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Sustainability

Macfarlanes is committed to the continual improvement in our environmental performance across our business operations.

We recognise that our environmental performance is the responsibility of everyone at the firm, and goes beyond compliance with relevant legislation, regulations and codes of practice on environmental matters.

Our Environmental Sub-Committee, made up of individuals from across the firm, leads the firm’s sustainable business agenda. Our firm has also been mentioned in Legal 500’s United Kingdom Green Guide 2025.

Environmental policy

In June 2020 we adopted an ambitious new environmental policy, which was updated in 2024.

The policy includes wide-ranging commitments including our own business such as carbon and waste management, and collaborating with the legal sustainability community. These commitments represent the important contribution we can make as a firm to the environment.

We are developing a set of measurable targets to track our progress towards each of our policy commitments over time.

Legal Sustainability Alliance

Macfarlanes is an increasingly active member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance (LSA). The LSA is an inclusive alliance of law firms committed to improving the sustainability of their operations and working together to improve sustainability within the legal sector as a whole. Since joining in 2018, we have been an active member of the community, attending and organising events and working with the LSA team on new actions and initiatives. We will continue to work closely with the LSA as we develop our sustainable business practices at Macfarlanes.

Net Zero Lawyer Alliance

Macfarlanes is an active member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance (NZLA), an organisation that commits to support the goal of Net Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 or sooner, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C.

Legal Renewables Initiative

Macfarlanes is proud to have signed up as an early adopter of the LSA-led Legal Renewables Initiative and made a public pledge to continue sourcing 100% renewable energy. Macfarlanes has been procuring energy on a 100% renewable tariff for a number of years. We are committed to continuing to procure renewable energy from sustainable providers and to encouraging staff and contacts to do the same.

Operational sustainability

Alongside our strategic priorities, we continue to build on many aspects of our operational sustainability, such as:

  • using 100% FSC and PEFC certified paper;
  • defaulting to double-sided printing to reduce paper use;
  • ensuring none of our general waste is sent to landfill; and
  • procuring all of our energy from renewable sources.
Sustainability