The Apollo Project is a global initiative for businesses and organisations from all sectors (including the legal sector), which provides the practical tools needed to better embed more inclusive workplace practices and cultures to promote meritocracy.
Research has shown that most D&I initiatives don’t work.
The Apollo Project seeks out ground-breaking initiatives and examples of best practice which are backed up by evidence, and then offers these as an “open source” resource for other businesses and organisations to adapt and implement.
The Apollo Project was inspired by the recommendations of our 2012 study, Career Progression in the Legal Sector, which identified the need to effect cultural change in order to ‘level the playing field’ and create more meritocratic workplaces. The Apollo Project helps create these meritocratic workplaces by leveraging on examples of best practice to give business and organisations from all sectors practical tools to help make effective cultural changes.
The Apollo Project, in partnership with the Financial Times, ran an annual competition for four years (2014-2017), seeking out initiatives and examples of best practice that are driving this cultural change. Winning initiatives provided evidence of measurable outputs, and can be replicated or adapted by other organisations looking for guidance in this area. All winning initiatives are freely available on the Apollo Project website, thus enabling other organisations to shape and inform their work on diversity and inclusion, talent management, and organisational change.
Individuals and organisations with winning initiatives receive an Apollo Project: Architects of Meritocracy award for their innovative work in instigating cultural change. Initiatives are judged by a panel based upon strict criteria.
Each year the Financial Times published a global special report that highlights the Apollo Project, and the InterLaw Diversity Forum publishes a winners booklet along with updates on past winners.
Past Apollo Project sponsors have included organisations such as General Electric, Lloyds Banking Group, RBS, Walmart, CMS, and National Grid.