Carbon footprint: Majority of UK law firms now have a publicly declared net zero target
The top 100 UK law firms have increased their responsible business scores, while the average results for US counterparts have crashed “in the face of political headwinds”, a report has found.
Initiatives to support retention and progression of women showed the most growth in the UK, while efforts to improve social mobility were focused on recruitment and only 2% of firms had targets for representation.
Lamp House Strategy said UK average scores were “double” those of their US rivals, with the most significant progress since last year on the environment, supporting women and social mobility.
It analysed law firms’ responsible business activities through their websites, including responsible business reports, across three categories: People, Planet and Governance.
The highest-scoring UK firm was Taylor Wessing, with Clyde & Co, DWF, Pinsent Masons and Simmons & Simmons making up the rest of the top five.
On social mobility, it was clear that UK firms were “doubling down” on their recruitment efforts, with more than half of firms saying they were using contextual recruitment systems, working with schools or universities, providing work experience or internships and offering alternative routes into the legal profession via apprenticeships.
The report noted: “What is stark about the social mobility category is that so much of the activity is centred around recruitment and there is very little discussion of how firms are helping those from lower socio-economic backgrounds to thrive once they enter the firm.”
Only 2% of UK law firms had “any kind of target about improving socio-economic representation”, compared to a third of firms setting targets for female representation at partner level and a fifth for ethnic minority representation.
On disability, also “a very low scoring area”, 23% of firms were involved in targeted recruitment and 15% published their disability pay gap. This compared with 48% publishing their ethnic minority pay gap.
Researchers said the majority of UK law firms (57%) now have a publicly declared net zero target in place, up from 44% last year. The target date was mostly 2040 or 2050, but eight firms were aiming to achieve net zero by 2030.
Some 42% of the UK firms have a responsible business board or steering committee, up from 32% a year earlier, while 46% have minimum standards in place for suppliers.
The biggest year-on-year increase in the governance category was in the number of firms describing how responsible business-related risk formed part of their risk register, up from 13% to 24%.
But in the face of the anti-DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion – agenda pursued by President Donald Trump, US firms saw the biggest drops in initiatives supporting ethnic minorities, women and LGBTQ+ staff. Three US firms were given a score of zero.
“Every single category we track recorded a decrease in the US, with the biggest decrease being in the People section, representing how much US firms’ public-facing communications on DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] particularly have been scaled back…
“The message we hear from US firms is that they are still maintaining all of the same programming and initiatives as were in place previously, but that their firm’s outward commitments and language has required rethinking and repositioning.”
Lamp House – which helps law firms measure and develop their responsible business strategy – was bought last summer by legal research company Chambers and Partners.
Lisa Hart Shepherd, former CEO of Lamp House and now chief product and innovation officer at Chambers and Partners, commented: “The continued commitment of UK firms on the environment, social mobility and women in law in particular is welcome.
“We know how important progress in these areas is to talent and clients as well as society as a whole and we hope that long term we continue to see an expansion of responsible business initiatives on both sides of the Atlantic.”
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