Diversity Survey 2023

• Posted onJanuary 5, 2024

As part of our commitment to uphold SRA regulations, all regulated firms, regardless of size, have to collect, report, and publish data about the diversity makeup of their workforce every two years.

The following is the anonymised reporting from WSP Solicitors as of  June 2023. 58 members of staff took part with 6 members abstaining. All percentages are rounded for ease of reporting.

Age of Staff

• 16 – 24: 10%
• 25 – 34: 26%
• 35 – 44: 29%
• 45 – 54: 19%
• 55 – 64: 14%
• 65+: 2%

Gender

• Female: 86%
• Male: 12%
• Prefer not to say: 2%

100% of staff identify as the same gender they were born with.

Additional Needs and Disability

• 36% of staff consider themselves to have additional needs or a disability.
• 3% preferred not to disclose.
• 5% of these people would say their day-to-day activities are limited with the remaining amount not being limited day to day or choosing not to disclose.

Ethnic Grouping

WSP Solicitors are made up of the following ethnic groups.

• British / English / Welsh / Northern Irish / Scottish: 85%
• Caribbean: 3%
• White & Black African: 3%
• Other White Background: 3%
• Indian: 2%
• White & Asian: 2%
• Preferred not to say: 2%

Religion or Belief

• Christian: 49%
• No religion: 44%
• Jewish: 2%
• Muslim: 2%
• Preferred not to say: 3%

Sexual Orientation

• Heterosexual: 91%
• Bisexual: 2%
• Prefer not to say: 7%

Education and Family

We asked staff what type of school they attended.

• State-run or state-funded school – non-selective: 57%
• State-run or state-funded school – selective on academic, faith or other grounds: 24%
• Independent / fee-paying school, where I received no bursary or a bursary covering less than 90% of my tuition: 7%
• Independent / fee-paying school, where I received a bursary covering 90% or more of my tuition: 3%
• Attended school outside the UK: 3%
• Don’t know / not sure: 2%
• Prefer not to say: 2%
• Invalid / no response to this question: 2%

When asking about the education levels of parents of staff:

• No, neither of my parents attended university: 67%
• Yes, one or both of my parents attended university: 31%
• Don’t know / not sure: 2%

What was the occupation of the main household earner when you were 14?

• Senior, middle or junior managers or administrators such as: finance manager, chief executive, large business owner, office manager, retail manager, bank manager, restaurant manager, warehouse manager: 26%
• Modern professional and traditional professional occupations such as: teacher, nurse, physiotherapist, social worker, musician, police officer (sergeant or above), software designer, accountant, solicitor, medical practitioner, scientist, civil / mechanic engineer: 21%
• Routine, semi-routine manual and service occupations such as: postal worker, machine operative, security guard, caretaker, farm worker, catering assistant, sales assistant, HGV driver, cleaner, porter, packer, labourer, waiter/waitress, bar staff: 21%
• Technical and craft occupations such as: motor mechanic, plumber, printer, electrician, gardener, train driver: 14%
• Small business owners who employed less than 25 people such as: corner shop owners, small plumbing companies, retail shop owner, single restaurant or cafe owner, taxi owner, garage owner: 9%
• Other, such as: retired, this question does not apply to me, I don’t know: 3%
• Clerical and intermediate occupations such as: secretary, personal assistant, call centre agent, clerical worker, nursery nurse: 2%
• Long term unemployed (claimed Jobseeker’s Allowance or earlier unemployment benefit for more than a year): 2%
• Prefer not to say: 2%

Care Responsibilities

When asked if staff are the primary carer for any child or children under 18 years old the response was:

• No: 55%
• Yes: 45%

Finally, do you look after or care for someone with long-term physical or mental ill health caused by disability or age (not in a paid capacity)?

• No: 95%
• Yes, 1 – 19 hours a week: 3%
• Yes, 50 or more hours a week: 2%