Sydney, 22 December 2017: Clayton Utz continues to be part of the legal industry's collaborative approach to sustainability by participating in the 2017 Legal Sector Sustainability Insight report released by the Australian Legal Sustainability Alliance (AusLSA). As a founding Executive Member of the AusLSA, this is the seventh consecutive year Clayton Utz has participated in the reporting, which aims to bring transparency to the sustainability practices of the legal sector.
The 2017 report shows that Clayton Utz has slightly reduced its gross carbon emissions from the previous reporting period, despite a 4.5% growth in the firm's workforce and a 7% increase in floor space. This reduction can be attributed to a 4.9% decrease in electricity consumption by the firm.
The report also details the firm's offsetting of its FY17 carbon emissions, undertaken in line with the federal government's National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS).
Clayton Utz partner and AusLSA co-chair Brendan Bateman said that while the reduction in total gross emissions was incremental compared to previous years, it reflected the firm's ongoing commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.
"Since FY15, Clayton Utz has offset its carbon emissions and maintained a carbon neutral status consistent with NCOS. But we want to do more than that," said Brendan. "We are committed to actually shrinking our carbon footprint and this is reflected in the incremental improvements we are seeing year on year."
In recent years, the Legal Sector Sustainability Insight report has expanded to include the people, community and governance sustainability initiatives of participating law firms.
The 2017 report details a 6% increase in corporate giving and a 7% increase in non-legal volunteering by Clayton Utz employees. The report also highlights Clayton Utz's progress against its target of 35% of women in partnership by 2025, with the firm disclosing a 2% gain on this measure in FY17.
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