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The Pro Bono Programme at Kennedys strives to support the capacity, capability and resilience of organisations that work to build better communities and to help the most vulnerable in society.
We rely on the expertise of our lawyers to provide legal advice, but the Programme can also provide volunteering opportunities for our non-lawyers. In July, when we heard that the European Network on Statelessness ('ENS') was seeking guidance around the global mobility of its employees, we found the expert we needed in the HR team.
About the European Network on Statelessness
ENS is a civil society alliance of 180+ members in over 40 countries, working alongside impacted communities to end statelessness and ensure stateless people in Europe are protected.
Established in 2012, ENS has been working to ensure that statelessness is given the attention it is due as a critical human rights issue. It is dedicated to working with stateless communities in Europe to advocate for their rights, raising awareness about statelessness and the right to a nationality, supporting legal and policy development, and building civil society’s capacity to act.
ENS's London based Secretariat work closely with their members to deliver projects and activities across Europe.
Louise Luke is the Global Mobility Manager at Kennedys and is based in our Manchester office.
Louise supports our employees and partners to move across borders for work purposes in a fair and compliant way, and oversees a number of mobility policies, including Connect Leave and Kennedys Collaborate.
With this specialist knowledge, Louise was the perfect volunteer to support the request from the ENS for guidance on international remote working.
We asked Louise to tell us more about her experience supporting the ENS:
How did you get involved
I was contacted by the Pro Bono Manager, Emma Blackstone, about the request from the ENS. It was very much in my area of expertise and so I was happy to help. I arranged a follow up call with ENS, and it went from there.
What support did you provide?
The ENS needed guidance around what to consider when looking at international remote working, including what should be included in an appropriate policy. I have offered to undertake a high level review of their policy in due course. We also looked at Business Travel compliance.
I designed and delivered a guidance session for the team, to highlight key considerations relating to employee mobility, including levels of risk and grey areas, so that they could feel better informed on the organisation's overall approach in this space.
What impact did your involvement make?
The ENS is a small organisation, but this doesn't take away its responsibilities as an employer, or the need to handle legal compliance and resource with the utmost care. From their feedback, I know that the ENS truly valued the insight I could offer - enabling its leaders to feel confident in their decision making around international remote working going forward.
Support of this calibre, offered pro bono, has a profound impact not just on our operations, but on our broader mission to end statelessness in Europe.