Law firm sustainability leaders “do not have knowledge they need”

Only 38% of law firm ‘sustainability champions’ – individuals chosen by firms to lead green initiatives – have the knowledge they need to fulfil their roles effectively, a new report has found.

It said sustainability initiatives were a priority for only 51% of law firms, putting them well down the list of priority areas, which was headed by cybersecurity (92%), cost management (81%) and digital transformation (68%).

They were followed by employee wellbeing (67%) and equality, diversity and inclusion (64%).

Although two-thirds of law firms “claimed to have clear sustainability goals”, and 78% had appointed individuals to lead their green initiatives, only 38% of these sustainability champions believed they have “the complete knowledge they need to fulfil their roles effectively”.

Carbon reduction consultancy Greenarc surveyed around 100 members of staff in law firms with 30 or more employees for The State of Sustainability in the Legal Sector.

Four in 10 law firms cited cost pressures as a “significant barrier” to achieving sustainability.

“Despite progress setting sustainability goals, UK law firms are struggling to know how to execute a fruitful strategy to achieve them.

“The challenge to balance economic growth with environmental and social responsibility reverberates throughout the sector, and climate leadership appears, at this stage at least, to be out of reach.”

The main source of emissions for law firms was ‘scope 3’ in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which includes indirect emissions throughout the ‘value chain’ caused by assets not owned or controlled by them.

Scope 4 emissions refer to emissions prevented or reduced as a result of a company’s products or services.

Over three-quarters (77%) of lawyers recognised the importance of scope 4 emissions in sustainability initiatives, yet only 18% of firms incorporated them as a key part of the business’s strategy.

“While it’s not yet compulsory to report on scope 4 emissions, they are in the spotlight,” the report said. “Whether the sector understands their importance – or the vast opportunities they present – is another matter entirely.”

Some 27% of law firms admitted they were “unsure where to start on the path to sustainability”.

Four out of 10 firms cited cost as the reason sustainability initiatives had become less of a priority.

Researchers commented: “In the legal sector, the impetus to drive change exists. However, not knowing where to start, then coming up against financial constraints and an overall lack of knowledge, is severely hindering progress.”

Chris Bingham, chair of Greenarc, said: “The UK legal sector clearly recognises the impact of sustainability on both its workforce and clients. Two-thirds of our respondents indicated that a firm’s sustainability credentials would be a deciding factor when choosing their next employer.

“Similarly, 73% of law firms recognise their sustainability efforts help engage new clients.

“But while the sector recognises the importance of strong sustainability credentials, when push comes to shove, other demands take precedence.”

Yesterday we reported on research among mid-sized law firms that showed “a surprisingly large minority of firms” had made “considerable progress” on environmental matters.