Clifford Chance

In celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Global Head of Property Portfolio Nicole Brockleback-Fowler tells us about her role and the steps she is taking to create an accessible workplace for all.

Hi Nicole! Please tell us about you and your role.

I joined Clifford Chance in April in the newly created position of Global Head of Property Portfolio. I'm responsible for the firm's office leases and standards around design, fit out, sustainability, inclusion and smart building technology. I focus on providing the right kind and quality of space to support and enable our colleagues to thrive at Clifford Chance.

What kind of trends are you seeing in this space?

The past few years have seen a huge shift toward employee wellbeing, inclusion and sustainability as major considerations in office design. In many ways these elements are linked through the way we lay out our space – both in the design and in the engineering. The thinking has accelerated progress toward supporting our people and the environment - it's heartening to see that all our colleagues have access to a workplace that is inclusive and accessible, and that limits impact on the planet.

An example of something we consider in our buildings is how we can best support neurodivergent individuals - this could be through providing a quiet place to work away from noise and distractions, improving acoustics, and limiting bright lights and reflective white walls.

What kind of accessibility requirements have you rolled out in Clifford Chance offices so far?

In our new standards, we will meet, and hope to exceed local requirements. This could be anything from more inclusive signage and wayfinding to our furniture choices and providing a variety of work settings.

We think through the daily journeys that colleagues make through the office to ensure that the design guidelines take everyone into account.

More thoughtful design in simple things can make a real difference to people – consideration around controls, heights of counters, colours and colour differentiation and the size of circulation areas are just a few examples.

We are taking a closer look at our furniture standards and ensuring that they work for most shapes and sizes of people, are adaptable and accessible, as well as being ergonomic and sustainable. Implementing rounded, rather than sharp edges, on sit/stand desks is one further step we are taking to make sure that corners are safe for everyone.

Increasing the number of work settings, and those where a noisy or busy area might cause stress, and places to step away and reflect are other ideas which are coming forward.

We are also looking to allow for more individual light and temperature control through new technology, which helps both the individual and the environment.

What do you hope to achieve next?

We are always trying to learn and provide better solutions for our workspaces. We are working closely with our affinity network Enable and external experts to create the best outcomes possible. Our new standards are based on current best practice, but we are always open to suggestions and improvements.