Environmental statement

At Penningtons Manches Cooper, we recognise that we have a responsibility to integrate sustainability best practice into our decision-making and business activities. Our environmental statement sets out the framework within which the specific impacts will be assessed, and how action will be taken to improve them.

Impacts

We recognise that our impact on the environment results principally from:

• energy use and waste generation from our offices;
• energy use through travel;
• procurement and use of natural resources.

Commitments

We are committed to the principle of continual improvement in reducing the impact of our activities on the environment. In order to achieve this commitment, we will:

• comply with all applicable environmental compliance obligations and guidelines. Where such obligations and guidelines set standards, we will not only meet those standards but endeavour to exceed them where practicable;
• operate an environmental management system (EMS), using the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol as a framework, to measure, manage and reduce the impact of our operations;
• work with external stakeholders to reduce our indirect impact;
• integrate awareness of environmental impact across our business;
• advise clients on the opportunities and obligations arising from and under environmental law;
• work collaboratively to engage in the public debate on the environment and to develop, apply and promote best practice across the legal sector;
• adopt and pursue a challenging climate change emissions reduction target appropriate for our own organisation and needs;
• prevent pollution from our operations. Protect and where possible enhance the environment through our ‘responsible business’ activities.

Actions

We will take the following actions in order to minimise our environmental impact:

• as part of our procurement policy, consider the environmental impact of purchased goods and services, and assess suppliers on their environmental credentials;
• reduce volumes of waste generated as far as practicable and promote the recycling of unavoidable waste;
• work with our landlords and other stakeholders to optimise the energy efficiency of our offices;
• record and monitor water consumption and encourage reduction where possible;
• encourage our employees to be mindful of their impact on the environment and to change their habits and behaviour to reduce their environmental impact;
• analyse our current travel policies and systems to determine how to meet business needs while minimising environmental impact.

Delivery of these actions will be driven by targets and key performance indicators (KPI) aligned with our strategy over the next 10 years, with a view to delivering a business model that aligns the firm with the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The executive board has overall responsibility for all environmental matters. Our policy and associated procedures will be monitored and reviewed on an annual basis. They have been endorsed by the executive board and communicated to all staff.