Independent UK law firm Burges Salmon has been named Sustainable Business of the Year at the 2025 Bristol Legal Awards. Organised by the Bristol Law Society, the event recognises and celebrates excellence in the legal sector in the city and wider region.
Burges Salmon was praised for its approach to environmental sustainability, with the firm delivering on its environmental ambitions through a combination of continued science-based carbon reduction targets, efficiency gains and investment in high-quality carbon offsetting projects, including a focus on biodiversity. Highlights include:
- reducing its carbon emissions by approximately 19% against our 2019 baseline;
- sealing a £1 million partnership with Oxygen Conservation, purchasing up to 8,000 UK-based premium quality carbon credits to deliver lasting ecological value;
- championing green travel options with 76% of its people sustainably commuting to work;
- investing in all three of its main BREEAM Excellent-rated offices;
- over the last 5 years, planting 6,500 native trees and continuing to work with Trees For Life on its reforestation work; and
- promoting biodiversity and supporting three community managed beehives in the UK.
Judges also commended the firm for embedding sustainability into recent office refurbishments. In addition to energy efficiency improvements, refurbishments were designed to incorporate circular economy principles, ensuring materials and furniture are assessed for reuse or donated to community partners. Since the start of its refurbishment programme, over 164 tonnes of equipment, furniture and materials have been donated to 94 good causes – including charities, schools, community groups, NHS trusts and other not-for-profits. This equates to £603,169 in social impact and has prevented over 164 tonnes of waste from recycling, energy recovery or landfill.
