- Simmons announces new emissions reduction targets across its 22 offices
- Firm’s plans approved by UN-backed Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
International law firm Simmons & Simmons has today announced a new set of near-term science-based targets that aim to rapidly and significantly reduce its global carbon emissions by the end of the decade, in line with the Paris Agreement goals.
The new firmwide targets form part of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) – a global partnership involving the UN Global Compact, CDP, World Resources Institute and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
As part of its pledge to take action to mitigate the climate emergency, which has been approved by the SBTi, the firm has committed to reducing its direct emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) – those arising from sources controlled by the firm, such as office energy consumption – by 50% by 2030.
This is alongside a commitment to reduce indirect emissions (Scope 3) – those outside of the firm’s direct control, such as business travel, employee commuting and those from the wider supply chain – by 47% by 2030. Such emissions make up the vast majority of the firm’s total global footprint.
Measures that will be implemented by the firm to achieve a reduction in its direct and indirect emissions include:
- Transitioning to 100% renewable electricity in its offices.
- Achieving a 50% reduction in natural gas use in its offices.
- Engaging with suppliers, sharing best practice in order to support their reduction efforts.
- Reducing business travel emissions by 60% by 2030.
- Reducing emissions from transportation and distribution services used by 50%.
Commenting on Simmons’ new emissions reduction targets, Julian Taylor, the firm’s Senior Partner and chair of its Climate Committee, said:
“As an international firm with operations across multiple jurisdictions, we have a responsibility to act to limit our global environmental impact. We are pleased that our near-term commitments to reduce emissions have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, and the important work to embed them across the firm has already begun.”