Ashurst’s aim is to have one local C2C member in every office and practice group.

It comes after the pilot program’s launch in November 2017, which now boasts more than 95 partners across 18 of the firm’s offices worldwide.

C2C partners commit to activities including reverse mentoring and role-modelling changes in their own working patterns while being open to changes in their wider team’s work patterns to promote ‘smarter working’.

These partners also pro-actively promote messages and events around the theme of diversity and inclusion to their teams.

Global managing partner Paul Jenkins was inspired to create the initiative after he became the first law firm leader to join Australia’s ‘Male Champions of Change’, which works with prominent business community leaders to redefine the role men play in gender inequality.

Commenting on his role in C2C’s development, Mr Jenkins said, “As a Male Champion of Change, I was inspired to create an initiative at the firm which demonstrates our commitment to diversity and inclusion through inclusive leadership.”

He said that, as a result of C2C, “there has been an increased amount of diversity and inclusion activity such as training, seminars and communications campaigns, and a greater number of our employees now have visible and active advocates for diversity and inclusion”.

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Since the initiative began, more than 80 reverse mentor pairings have been established, focusing on diverse perspectives such as gender, caring responsibilities, ethnicity, culture, faith and LGBTI inclusion.

C2C communication includes the exchange of ideas within a group, which is used by Mr Jenkins to hold the initiative to account, measure progress in driving change, and support actions and deliverables.