Law firms sign up for environmental report card

Eight law firms across the country have exposed their environmental report card to the world in the inaugural Environmental Consumption of AusLSA Members Report 2009/2010.

The first Australian Legal Sector Alliance (AusLSA) report includes data from each of the executive member firms: Clayton Utz, DLA Phillips Fox, Henry Davis York, Jackson McDonald, Maddocks, McCullough Robertson, Norton Rose Australia and Swaab Attorneys, on their respective environmental footprints including electricity, waste, water and more. The results were calculated using the AusLSA Environmental Consumption Calculator (ECC), the only benchmarked environmental reporting system for law firms in Australia. The results represent a baseline for the members, from which they will be able to measure the success of the sustainability initiatives that they implement in the future.

“There is not a lot of leadership around on this issue from either side of politics at the moment. It is good that you, the legal profession, are taking the lead,” said Malcolm Turnbull, member for Wentworth and keynote speaker at the launch event.

The average electricity consumption amongst participants was 3.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO2e) per employee. The variance between the firms is quite small, with values ranging from 2.5 to 3.9 t CO2e per employee. 30.6% of all emissions from the members were derived from business travel, with flights (in all but one firm) responsible for more than 90% of travel-related emissions. “For those who take flights frequently for work, the fact is we need to be asking do we need to take more flights? … as you look at your carbon footprint ask how can we do our business without flying around so much? Can we work in a more sustainable and efficient way? There are so many things we can do at no cost or at very little cost to become more sustainable,” said Turnbull.

The report also covers paper consumption. On average, 126kg of paper is used per employee per annum in each of the executive member firms. However, there is significant variance in paper use from firm to firm, ranging from 81kg to 178kg per employee. This variance demonstrates that some firms have been much more successful in implementing paper reduction schemes. The AusLSA framework encourages members to learn from each other and share their sustainability successes and challenges.

In the UK, the LSA has also focused on sustainability amongst firms, with great success. According to the UK LSA manager Micael Johnstone, founding member firm Hogan Lovells managed to reduce their carbon footprint by 30% last year, and the other members of the LSA reduced their emissions by an average of 12%.

Former Victorian deputy premier and consultant to the sustainability and climate change group at Maddocks, John Thwaites added: “We need to engage, and I hope these [sustainability] issues strike a chord, with firms.”

The full report can be accessed here

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