Going green as the clouds gather

No comments

Environmental sustainability is no longer a luxury but rather a business-critical issue for law firms, argues Des Hudson.

With the Met Office warning that this September could be the wettest ever, the urgent warnings of climate change scientists seem to be thrown into ever sharper relief.

Alongside the global climate crisis, we are of course also staring at a global economic downturn, with economists continuing to forecast a recession in the UK.

So which should we respond to first? Given the inextricable link between environmental and financial sustainability, we have no choice. With the rising cost of energy, it does not take an economist to work out that control of energy costs is crucial for businesses facing a cash crisis.

Waste is carbon-heavy, so making environmental efficiencies can be an extremely effective way of streamlining expenditure. It is often through simple behavioural changes which cost nothing that some of the most significant savings can be quickly achieved.

Minimising the use of any resource, be it paper, water or ink cartridges, will undoubtedly make for leaner businesses. Emissions are certainly saved by teleconferencing rather than travelling to meetings – another environmental efficiency which translates directly to the bottom line, with significant savings in time and travel costs.

The ever-increasing number of clients considering environmental policies and practices when appointing legal advisers is testament to the way in which environmentally sustainable practices are now a business-critical issue for law firms – with a direct link to profitability.

The most sophisticated firms are realising that, beyond reflecting the corporate responsibility commitment of their clients, understanding environmental issues and climate change means they are better placed to advise their clients on how their businesses need to adapt and respond to these challenges.

Furthermore, being green is now a determining factor in employee recruitment, retention and engagement rates, with recent CIPD research showing that more than 50% of people would prefer to work for a company with a strong environmental policy.

It is precisely because green issues are critical to the business of the legal profession that the Law Society is playing such an active part in the Legal Sector Alliance on Climate Change. The alliance was specifically created to support firms in managing and reducing their carbon emissions and adopting more environmentally sustainable practices.

Before any firm can reduce its emissions, it is crucial to understand what is being emitted, which is why the alliance has produced a unique carbon footprint protocol for the sector. The tool has been specifically developed to guide firms through the measurement process as simply as possible. Since its parameters are clear, the adoption of the protocol across the sector will help firms to benchmark their performance and understand where efficiencies can be achieved.

While baselining environmental performance is the vital first step, action is still required to make an environmental and economic difference.

This is why a set of action-based principles has been developed, the adoption of which will enable practices of any size to demonstrate their environmental commitment to a wide variety of stakeholders, including clients, staff and potential investors. The principles will be illustrated with examples of best practice and supported with appropriate tools, including the LSA carbon protocol.

Consultation on the principles is now under way online at the LSA website and through a series of focus groups across England and Wales, to understand what additional support the profession requires to adopt environmentally sustainable practices and reap the rewards.

Green issues may be viewed by some as a concern for a benign economic climate, but it is foolish to think that environmentally sustainable practices are a luxury. If anything, as economic circumstances change they become more important and, as the alliance is able to provide firms with access to relevant information, guidance and support, there has never been a better time or better way to save money.