Lawyers don't have to cost the earth...

We're not scientists, but nobody can argue with the fact that the earth's resources are finite. So, we're minimising our impact on the environment by reducing the amount of materials we consume, reusing materials where possible and recycling materials we have used.

We've started with:

• Sourcing energy in our main office from renewable sources.
• Using paper from sustainable sources. Paper is a really big issue for us. Last year we got through 130 tonnes of the stuff. We're also working hard to reduce the amount we use in the first place. All our paper is Forest Stewardship Council approved.
• Bottling our own water which eliminates the emissions from delivering bottled water to our sites.
• Asking our people to switch off, think before you print and recycle.

Our ECO team, chaired by Lorna Gavin, is making this a reality. New initiatives in the pipeline...

• Centralised recycling bins for plastics and tins. Paper, glass, toners, mobile phones and batteries have been recycled for ages.
• Pens and pencils made from recycled materials throughout the building.

We picked up one of Business in the Community's Awards for Excellence. Our efforts to create a more environmentally sustainable Wragge & Co saw us win a Big Tick award in the Lafarge Eco-Efficiency category.

A word on measurement; we operate a documented environmental management system and measure our carbon footprint. Working with consultants recommended by the Carbon Trust, we have calculated our carbon footprint to be about 1930 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. This figure is based on emissions associated with our direct business needs - energy, business travel and employee commuting - in relation to our main office building in Birmingham where 75% of our people are based.

For more on Wragge & Co and the environment, take a look at our environmental policy, read through our corporate responsibility report or contact the head of corporate responsibility, Lorna Gavin (lorna_gavin@wragge.com).