Our commitment to sustainability
We have expanded our ESG efforts with our sustainability framework, setting goals across seven key areas: health and wellbeing, learning and development, diversity, equity and inclusion, our community, our business, carbon emissions and energy, and materials management.
The framework formalises and expands on some of the things we were already doing well in the ESG space, but importantly, it sets up goals and actions to encourage us to stretch ourselves.
We report yearly on our progress and set new actions, reinforcing our commitment to responsible corporate citizenship.
Our Sustainability Framework
Our framework identifies seven impacts within which we have specific, measurable actions. Each year we report back on how we have progressed on that year’s actions, and set new actions for the coming year.
Health and hauora (wellbeing)
goal:
In collaboration with our people, foster a working environment that supports their health and wellbeing.
Key Achievements:
- Implementation of our wellbeing framework providing resources and support for our people.
- Robust processes ensuring we meet our commitment under our accreditation as a Living Wage Employer in Aotearoa.
- Our Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland office was designed to incorporate diverse ways people like to work - including focus rooms, huddle rooms, phone booths, a quiet room and a hauora room.
- Individual wellbeing outcomes embedded within our authors professional continuum at each career level. These form part of our feedback discussion process.
Learning and development
goal:
To invest in and create a learning and growth environment that supports our people to achieve their career goals.
Key achievements:
- Our summer law programme was refreshed to include a two-day induction event as well as knowledge sessions and tutorials throughout their time with us.
- Our professional development policy and professional continuum were updated to ensure transparency, opportunities and support are provided to our people at each stage of their career.
- Our senior author programme was reviewed and a revised programme will launch in 2024.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
goal:
In collaboration with our people, foster a working environment that supports their health and wellbeing.
Key achievements:
- Continue to meet our requirements under the NZLS Gender Equality Charter including regular pay gap audits and publishing our gender pay gap.
- Assisting parents' financial planning by publishing our parental leave policy on Crayon, the New Zealand Parental Leave Register.
- Taking the Pride Pledge and the Gender Pledge.
- Continuing to grow our Te Ao Māori competency and understanding the principles of Te Tiriti.
Our community
GOAL:
To be an engaged and active contributor that gives back to the communities in which we operate.
Key achievements:
- Setting a stretch pro-bono legal services target and ensuring that our fee earners can record the value of their contribution.
- Continued sponsorship of Christchurch Summer Theatre allowing patrons of Ōtautahi/Christchurch to attend the annual performance free of charge.
Carbon emissions and energy
GOAL:
To be a climate positive business that is responsible for taking more carbon out of the atmosphere than we emit.
Key achievements:
- Energy usage across both offices is mapped and shared quarterly.
- Both of our offices’ electricity is procured via climate positive electricity supplier Ecotricity.
- Our emissions footprint for the 12 months to 30 September 2023 was offset by 125% with high quality and independently verified credits purchased via Toitū Envirocare.
Our business
GOAL:
To develop the structures to ensure the long-term viability and success of the firm.
Key achievements:
- Regular communication platforms established allowing us to keep our people updated on strategy, goals, performance, and other initiatives.
- Our Property, Litigation and Corporate teams were part of the development of a set of climate change clauses, led by The Chancery Lane Project in conjunction with a number of other NZ law firms.
- Our Retirement Villages and Litigation teams developed two new businesses that launched in 2024, Villageinfonet and the Discovery Specialists.
Materials management
GOAL:
To exemplify how a services-based business can operate in Aotearoa New Zealand’s circular economy.
Key achievements:
- Our Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland office shift, adoption of iManage, and printer upgrades all supported a significant reduction in paper.
- 100% of our printing paper is certified by FSC or PEFC.
- Electronic business cards are now our preferred mode.
- Correct bin segregation, composting and zero waste bins introduced.
