Organisations should play a positive role in the community and consider the environmental and social impact of their business decisions. CSR indicates the corporate sustainability and responsibility of businesses and primarily refers to an organisation's commitment to contribute to society and to integrate environmental, ethical and sustainability concerns to its operations and activities. Patrikios Legal implements that precisely and while doing it, it tries to engage its personnel to the relevant CSR processes, thus allowing its CSR practices to be substantially and meaningfully expressed by its people.
Core CSR Philosophy
The basic CSR philosophy of Patrikios Legal is to contribute and to give back to society. Standing by and supporting our fellow citizens in need, have always been core values for us. Safeguarding the environment is also among our aims, along with the commitment to deliver a better world and a fairer society for generations to come.
Moreover, Patrikios Legal respects individuality and equality, values its people and allows them to grow and evolve, protects equal rights for all and, at the same time strives for diversity in the workplace. It is noteworthy that around 80% of the firm's staff is female, while the majority of the law firm's partners are women. As lawyers, we truly believe in justice and equality and this becomes evident through our CSR initiatives.
Implementation of CSR Practices
The firm tries to engage all firm members during the application of CSR practices, thus providing them with the opportunity to be a part of the firm's contribution towards society. Patrikios Legal has traditionally supported a number of charitable causes. The most noteworthy charitable initiative, which has been co-organised by us since 2012, is the “Wish for the Stars” event, which supports the “One Dream, One Wish” association for children with cancer and related diseases. Involving our people in the particular initiative makes the whole experience meaningful and memorable for all. The theme of the Wish for the Stars event is different each year. The members of our firm are given to opportunity to sing, dance and perform on stage, along with people from other companies, united under the common aim to raise funds for children fighting cancer. At the “Wish for the Stars – Hotel Tsiamantas the Musical” event, held in 2022, the amount of € 80,000 was raised, while €100,000 was raised at this year's event with the title “Wish for Stars -Eurovision Edition”, held on 25 November 2023 in Limassol. The involvement of our people in the preparation and presentation of this charity event, for the last decade, has been a cornerstone of team-building and creating strong and long-lasting relationships. Also, it has contributed in the development of further personal
The involvement of our people in the preparation and presentation of this charity event, for the last decade, has been a cornerstone of team-building and creating strong and long-lasting relationships
attributes and has allowed people to discover new capacities and capabilities. What is more, the interaction with the members of the families supported by the “One Dream One Wish” association has enabled us to appreciate the true value of giving to our fellow citizens and of contributing to society though the firm's CSR practices. Furthermore, we actively support a range of charities, including the Alkinoos Foundation, the Cyprus Red Cross, Pasykaf, Alkyonides, the Karaiskakio Foundation and many more. By partnering with these charities, we strive to create a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and promote a culture of giving and support within our firm.
The firm has also embraced a number of practices aiming to protect the environment. These reflect our dedication to minimizing our ecological footprint and
fostering a greener future. Our environmentally sustainable practices include energy conservation measures, waste reduction strategies, recycling and the integration of eco-friendly technologies. Additionally, the firm's commitment to give back to society is also reinforced through the provision of legal advice on a pro bono basis, thus supporting the less fortunate members of the community, requiring assistance on their legal matters. Last but not least, starting in 2024, Patrikios Legal will provide five scholarships, each amounting to €1000, to students of the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) who, concurrently, face social or economic challenges in continuing their studies.
Work-Life Balance
We care about the imprint we leave behind and the work-life-balance of our team members is also important. Therefore, we have implemented the 35-hour week work schedule. Our personnel benefits from two afternoons off per week, while flexible and remote working is also available. In 2023, the firm celebrates its 60th anniversary. Taking this opportunity, a number of activities and events have been organised, not only for the firm's staff but also for friends, clients and associates. The focus of celebrating this important milestone was happiness at work, this stressing the importance of life work balance. We are committed to continue to provide a positive working environment where our people can thrive and therefore Patrikios Legal can achieve new milestones.
Our actions have consequences, so let's make our actions matter.
Originally Published by GOLD | The Business Magazine of Cyprus
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
