members from a cross-section of our departments and locations.
These members act as representatives of our wider team, providing an ‘employee voice’ on key challenges and opportunities. This enables proactive input from all our people to develop and improve initiatives and strategies, ensuring Johnston Carmichael is the best possible place to work.
Like everything we do at Johnston Carmichael, the PCF is founded on our four core values: Leading Our Future, Doing the Right Thing, Standing in Other People’s Shoes, and Remaining Relevant.
The People and Culture Forum focuses on a number of key themes to ensure that Johnston Carmichael remains a progressive and diverse employer in the long-term, with equality and inclusivity firmly embedded in its culture.
CSR
Our firmwide CSR committee is composed of representatives from across Johnston Carmichael. The committee meets once a month to discuss projects and fundraising activities, raising money for both local and national charities. Throughout the year we run firmwide initiatives as well as organising local office initiatives targeted towards making a difference in the communities in which we live and work.
Wellbeing
Supporting the wellbeing of our people is a key priority at JC. We focus on building a culture where people feel supported, valued, and able to balance work and life, creating the conditions for everyone to perform at their best both in and outside of work. The PCF plays an important role in shaping working practices and behaviours that better support whole life balance and wellbeing.
In today’s hybrid working environment, where digital technology has led to a change in behaviours, boundaries and expectations, we work to inform, support, and empower our people to improve and maintain their overall wellbeing. This includes implementation of actions and initiatives following the principles of the Mindful Business Charter, helping to create that culture of balance throughout Johnston Carmichael.
LGBTQIA+ inclusion and belonging
Through education, support, and collaborative engagement, the PCF aims to ensure all our people feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work, and that we all understand how to support people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.
This is achieved through a range of initiatives such as regular internal comms increasing awareness and understanding of different terms people use to describe their gender or sexuality; promoting allyship across the firm; sharing stories from LGBTQIA+ members of our team about their experiences in the workplace; and providing a Resource Hub of information and support.
Equity, diversity, and opportunity in the workplace
We’re committed to building a workplace where everyone has equal opportunity to succeed. The PCF focuses on initiatives that represent and support people with a range of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and personal circumstances, to ensure everyone has the tools they need to thrive. Some of the projects the PCF has worked on so far include:
- A review of our Family Friendly Leave policy;
- Menopause support;
- Support for ‘returners to work’, for experienced individuals looking to find their way back to work after, for example, a career break, parental leave, or a change in career;
- Raising awareness and understanding of different forms of neurodiversity; and
- Marking and celebrating a range of significant dates and festivities across a variety of different cultures.
