Independent UK law firm Burges Salmon has been shortlisted in two categories at this year’s Bristol Law Society Awards, which take place on Thursday 3 November 2022.
Sustainable Business of the Year
This shortlisting builds on the firm’s already strong environmental and responsible business commitments and working towards Net Zero.
As founding members of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and with an environmental management system accredited to ISO 14001, Burges Salmon is already familiar with determining its carbon footprint, driving continuous improvement and applying best practice.
To achieve Net Zero, the firm is taking steps to be as energy efficient as possible, targeting energy reductions, producing less waste, recycling more and engaging stakeholders particularly in the supply chain. The firm has a strong foundations with BREEAM excellent rated offices and already completed the switch to 100% renewably-sourced electricity at all offices.
In July 22 the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) completed verification of the firm’s science-based targets, confirming a pathway for the reduction of (direct) Scope 1 & 2 emissions and all significant (indirect) Scope 3 emissions by 50% by 2030, against a 2019 base-year.
The firm has invested in working with carbon accounting and carbon offset experts and has nurtured a number of external collaborations including participation in the Chancery Lane Project and joining the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance.
Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing Award
This shortlisting is in respect of the firm’s reverse mentoring programme that ran from 2021-22.
Driven by our award-winning people-led network BCultured, the firm ran its first bespoke ethnic diversity reverse mentoring programme to further develop our inclusive managers and leaders.
Through this new programme BCultured colleagues shared their personal and professional experiences related to ethnic diversity with a range of senior managers to help equip those leaders with better tools and insights to run inclusive teams.
The scheme delivered a 30% increase in our senior leaderships understanding of how to support and nurture colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
From the mentees (senior leaders) feedback, we found a 30% increase in leader’s confidence to understand the issues and challenges that ethnically diverse colleagues may encounter in the workplace. Also, there was a 30% increase in leaders understanding of practical actions they can take to improve equality at the firm in relation to ethnic diversity.
Following overwhelmingly positive feedback from mentors and mentees the firm will be expanding the reverse mentoring programme in autumn 2022 to cover two new cohorts around both ethnic diversity and disability – expanding the inclusive leadership training further.
Roger Bull, Burges Salmon’s Managing Partner, says: “We are delighted to have received these nominations at the 2022 Bristol Law Society Awards. To receive such recognition in these important categories is fantastic news and very much in line with our strategic responsible business agenda. Very well done to all of those who have been shortlisted.”
The Bristol Law Society Awards 2022 take place on Thursday 3 November 2022 at Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre.