Our environmental footprint and commitment to being a sustainable business
We’re committed to supporting the country’s target of net zero emissions by 2050. Our sustainability strategy encompasses four key work-streams: contributing to our community, giving back through pro bono work, being a responsible employer, and our approach to working sustainably.
Toitū certification and emissions reduction
Since 2018 we have met the requirements of Toitū’s carbonreduce certification, having measured our greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in accordance with ISO 14064-1:2006 and committed to managing and reducing our operational emissions (Scope 1, 2 and material Scope 3 categories). For our 2023 financial year, we are seeking Toitū carbonzero certification.
We have recorded total emissions reductions across several areas from our 2018 base year. Like many organisations, our emissions bounced back after dropping over the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure a sustainable trajectory our ongoing focus is to embed the practices that have led to the reductions to date, while identifying where further savings can be achieved. To that end, we are working toward setting science-aligned emissions reduction targets that meet our commitments as a member of the Net Zero Lawyer’s Alliance.
Project Footprint
In 2007 we established Project Footprint, a working group focused on driving awareness of our firm's environmental impacts and what we can do to minimise them.
We’ve identified numerous ways we can make a positive difference, and Project Fooprint is committed to encouraging our people to be mindful of our environmental impact and how we can all work in a more sustainable way. In 2022 we were ranked in the inaugural Legal 500 Green Guide Asia Pacific.
Our memberships
Sustainable Business Network
We are proud to be a member of the Sustainable Business Network (SBN). We are committed to improving our sustainability performance, working together to empower business so people and nature prosper, and supporting the restoration of New Zealand’s waterways through our membership contribution to Million Metres.
Sustainable Business Council
As part of the firm’s commitment, we have joined the Sustainable Business Council. We’ve been working towards developing and implementing a sustainability plan, which means we will aim to reduce our carbon footprint and drive sustainability through our supply chain.
The Aotearoa Circle
We are partners of The Aotearoa Circle, a think-tank committed to achieving a sustainable economy and reversing the decline of our natural resources. We've helped the Circle's sustainable finance forum draft an interim report to generate discussion on how best to achieve these goals. We also provided an expert legal opinion on whether company directors and fund (scheme) managers must consider climate change in their decision-making, and also published a toolkit for directors intending to make climate risk manageable for boards.
