Latest firm to set green goals 🌳
Burges Salmon has become the latest UK law firm to increase its efforts to become more environmentally friendly, with the aim of slashing its green house gas (GHG) emissions by 50%.
The outfit has committed to reducing absolute scope one and two GHG emissions (those owned or controlled by the firm) by 50% by 2030. It has also pledged to reduce absolute scope three GHG emissions (activities occurring outside the firm, such as suppliers) by 50% within the same timeframe.
The green goals have received the seal of approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a partnership between several leading climate and science organisations, aiming to limit global warming to 1.5 celsius.
News of the targets come some 12 months after Burges Salmon, which scored an A* for eco-friendliness in our Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey, became one of the founding members of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance, a group of leading law firms committed to reducing carbon emissions while building an understanding of net zero legislation and policies across the profession through dedicated training programmes.
Roger Bull, Burges Salmon’s managing partner, said: “Our decision to submit to the Science Based Target initiative is about recognising and responding to the needs of our environment, in line with the firm’s belief that the scale of change required is huge wanting to help our clients rise to the challenge and benefit from the opportunities to capitalise on the technology, projects and investment that will flow into organisations addressing climate change.”
He added:
“We are committed to an approach of emissions reduction first, use of renewables second and use of offsets as the last resort — we are therefore proud to have been deemed to be in conformance with the SBTi Criteria and Recommendations.”
A raft of firms have set similar eco goals, with the likes of Allen & Overy, CMS, Eversheds Sutherland, Herbert Smith Freehills, Linklaters and Slaughter and May all publicly pledging to cut emissions.
