CEPANI Diversity & Inclusion policy
As an arbitration and mediation institution administrating judicial processes to resolve disputes, the founding principle of diversity and inclusion of equality is inherent to CEPANI’s core. CEPANI sees the value of diversity and inclusion as a way to gather, respect and include the different ways by which people identify, inclusive of age, colour, disability, ethnicity, gender, origin, nationality, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. CEPANI acknowledges the need to build an institutional culture that is equitable, accessible and welcoming to all.
With this in mind, CEPANI empowers its members to make an impact on their business and their surrounding world. CEPANI fosters a culture that is unconditionally inclusive, and in return, expects that its members contribute with their different perspectives, ideas and experiences, in the context of any work or activity, with a single and common purpose: to help creating more opportunities for everyone, ensuring the involvement from all, with an emphasis on those who have been historically underrepresented, and building a more inclusive and diverse future in the world of arbitration.
CEPANI is, and will continue to be, taking a number of initiatives around diversity and inclusion to reduce existing inequalities (such as gender gaps) in the arbitration community.
CEPANI Diversity & Inclusion Commitment
In our quality of CEPANI members, who are involved in the practice of national and international arbitration, we acknowledge the need to build an institutional culture that is equitable, accessible and welcoming to all. To achieve this, we are committed to make our best to:
help creating more opportunities for everyone, irrespective of gender, religion, sexual orientation, origin, colour, nationality, disability, or socioeconomic status in the field of arbitration
ensure the involvement from all, with an emphasis on those who have been historically underrepresented in the arbitration community
reduce existing inequalities (such as gender gaps)
ensure mentoring/sponsoring/support/guidance from senior and experienced arbitration practitioners towards junior and underrepresented profiles to enhance their practice
address bias, discrimination and harassment that represent barriers to the realisation of diversity and inclusion
organise regular initiatives around diversity and inclusion to raise awareness
improve the profile and representation of women in arbitration (in particular, we consider that women should be appointed as arbitrators on an equal opportunity basis). In this respect, the CEPANI Board of Directors has signed the pledge for equal representation in arbitration (the “Pledge”)
ensure that the composition of Cepani’s Board, Secretariat, Committees and Task Forces adheres to the principles of diversity and inclusion
ensure that the wording of Cepani’s communications reflects “inclusiveness”.
The pledge
On November 10, 2016, the CEPANI Board of Directors signed the pledge for equal representation in arbitration. By doing so CEPANI confirms its will to take all the steps reasonable to it to ensure equal representation in arbitration.
CEPANI Greener Arbitration policy
Arbitral institutions worldwide are increasingly demonstrating a commitment to adopting sustainability and environmental responsibility. As a signatory to the Green Pledge from the Campaign for Greener Arbitration, CEPANI stands as a leader in this initiative.
CEPANI is committed to minimizing the carbon footprint of its operations by endorsing environmentally friendly practices and contributing to international efforts to combat climate change. Our aim is to establish a benchmark for environmentally conscious practices in dispute resolution, particularly in greener arbitration.
The CEPANI Green Pledge
We invite our users to embrace more sustainable methods in alternative dispute resolution by committing to the following CEPANI Green Pledge:
“In all CEPANI arbitrations and ADR, I pledge - and I will use the best endeavours so that my firm/organisation engages to:
Actively look for opportunities to reduce energy consumption and waste and use suppliers and service providers who are committed to reducing their environmental footprint;
Correspond electronically and use CEPANI’S BOX electronic platform, where possible;
Avoid unnecessary printing and promote the use of electronic copies of documents, including the use of electronic bundles at hearings, under the condition that parties do not increase the number of documents they submit to the arbitral tribunal because they use electronic copies instead of paper copies;
Avoid unnecessary travel and encourage the use of videoconferencing facilities as an alternative;
Consider offsetting any carbon emissions;
Keep abreast of CEPANI’s initiatives to promote greener arbitrations and commit to comply with CEPANI’s objectives in that regard.”