Sustainability
First-rate legal services do not have to cost the earth. Discover how we are helping to turn the legal world green...
Environmentally-focused legal consultancy
Sustainability is one of our core value principles and something we take very seriously at Seven Legal. We are proud to be a member of 1% for the Planet®; donating 1% of our annual sales to environmental initiatives.
It’s just one of the ways we are demonstrating our commitment to operating in a way that not only minimises our ecological impact but actively supports the environment. It is better for us, it is better for our clients, and it is better for the world around us.
From our lean structure and operating model to the environmental projects we support, discover how we have placed sustainability at the heart of our business.
A lean, green, legal team
Seven Legal operates as a fully distributed legal consultancy. This lean structure reduces our operating costs and we pass these savings on to our clients by providing them with affordable, fixed-fee legal consultancy. But the way we run our business also helps the environment…
Commuting in the UK accounts for 25 per cent of UK transport emissions, with UK commuters driving 25 billion miles a year [1]. Furthermore, the Carbon Trust estimate that non-domestic and commercial buildings account for 18% of the UK’s carbon emissions [2].
As a tech-led firm, all of our staff can work remotely and we have minimal shared office spaces, meaning that we have a relatively small environmental footprint. But we are not ones to settle for minimal impact – and that is why we work with Ecologi to further offset our working practices.
1% for the Planet – our commitment to the planet
We are members of 1% for the Planet® – a global movement that inspires businesses and individuals to support environmental solutions through annual membership and everyday actions. To support our commitment, every year, we donate at least 1% of our total sales to environmental projects. For us, this is an essential investment in our planet and a necessary action as an environmentally responsible legal consultancy. We hope that through our commitment to the environment we inspire our clients, colleagues and friends to take action, in whatever way they can, to protect the planet we all share.
Ecologi: our partners in environmental action
Since 2020 we have been working with Ecologi to environmentally offset our business activity. We chose to work with Ecologi because their sustainability goals closely match ours. They are pioneers in carbon offsetting and allow us to clearly track the difference we are making. They plant trees in the UK and overseas and sponsor environmental projects across the world.
Through our work with Ecologi, we have planted over 4,000 trees and offset over 300 tonnes of carbon dioxide. We have also supported projects in green energy, supplying clean water and habitat restoration.
A climate positive law firm
We are proud to say that our entire workforce is climate positive. This means that we offset the carbon footprint of every member of our staff. This includes emissions from their home, personal travel, holidays, food and hobbies, as well as their business travel.
We are a growing business and so as our team grows, so too does our sustainability commitment. With each new member of staff the amount of carbon we offset increases. Alongside our annual investment in environmental initiatives as a 1% for the Planet member, these commitments go beyond offsetting the environmental impacts of our business and enable us to actively support our planet.
We’ve joined the Better Business Act campaign for a better future for all
In 2021, Seven Legal joined the Better Business Act coalition. We stand alongside over 750 other UK businesses calling for legislative action to ensure a greener and more socially responsible future for our country.
The Better Business Act will amend section 172 of The Companies Act to ensure that company directors are responsible for advancing the interests of shareholders alongside those of wider society and the environment.
The Better Business Act is a business-led campaign, driven by leaders who recognise that the law has fallen behind business culture and who have proven that this approach to business works for everyone.
We believe that the Better Business Act is a unique opportunity to demonstrate UK leadership on the global stage – creating a competitive advantage, driving innovation, accelerating progress to net zero, and aligning with the government’s ambition to build back better.
