Keri Sweet Zavaglia
Senior Vice President & US General Counsel — National Grid
I, Keri Sweet Zavaglia, personally commit to the following:
Personal Commitment
- I will commit to make myself available to diverse talent at every level of National Grid and identify at least two attorneys that I can mentor and sponsor for advancement in their career in the business and/or the legal department.
- I will evaluate National Grid’s panel law firms on their support of National Grid’s DEI values, including their diversity initiatives and their ability to adequately staff matters with a diverse team.
- I will support our teams’ continued participation in Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) and/or the National Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Women of Color, as well as other diverse bar associations and local chapters. I will participate in and support the LCLD and/or the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) in order to support the work of these critical organizations and provide development opportunities for our diverse attorneys and their allies.
- I commit to championing social justice and DEI at National Grid, in our industry and in all other spheres of influence that I may have. I will not just take up the seat at the table that has been set aside for diversity; I will actively participate by using my voice, relationship capital and resources and I will lead by example.
- I will serve as a thought partner to National Grid’s Executive Leadership Team on DEI issues, including being an active support of the Company’s Global Chief Diversity Officer and her team’s goals and commitments.
- I will use my voice and influence to advocate for material systemic change to address DEI in the legal community.
- I will partner with a law firm to host an LCLD Leadership Lunch and select at least two Fellows in attendance for a follow-up conversation.
- I will ensure the National Grid Legal Department is engaged in DEI initiatives, including facilitating regular conversations on DEI, and prioritizing training.
- I will participate in public forums and engage in discussion on best practices to drive diversity in the legal profession and in the community in which I live and work.
- I will commit personal time and credibility to promoting the careers of diverse lawyers by providing unique and interesting opportunities for their professional development and growth.
- I will know and actively monitor the diversity within my legal department and ensure DEI is an integral part of my law department’s recruiting, career development, promotion, advancement, and succession planning.
Organizational Commitment
- Support the Legal Department’s DEI Committee in building, strengthening and championing diversity and inclusion through programming, policy development, leadership opportunities, and team connection activities.
- Reinforce a Legal Department culture in which DEI is celebrated and encouraged, where people feel heard and empowered, and where leaders are trusted. Track and respond to DEI engagement survey scores and informal input to ensure these goals are met.
- Support development programs for National Grid’s attorneys, such as the LCLD Fellows Program and Pathfinder Program as well as the Partnership Program.
- Actively support and leverage the Company’s related DEI programming and resources such as the Company’s Employee Resource Groups, including Association of Black Professionals, Li Hispanic Professional Association, Native American Indian and other ERGs.
- Include in each legal Town Hall and/or quarterly meeting a DEI Moment and encourage each practice group within the Legal Department in include a DEI Moment in practice group meetings at least once a month.
- Support the Company’s DEI commitments in its Responsible Business Charter (RBC) for greater internal and external transparency in recruitment and retention as well as for pay equity.
- Have development plans in place to support retention and advancement for diverse candidates.
- Hire outside law firms that understand, value and commit to create DEI metrics that will be incorporated into retention agreements with outside law firms.
- Continue to support the Legal Department’s Phillip Randall Scott Internship program focusing on racially and ethnically diverse law school candidates, providing students with mentoring, access and exposure to the Legal Department to improve and develop their legal and leadership skills.
- Ensure all members of the Company’s Legal Department have an objective of attending events intended to educate or create awareness of the value of DEI in the workplace and on the nature of unconscious bias, in accordance with the Company’s DEI commitments in its RBC; and promote speaker series and educational opportunities to the Legal Department on an annual basis.