Contributors
As a responsible business, Womble Bond Dickinson is committed to creating better places to live, work and do business. Delivering social value is key and our actions empower a variety of initiatives.
Each year, we produce a Responsible Business Report to highlight the progress we have made during the financial year and the goals we're currently working towards.
Our new Responsible Business Framework outlines the work we do at the firm with our Ethical Framework sitting front and centre. We have outlined various pillars that make up our Responsible Business landscape with a focus on Environment, Social and Governance (ESG).
Highlights from our 2021/22 Responsible Business Report include:
Environment
- Reduced carbon emissions across a huge array of activities in line with our goal of net zero by 2030 – focusing on office space, procurement and travel
- Renewable energy supplied in five out of seven UK offices
- Moved to The Spark in Newcastle, which has helped reduce our space by more than 50% and therefore our energy consumption. We have also invested in new technology, equipment and lighting
- Improved our EPC ratings in-line with refurbishments of our offices, in the past year we have improved to a B in Plymouth.
Social
- Launched our WBD Disability Network during National Inclusion Week in September 2021
- 215th place in Stonewall UK Workplace Equality Index, rising nearly 250 places to achieve Silver Employer Award
- Launched our Hybrid Working Policy to promote better working practices
- Introduced a wellbeing day for all in addition to annual leave entitlement. In FY 21/22 58% of our people took a wellbeing day
- Donated £126,000 to charities working to support social inclusion, including a donation of over £70,000 to the Ukrainian Crisis Appeal
- Launched our new early careers programme which will be targeting schools within social mobility cold spots or non-selective state schools with lower progression rates to further or higher education, and above average levels of pupils eligible for free school meals.
Governance
- Launched the Work in Confidence anonymous communication system to support a safe and respectful working environment
- Sustainable Procurement launch which outlines our approach to embedding environmental, economic and social criteria into contractual documents with an aim of motivating suppliers to offer more sustainable products and services.
Download the full report here.
