Q&A with A&O Shearman: building partnerships to respond to the biggest challenges of our time

In October 2024, A&O Shearman formalised their longstanding relationship with UK for UNHCR by launching a five-year partnership in support of UK for UNHCR’s Emergency Fund. We sat down with Kate Cavelle, Global Head of Social Impact at A&O Shearman to spotlight their thinking behind this ongoing commitment.  

© Kate Cavelle

Could you tell us a bit about yourself, A&O Shearman, and what being a responsible business means to you? 

I’ve been at the firm for ten years, after spending 12 years in the finance sector. I believe passionately that the corporate sector can play a role in creating positive social and environmental change – both through a business’ own activities, as well as by influencing the actions of its people.

A&O Shearman has been a valued supporter of UNHCR’s emergency response efforts since 2017. Now, you have committed to support the Emergency Fund for the next 5 years. What inspired A&O Shearman to focus on the Emergency Fund specifically? 

With a strong presence on the ground and a network of local partners, UNHCR are the experts in distributing emergency funding – so it makes sense for us to let them do what they do best! The A&O Shearman Foundation has always been supportive of underfunded and overlooked emergencies, but this new partnership solidifies our long-term commitment to UNHCR’s work and gives UNHCR the flexibility to use our donations where they can have the most impact by addressing urgent and neglected needs.

Support for the Emergency Fund enables UNHCR to address urgent and often overlooked crises, such as the ongoing emergency in Sudan. Why do you believe it’s important to support these underfunded situations? 

I think the corporate sector has a role to play in funding things that are less easy to fundraise for from the public. As emergencies continue to escalate,  it’s naturally more difficult for charities to get media airtime for protracted or hidden situations, which means that corporate funding can make a big difference. Hopefully we can also raise awareness of some of these situations within our own organisations, and then our people’s broader networks, which is another way we can have an impact in this space.

How does the Emergency Fund align with A&O Shearman’s commitment to positive social impact?  

All of our offices have social impact programs that support their local communities, responding to immediate needs and priorities – but we’re a global firm and it’s important to us to support situations beyond our immediate neighbourhoods. Forced displacement has always been a big part of our social impact work, and we do a lot of pro bono and other voluntary work to help people affected. We try to combine our resources (financial and the time and skills of our people) where we can and this is an example of that.

What message would you share with others from the private sector who may be interested in supporting displaced people in times of emergency? 

Investing in the Emergency Fund is a great way to maximise the impact of your support and will ensure that decisions about allocation are done quickly and efficiently – and importantly are handled by the experts!

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As we face an era of escalating emergencies, A&O Shearman’s leadership exemplifies how the private sector can make a profound impact. To find out more about our partnership with A&O Shearman, you can do so here. If you would like to learn more about the Emergency Fund and how you can support refugees, please contact us at [email protected]