Meeting and setting targets
The targets and commitments made in our first corporate social responsibility (CSR) report were focused on our London office. Our targets and commitments going forward are on an international scale.
Overall, we have met many of these targets, but not all of them. We have begun to put in place a structure that has enabled us to begin to collect more systematic data from our offices. However, we still need to work hard to ensure all our offices are producing comparable data.
We have had to set in place new systems to collect this data and people have taken on new responsibilities in all our offices. This has also involved raising awareness of our programme, for example through regular news updates, the development of green guides explaining our environmental initiatives, new working groups, partner champions for aspects of our programme and the setting up of green teams. We have employed a head of CSR to help develop our strategy and carry our commitments through.
The result is our first firm-wide, web-based assured CSR report – a target set in our first report.
In 2007, we concentrated on listening to the views of our associates and community and pro bono volunteers, green teams and clients; taking forward our commitment to minimising our impact on the environment; expanding our community and pro bono work internationally; and developing an international CSR structure. Keeping up the momentum on these is essential to the ongoing development of our social and environmental commitments, and their integration into the firm.
We are making progress on our approach to diversity and look forward to reporting on the outcomes of the associate and diversity working groups in our next report.