2010 Corporate Responsibility Report - Linklaters reduced paper consumption by 34% in a single year – the equivalent of almost 5,000 trees – according to the firm’s 2010 Corporate Responsibility Report, released today (please click here for an executive summary).
The firm used 315,400 reams of paper in 2008/09 and cut this to 207,500 in 2009/10. The dramatic reduction was achieved through the increased use of e-filing, promoting default double-sided printing (overcoming practical challenges, such as many law courts requiring single-sided) and internal educational programmes.
"Given that paper documents are the prime physical output of a law firm, cutting back on the inevitably significant amount of paper we use has been a corporate responsibility priority," said Oonagh Harpur, Linklaters’ Partnership Secretary and Director of Corporate Responsibility. "But this environmental goal has been just one focus of our corporate responsibility agenda."
Linklaters’ third Corporate Responsibility Report outlines the firm’s approach, achievements and targets for corporate responsibility in relation to clients, its people, community investment and the environment.
Highlights include:
- 41% of Linklaters’ people undertook pro bono and other voluntary work last year, adding up to 63,750 hours of recorded voluntary work
- 17,700 people benefited from Linklaters’ community investment activity
- Linklaters supported 374 community organisations
- Linklaters allocated £2.5m in cash to charities globally
- Linklaters reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 6%
- Linklaters reduced waste by 15% and increased recycling by 1%
An example of Linklaters’ community investment is the work and support the firm has provided to Camfed, a charity that supports girls’ education in Africa. Camfed’s unique model ensures that local communities get direct support where they need it most. Linklaters spent 4,000 hours, on a pro bono basis, producing a report analysing Camfed's governance structure, the results of which it is now sharing to help other non-profit organisations. Linklaters has also provided funding to educate over 400 girls in Africa over the next four years.
"Corporate responsibility is central to our thinking at Linklaters," said Oonagh Harpur. "Our latest report sets out the steps we are taking to deliver on those responsibilities, reflecting on some of our recent successes and setting out our plans to make further measurable improvements in order to achieve our goal of having truly deep and enduring relationships with our clients, our colleagues and our communities."
The full online report, which was independently verified by Corporate Citizen on the international standard AA1000AS, can be found by clicking here.
For further information, please contact
Rupert Winlaw on +44 20 7456 3219 or
Sarah Peters on +44 20 7456 2153
