Bath-headquartered national law firm Stone King is showing its commitment to older workers by becoming one of the first businesses to sign up to a new nationwide programme.
The Age-Friendly Employer Pledge is run by the Centre for Ageing Better, which supports organisations to improve the recruitment, retention and development of workers aged 50 and over, so making workplaces age-friendly.
Businesses make a number of commitments as part of the pledge, such as specifically naming age within equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policies.
The Centre for Ageing Better is also supporting the network of signed-up organisations by providing a framework of suggested actions and offering opportunities to learn effective age-friendly practices.
In addition, organisations taking part must appoint a senior sponsor for age-inclusion, a role Stone King chair Alison Allen has taken on.
Alison, pictured, who is also Stone King’s head of private client sector, said: “I am delighted to support the Age-friendly Employer Pledge.
“As a woman in her 50s, I am very aware of how age is both an advantage in terms of life and work experience and also sometimes a challenge as we adjust to getting older.
“I know that our business benefits from diversity among our people, including a wide range of ages and experience, and I am very keen to support a multigenerational workforce.”
Centre for Ageing Better chief executive Dr Carole Easton added: “The current labour shortage has been called the most urgent problem facing the UK economy with its impact driving up prices, wages and inflation.
“Workers in their 50s and 60s are a key, but currently overlooked, solution to resolving the UK’s employment crisis.
“The pledge has been designed to support businesses to go on a journey at a pace that works best for each organisation.
“By taking manageable and measurable steps, each employer will learn over time what steps are needed to make the biggest difference in their own organisation.”
Stone King, which employs more than 230 people across its offices in Bath, Bristol, Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds and London, is a national leader in the charity, faith and education sectors.
Earlier this year it was recently included in the latest Best Companies To Work For UK rankings in recognition of its workplace engagement policies.
