Contributors
Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson has won the Sustainable Business of the Year award at this year's Bristol Law Society Awards.
The awards celebrate excellence within the legal profession and highlight the outstanding work Bristol law firms deliver for their clients, the community and the environment. WBD was recognised for its continuous improvement to its environmental performance and for finding sustainable ways to enhance its environmental management. The award win coincides with WBD's announcement earlier this month that it is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030.
WBD already procures renewable energy in five of its seven UK offices, with nearly 50% of the energy used across the UK coming from renewable sources. The firm also recently reported a 39% decrease in emissions compared to the previous year as well as 97% drop in business travel, as the firm pivoted to home working during the pandemic.
The firm was recently recognised by EcoVadis, the world’s largest provider of business sustainability ratings and The Planet Mark which awarded WBD its fourth consecutive accreditation. WBD is also a founding member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, an inclusive movement of law firms working collaboratively to take positive action on climate change.
Fiona O'Kane, partner and head of WBD's Bristol office, commented:
"Whether at work or at home, we all want to adopt more environmentally sustainable behaviours and here at WBD we aim to be at the forefront of the progress made. As we embark on a decade of climate action, we recently launched our Carbon Reduction Plan which highlights a wide range of engagements and measures we'll undertake to support us on our journey towards becoming a net zero business.
"We're very grateful to the Bristol Law Society for this recognition, we're thrilled to see our efforts and various initiatives recognised particularly as so many of our colleagues have played a part in supporting our goals."
Ranking in the UK's top 20 law firms, WBD advises clients from seven cities in the UK and 19 offices in the US. Bristol is the firm's second largest UK office with a client portfolio that includes Bristol City Council, Bristol Charities, OVO Energy, Bristol Airport and international company Spandex, with its UK headquarters at Aztec West, North Somerset District Council and South Gloucestershire Council.
