In what is believed to be a first for an arbitral institution, the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) launched its new Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Guidelines in December 2024. The Guidelines stem from the Promoting Best Practice pillar of the LCIA’s EDI Initiative, which was launched earlier in 2024.
In the words of the LCIA, the Guidelines “provide non-binding recommendations for integrating EDI principles across various stages of arbitration, from candidate selection to conduct in hearings and involving all participants in the process. Recognising the diversity of users and cases, the guidelines are designed for flexibility, allowing parties to adapt the recommendations to suit their specific needs and priorities.” The Guidelines not only affirm the LCIA’s commitment, as an organisation, to “a fairer, more representative arbitration landscape”, but provide concrete guidance about considerations for all users of arbitration throughout the lifecycle of any arbitration. The specific considerations described in detail in the Guidelines call out, in particular, considering EDI when identifying candidates for legal representatives, arbitrators and expert witnesses, establishing inclusive hearing procedures and encouraging inclusive conduct. The final section of the Guidelines breaks the guidance down as most applicable to specific categories of arbitral stakeholder.
The full Guidelines are available here. Further information about the LCIAs EDI Initiative, which is focussing on: (a) widening event participation; (b) arbitrator education and training; as well as (c) promoting best practice, can be found here.
Submitted by ArbitralWomen Board Member and LCIA EDI Champion Kate Corby