denotes premium content | Oct 16 2008 
News
posted 4 Jun 2008
Lawyer alliance launches carbon comparison tool
A NUMBER of law firms and other organisations in the sector are developing a spreadsheet-based measurement tool to help firms calculate their carbon footprints and compare performance.
The move comes as an increasing number of businesses are committing themselves to improving their energy efficiency and related environmental credentials.
The Carbon Footprint Protocol is the work of the Legal Sector Alliance (LSA) – a group of 20 law firms and other organisations, including The Law Society of England and Wales, the Environmental Law Foundation and Business in the Community (BITC). The LSA was created in October 2007.
In addition to the tool itself, participating firms will receive a document outlining its methodology, and practical guidance for introducing the system. The protocol is based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, and includes Scope 1 emissions (those from owned and controlled sources), Scope 2 emissions (electricity), and emissions generated by employee business travel in the UK.
Law Society chief executive Des Hudson said: “You can’t manage what you haven’t measured, so calculation of your carbon footprint is absolutely critical before you take action to reduce it.”
He stressed, however, that public disclosure of the results of the protocol would not be mandatory.
Harry Morrison, senior strategy manager at the Carbon Trust, said: “We look forward to working with businesses in the legal sector and BITC.”
The LSA was conceived by the international law firm DLA Piper, the Law Society and BITC, and has 16 other law firms in its ranks, including Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Eversheds, Herbert Smith, Lovells, Slaughter and May, Taylor Wessing and Bond Pearce.
