Over many years we have been committed to being a good employer and a responsible, sustainable business. Our regular involvement in our neighbourhood and wider region has been important in establishing our reputation as a responsible legal services firm, conducting our business to benefit our employees and the whole community. Today this also means being on a journey towards net zero and evolving our service to consider the implications of climate change. This is our story.
A legacy of social responsibility
We established a steering committee some years ago to consider our environmental, social and governance impact. This was initially called the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) group and later became the ESG committee. It includes owners and staff from all areas of the firm who are passionate about these values.
As well as undertaking charitable and voluntary activities in our area, this committee focused on minimising the environmental impact of our business. We addressed our energy efficiency by investing in new boilers, installing LED lighting in our car park, fitting motion sensors in the washrooms, and moving to more energy-efficient data servers. We considered the sustainability of our suppliers and their operations, and this determined how we selected our in-house catering team, our stationery suppliers and our printing partners. We also revised our waste collection to improve our recycling and highlighted our environmental commitment by providing all staff with reusable mugs and water bottles.
In 2022 we were the first business to partner with Warwickshire County Council’s Active Travel Team to assess how our staff travelled to work and to encourage active alternatives where possible. Learning from that pilot project we introduced a Cycle to Work scheme, and more recently we promoted an electric car scheme.
The Law Society Guidance
Our ESG commitment meant that when the Law Society’s Guidance on the Impact of Climate Change on Solicitors was published in April 2023, we were well-placed to respond immediately and meaningfully. The Guidance considers how law firms should manage business to reduce climate change impact and explains how solicitors’ professional duties and client relationships are affected.
Determining our carbon footprint
Over time we realised the importance of measuring our carbon footprint. The Guidance spurred us on to find the most appropriate sustainability certification to enable our journey towards net zero. By July 2023 we had identified Planet Mark. This programme measures and records our emissions, providing a baseline for our carbon footprint, which allows initial certification. Planet Mark then works with us to identify ways of improving and achieving an annual emissions reduction of at least 2.5%. By the end of 2023 our existing carbon footprint had been measured and analysed, and we had achieved our first Planet Mark Business Certification.
Firmwide response
To succeed in our climate journey, we knew that the whole firm needed to understand our carbon footprint and how to improve it. We communicated our measured emissions and reduction plans at our quarterly firm-wide meetings in February 2024 showing our measured carbon footprint per employee.
Following Planet Mark’s recommendations, our initial areas for improvement were energy efficiency, waste management and travel. A “Switch it off” campaign was launched in April 2024 to remind everyone to turn off monitors at workstations, and lights, heaters and air conditioners in meeting rooms. A new Sustainable Travel Policy was launched, together with a Sustainable Travel Calculator encouraging staff to consider whether a journey was necessary, and sustainable travel options. Recycling reminders were put up throughout our office.
Reducing our carbon impact every year
With all these efforts, during the 2023-24 measurement period we achieved an overall carbon reduction of 15.3% across the business and an 18.8% carbon reduction per employee, and we were re-accredited with Planet Mark Business Certification. During the 2024-25 accreditation period we have already switched to a green energy provider – which should give significant emissions reductions. We are also collecting data to benchmark our Scope 3 emissions, and we continue to encourage staff to continue our firm-wide approach to achieving net zero.
Climate change and our professional duties
At the same time as responding to the Law Society Guidance by reducing our firm’s climate change impact, we have been taking on board the implications for our professional duties and client relationships. We asked the Heads of each of our Practice Areas to designate a Climate Champion, who became part of the ESG Committee if they were not already a member. We undertook an initial review of the climate change implications for each of our practice areas and identified an immediate need to review our retainer letters, risk and insurance requirements and general Responsible Business Policy.
To raise awareness of the Guidance amongst staff we introduced it in our quarterly firm-wide meetings in June 2024 and made the document available to everyone. This was followed by a more detailed briefing to all Heads or Practice, with a request that they consider the detail of the implications for their specific practice areas.
Earth Day 2025 – a time to celebrate and re-commit
This Earth Day we celebrate our achievements so far to reduce our carbon footprint, and continue our journey towards net zero, alongside an informed service to clients that includes the risks and implications of climate change.
The theme for Earth Day 2025 is OUR POWER, OUR PLANET, inviting everyone around the globe to unite behind renewable energy, and to triple the global generation of clean electricity by 2030.
