Environment
Environment
At Eversheds Sutherland, we understand that our operations have a local, regional and global impact on the environment.
Through rigorous analysis, based on science and verified data, we have identified four key areas of focus:
energy use
waste management
business travel
purchased goods and services in our supply chain
To improve our environmental performance, we have set ourselves targets and perform regular audits to ensure that we are on track to meet them. As a firm, we regard environmental regulations, laws and codes of practices as the minimum standard to aim for and actively work towards exceeding these benchmarks.
Our long-term strategy consists of the following goals:
- become a net zero business by 2050 or earlier, through the official Corporate Net Zero standard
- remove the use of natural gas from our operations and utilise renewable electricity where possible
- reduce reliance on paper
- provide colleagues with sustainable travel choices
- review and mitigate the firm’s impact on biodiversity
Our Science Based Targets progress
In line with our goal of becoming a net zero business by 2050 at the latest, in 2021 the firm set carbon reduction targets known as Science Based Targets ('SBTs') against a 2018/2019 baseline year. The targets were approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative ('SBTi') – a gold standard for external validation. As seen in our 2023 report, we met our near-term Scope 1 and 2 targets seven years ahead of schedule, achieving a 61%* reduction in emissions. Subsequently, we increased our ambitions in October 2023, and resubmitted to the Science Based Targets initiative ('SBTi') to increase the target to an 80% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. This was validated by the SBTi in March 2024. We are also committed to reducing our Scope 3 emissions by 50% by 2030. In addition, in FY 2022-23 the firm moved to a new third party carbon accounting portal. By making this change, we have been able to adopt a more accurate spend methodology, moving from quantis emission factors to Exiobase. Exiobase emission factors are updated frequently and take into account inflation. As a result, the firm’s reported emissions are calculated using more accurate values.
In line with SBTi reporting requirements, we collect data and report on the following scopes and categories:
Scope 1
- Mobile combustion
- Fugitive emissions
- Stationary combustion
Scope 2
- Purchased electricity
Scope 3
- Purchased goods and services
- Capital goods
- FERA
- Upstream transportation and distribution
- Waste
- Business travel
- Employee commuting
- Downstream leased assets
* Please note that this figure was achieved on the firm’s previous carbon accounting platform and was verified by an external third party. There will be discrepancies between the percentage reductions as calculated on the new platform, due to a change in methodology. We will continue to progress towards a target of 80% reduction by 2030.
Progress against the baseline year targets can be seen on the bar graph below:
Please note the 2018/2019 baseline year shown above uses updated emission factors as calculated on the firm’s new data platform and is therefore significantly different to the original data for the baseline year (Scope 1: 1,217 tco2e, Scope 2: 4,595 tco2e and Scope 3: 54,011 tco2e). This has not yet been verified by an external third party however will be used in this instance to ensure the figures are not misleading - if the original figures were used this would suggest the firm had reduced its carbon emissions more than it has. We aim to be transparent in our reporting so we can accurately represent our carbon reductions and remain on track to meet our Science Based Targets.
Scope 1
The Scope 1 figures for FY 2022/23 demonstrate that the firm has reduced emissions by 64%.
Reduction in emissions
In the past 12 months, the firm has made significant changes to its property portfolio and business processes to reduce Scope 1 emissions, including:
- The removal of air-conditioned computer server rooms where practical – air conditioning is a source of refrigerants and thus by removing the server rooms, the potential for refrigerant leaks is reduced
- The Cardiff office has removed gas completely from its building operations, and electric plant and machinery is now being used
- Kitchen equipment in the Birmingham office was upgraded to electric appliances, in keeping with our commitment to be natural gas free by 2025, where possible
- Gas fired water heaters were removed from the Leeds office and replaced with electric heaters
- Green gas (renewable and low carbon gases that can be used in place of fossil fuels) continues to be used in the Birmingham and London offices to help support the energy transition
Scope 2
The Scope 2 figures for FY 2022/23 demonstrate that the firm has reduced location based emissions by 35%.
Reduction in emissions
Market based emissions factors take into account the actual sources of purchased energy, including renewably sourced electricity. As such, emission factors will be zero where renewable electricity is used as no greenhouse gases are emitted. In contrast, location based emission factors are calculated based on the average emissions intensity of a local power grid. We have implemented a series of energy efficiency initiatives, including:
- Installation of PIR sensors throughout the Dubai office in July 2023 – the sensors will turn off the lights after 30 minutes of inactivity and, in so doing, help to reduce the electricity carbon footprint
- Installation of 1,333 LEDs in the Birmingham office, moving away from less efficient halogen lightbulbs – the office now has a B EPC rating
- Installation of smart sensors that monitor the levels of natural light and adapt the lux levels of lighting in the building, reducing energy consumption where natural light is high
- Use of renewable electricity across 18 offices internationally
Scope 3
The Scope 3 figures for FY 2022/23 demonstrate that the firm has reduced emissions by 36%.
Reduction in emissions
Scope 3 initiatives:
Across our business our colleagues have collaborated across functions and business partners to achieve the following:
- Worked with our Procurement team to provide a scoring criteria for the onboarding of new suppliers which assesses: - if they have an environmental policy - whether they have set carbon reduction targets - initiatives concerning biodiversity or the circular economy
- We have worked with suppliers to source responsibly which includes: - buying local produce, reducing the associated transportation emissions - identifying recycled and recyclable products - requesting eco-friendly and sustainable materials - convened a supplier roundtable to share ideas regarding sustainability initiatives and working together to achieve our Science Based Targets
In particular this is a focus for office moves and refits.
- E-waste policies are being reviewed internationally to ensure materials are recycled and disposed of correctly
- In some of our offices, composting bins were installed in order to divert food waste away from landfill
- Office refits have had sustainability at the forefront with 900 pieces of furniture being reused in Birmingham and the remaining furniture waste being repurposed. The Birmingham and London offices sent a combined weight of over ten tonnes of furniture to schools in Gambia and Senegal, through Waste to Wonder, and achieved a carbon saving of 8,400 kg through this reuse.
Supplier specific methodology
In order to ensure our carbon footprint calculation is robust, this year we began the process of moving away from spend based emissions factors. Scope 3 categories 1 and 2 are responsible for the vast majority of our emissions and it is important that the methodology for calculating this is accurate. Moreover, we have changed our spend based emissions factors to Exiobase, these are updated on an annual basis in line with inflation.
A new third party portal has been used to identify high spend suppliers. These suppliers will be invited to complete a questionnaire to review how we can obtain more detailed data and achieve more accurate carbon reporting.
As our need for paper has reduced, we have reduced our fleet of printers in the UK by 72% since our baseline year of 2018/19. The firm worked with its travel management company to introduce Carbon Aware Notifications. This system provides colleagues with the unique CO2 footprint of every travel choice, including hotels, and is designed to encourage colleagues to make sustainable travel decisions. In line with our responsible business commitment, in 2024 the firm introduced a new electric vehicle salary sacrifice car scheme, which aims to encourage colleagues to commute to work using sustainable modes of transport. The scheme complements existing programmes including our Cycle to Work scheme in the UK.
Biodiversity
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
Eversheds Sutherland has had a partnership with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (‘WWT’) since 2017.
Our CEO Lee Ranson serves as an executive member of its Blue Recovery Leaders Group ('BRLG'), a cross-sector initiative to support the WWT’s mission to restore 100,000 hectares of wetlands in the UK to help preserve and protect biodiversity and support carbon sequestration. Wetland ecosystems are crucial to biodiversity – they serve as vital habitats for a diverse array of plant and animal species, many of which can only be found in wetlands, providing breeding grounds, food resources, and shelter.
To celebrate the wetlands and to showcase their vital importance, in 2023 we hosted a spectacular 3D mural provided by the WWT in the client suite at our London office. It showed a degraded wetland transforming into a flourishing habitat, filled with thriving wildlife, intended to remind us all that 90% of freshwater wetlands have been lost or destroyed in England alone in the past 400 years.
Wetland Link International ('WLI')
Eversheds Sutherland also partners with WLI.
In 2023, partnerships were launched with Mai Po Wetland in Hong Kong and De Biesbosch National Park in the Netherlands. Both the Rotterdam and Hong Kong offices took part in volunteering days at these sites. These volunteering days helped to educate colleagues on the importance of wetland ecosystems and habitat management. In 2024, the firm is looking to expand this partnership to a third site located near one of our offices in the Middle East.
The firm also funds the WLI Small Grants Scheme. To date, seven different projects across the globe have been awarded grants, including our two partnership sites:
- Liceo Taller San Miguel, Colombia – the ‘Lichens, messengers of nature’ project teaches school children to study and devise a natural alphabet based on the patterns lichens make. Lichens are sensitive to environmental factors and as such, are useful to understand pollution levels and biodiversity loss within a region.
- Nature Classroom, Malaysia – the Malaysia Horseshoe Crab Project aims to address the declining population of horseshoe crabs which are crucial for the local ecosystem. Funding has been provided to raise awareness and involve the local community in conservation efforts.
- Finima Nature Park, Nigeria – funding for environmental education, community awareness, species monitoring and research in support of Hooded Vulture conservation in the Andoni Community located in Rivers State, Nigeria.
- RIAS, Portugal – funding to improve the education and engagement experience of visitors to the RIAS Environmental Interpretive Centre and website.
- WWF Mai Po, Hong Kong - funding to enhance Pond #17a in Mai Po Nature Reserve’s Biodiversity Management Zone 4, rain-fed ponds project. The project will create and maintain a short vegetated freshwater marshland with an area of 10,356m2 through periodic livestock grazing.
- Natuur- en Vogelwacht, the Netherlands – supported research to study the Root Vole population in two wetland areas within De Biesbosch National Park.
- Lake Nakuru Environmental Education Centre, Kenya – the ‘Youth for Birds’ initiative will establish bird clubs in twenty schools located within ‘Important Bird Areas’ and ‘Ramsar’ sites in the Lake Nakuru and Lake Elementeita regions. The project aims to create a knowledgeable and skilled young generation that can sustainably contribute to the conservation of birds and their habitats.
Case study: Mai Po volunteer day
Mai Po is a WWF Nature Reserve home to 1,500 hectares of wetlands comprised of mudflats, freshwater ponds and mangroves. Home to water buffalo, otters and unique species of crab, the wetland is well known for being a haven for tens of thousands of migratory waterbirds annually.
Our sponsorship has helped in the creation of a freshwater marshland with an area of over one hectare. This project involved the removal of overgrown vegetation, installation of a new water buffalo enclosure and reprofiling of the pond floor to allow for more diverse aquatic species to thrive.
Case study: Biesbosch volunteer day
The Root Vole is a priority vole species that is only present in some Dutch wetland areas and is a relic from the last ice age.
A team from our Rotterdam office volunteered at De Biesbosch National Park to help catch these voles in harmless traps so they can better be studied.
Case study: WWT pro bono
Our Real Estate team has advised on property transfers resulting from a group reorganisation, the grant of agricultural leases as part of their ongoing estate management and the sale of surplus land to release funds for the charity.
Case Study: Mai Po Volunteer Day
Mai Po is a WWF Nature Reserve home to 1,500 hectares of wetlands comprised of mudflats, freshwater ponds and mangroves. Home to water buffalo, otters and unique species of crab, the wetland is well known for being a haven for tens of thousands of migratory waterbirds annually.
Our sponsorship has helped in the creation of a freshwater marshland with an area of over one hectare. This project involved the removal of overgrown vegetation, installation of a new water buffalo enclosure and reprofiling of the pond floor to allow for more diverse aquatic species to thrive.
Case Study: Biesbosch Volunteer Day
The Root Vole is a priority vole species that is only present in some Dutch wetland areas and is a relic from the last ice age.
A team from our Rotterdam office volunteered at De Biesbosch National Park to help catch these voles in harmless traps so they can better be studied.
Case Study: WWT Pro Bono
Our Real Estate team has advised on property transfers resulting from a group reorganisation, the grant of agricultural leases as part of their ongoing estate management and the sale of surplus land to release funds for the charity.
Stichting Natuur- en Vogelwacht Biesbosch
We are assisting Stichting Natuur- en Vogelwacht Biesbosch, a non-profit wetland foundation in the Netherlands. The foundation’s goal is to protect native plants, species and typical Dutch landscapes. We were introduced to Stichting Natuur via Wetland Links International. Several litigation colleagues have been assisting the foundation in cross-border proceedings in relation to the recovery of a significant unpaid invoice. Recovery of the unpaid amounts will help the foundation to continue to focus on its environmental work and ultimately preserve the largest wetland in the Netherlands.
Stichting Natuur- en Vogelwacht Biesbosch
We are assisting Stichting Natuur- en Vogelwacht Biesbosch, a non-profit wetland foundation in the Netherlands. The foundation’s goal is to protect native plants, species and typical Dutch landscapes. We were introduced to Stichting Natuur via Wetland Links International. Several litigation colleagues have been assisting the foundation in cross-border proceedings in relation to the recovery of a significant unpaid invoice. Recovery of the unpaid amounts will help the foundation to continue to focus on its environmental work and ultimately preserve the largest wetland in the Netherlands.
Biophilic design for wellbeing
In order to provide a safe habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, the Luxembourg office created a green terrace, full of a variety of plants and flowers. The initiative was led by the local team who wanted to provide a nature based wellbeing experience on their breaks.
The Ipswich office created a living wall of over 100 plants to help improve the air quality of the office.
London
The green roof in the London office has continued to thrive. The roof is home to two beehives, reaching over 50,000 bees at their peak. It also hosts a variety of plant and flower species as well as a fruit and vegetable garden. Our volunteer roof gardeners have ensured that the species planted provide suitable sustenance for our bees. In July 2023, over 11 litres of honey was harvested from the two London beehives, filling 160 jars. The roof garden participates in the annual London Open Gardens weekend, a unique initiative that gives local communities access to green spaces across London.
London
The green roof in the London office has continued to thrive. The roof is home to two beehives, reaching over 50,000 bees at their peak. It also hosts a variety of plant and flower species as well as a fruit and vegetable garden. Our volunteer roof gardeners have ensured that the species planted provide suitable sustenance for our bees. In July 2023, over 11 litres of honey was harvested from the two London beehives, filling 160 jars. The roof garden participates in the annual London Open Gardens weekend, a unique initiative that gives local communities access to green spaces across London.
The ONE Award
The ONE Award recognises an individual within the firm who goes above and beyond in their daily life to live and work sustainably. This year’s award went to a colleague from the Hong Kong office who has gone to considerable lengths to support the office’s Green Performance Pledge.
Memberships
We are founding members of a number of groups that collaborate and share best practice in relation to environmental impact, including:
- Net Zero Lawyers Alliance ('NZLA')
- Legal Sustainability Alliance ('LSA') executive member
- Legal Renewables Initiative ('LRI')
- Blue Recovery Leaders Group and Wetland Link International
- Business for Nature
- The Chancery Lane Project ('TCLP')
- Greener Litigation Pledge
- Greener Arbitration Pledge
External reporting and accreditation
Eversheds Sutherland adheres to all mandatory reporting requirements, including:
- Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting ('SECR'), which highlights energy efficiency measures and reports on carbon emissions in UK offices
- Carbon Reduction Plan ('CRP') which is required for major government contracts in the UK and outlines our plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050
- Climate-related Financial Disclosure ('CFD') which discloses climate risks and opportunities facing the business
As part of our commitment to transparency and to improve our environmental sustainability, we also submit to several external reporting frameworks, such as CDP and EcoVadis.
CDP
To better assess our environmental sustainability performance, we submit annually to CDP, the global disclosure system for environmental impact. We were awarded a B in our latest CDP submission in 2023. As part of the annual assessment, we disclosed our performance and management in relation to the firm’s greenhouse gas emissions, sustainability strategy, biodiversity metrics, renewable energy assets identification, approach to climate related risk and opportunities, and engagement with global communities. Our CDP score provides the firm with a useful indicator of the progress we are making on our sustainability journey each year.
EcoVadis
EcoVadis is one of the world’s largest sustainability ratings providers. As a leading third-party assessor, clients often use it to verify the sustainability practices of suppliers. We currently hold a Silver rating, awarded in 2024, placing our firm among the top 25% of companies assessed. Through the EcoVadis assessment tool, we evaluate annually our policies relating to 21 issues grouped into the tool’s four themes of Labour and Human Rights, Ethics, Environment and Sustainable Procurement.
Expanding our ISO 14001 certification
ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems ('EMS'). The primary goal of ISO 14001 is to help organisations minimise their environmental impact, reduce resource consumption, and improve overall environmental performance. We have held ISO 14001 certification for our UK offices since 2010 and over the past year we have been working towards extending our certification to all of our International offices. Once complete, we will be able to harmonise our management of environmental standards across differing local regulations and operational cultures.
Our contacts
For any questions surrounding this report please contact:
Judith Green Chief Strategy and Communications Officer T: +44 20 7919 0545 judithgreen@eversheds-sutherland.com
Ikramul Choudhury Senior Manager - Responsible Business T: +44 20 7919 4513 ikramulchoudhury@eversheds-sutherland.com
© Eversheds Sutherland. All rights reserved. Eversheds Sutherland is a global provider of legal and other services operating through various separate and distinct legal entities. Eversheds Sutherland is the name and brand under which the members of Eversheds Sutherland Limited (Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP and Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP) and their respective controlled, managed and affiliated firms and the members of Eversheds Sutherland (Europe) Limited (each an "Eversheds Sutherland Entity" and together the "Eversheds Sutherland Entities") provide legal or other services to clients around the world. Eversheds Sutherland Entities are constituted and regulated in accordance with relevant local regulatory and legal requirements and operate in accordance with their locally registered names. The use of the name Eversheds Sutherland, is for description purposes only and does not imply that the Eversheds Sutherland Entities are in a partnership or are part of a global LLP. The responsibility for the provision of services to the client is defined in the terms of engagement between the instructed firm and the client.
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