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Working collaboratively to promote sustainable practice across the legal sector
Research company RSGI has published their 2023 "Greenprint" report which is an annual report analysing the ‘Responsible Business’ and ESG reports of major law firms globally.
Their research includes a rating of law firms with the most transparent and thorough targets and reporting and finds that around 30% of law firms publish reports, but less than half of these are of high quality and all vary greatly in terms of structure, length and sophistication.
Law firms take a variety of approaches to ESG reporting and there has previously been little accountability for their commitments. This report is designed to provide that accountability and provide a useful guide for peers, legal purchasers and the industry as a whole.
Read the report HERE.
Listen to the latest Episode of the Lawyers Weekly Show, where we can hear about how employers can take proactive and reactive steps about wellness to properly engage with the issue and protect people in the workplace.
Also covered in this episode are discussions on regulatory action in prosecuting employers over psychosocial hazards, the need for employers to see themselves as having positive duties to manage staff wellness, where Australian workplaces currently sit relative to global counterparts, overcoming longstanding and ingrained practices in Australian legal workplaces, why firms may not be making as much progress on wellness as they are on matters such as artificial intelligence, and what constitutes good governance.
Listen to the Podcast from Lawyers Weekly HERE
The UN Global Compact Network (UK) has found that the deteriorating environment for the LGBTIQ+ community in the UK presents the private sector with an opportunity to implement transformative, progressive strategies in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
To assist in the, they have released a resource named ‘LGBTIQ+ Inclusion in the Workplace’ to support businesses in accelerating their LGBTIQ+-inclusion initiatives and creating a safer environment for their employees who are members of the community. It offers practical steps and policy implementations that businesses should adopt to support the entirety of their workforce.
See the resource HERE.
With nearly 1 million species are at risk of extinction, and the world’s largest ecosystems, including the Amazon rainforest and major coral reefs and wetlands, are reaching tipping points, the UN Global Compact (at COP28) notes that companies are learning that they can’t afford to be left behind – 395 million new jobs and over $10 trillion dollars in business opportunities are expected to arise from nature-positive transitions.
In launching the "UN Global Compact Think Lab on Biodiversity and Nature" they call for private sector action to consider impediments and opportunities for business action towards a Just Energy Transition.
See their press release HERE
At COP 28, while countries finally agreed to support moving the global economy away from fossil fuels, many wonder if they mean it, or if they can achieve it.
With no enforcement mechanisms, no clear timelines for action and insufficient finance for poorer nations, this is unlikely to hold the world to the relatively ‘safe’ limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming.
See a wrap up of the issue in the Thomson Reuters Context Newsletter HERE.
Those of you who have been on a sustainability journey for some time may remember the Interface Flooring journey, and their founder Ray Anderson's ground-breaking publication, 'Mid Course Correction'.
Fifty years on, Interface talk about their journey with Sustainable Business, and 'Walk the Talk' with an interesting 'Early Adopter’s Guide to Sustainability:5 Lessons Learned'
Have a read HERE
In closing out 2023, Volunteering Australia have published their latest Annual Report
2023 has been a highly significant year for Volunteering Australia and for the wider volunteering ecosystem. The report provides a snapshot of the work undertaken by Volunteering Australia, highlighting the power of collective action and the spirit of giving that has been the driving force behind their efforts.
Read the Report HERE.
Looking for stronger action at COP28 and beyond, the Science-Based Targets Institute (SBTi) has launched a new call to action: “Supply Change: Take Action On Supply Chains Today”. The call is designed to encourage companies to engage their supply chains to set science-based targets. By sparking a snowball effect of action, companies can make considerable progress towards addressing their scope 3 emissions.
See more about this at the SBTi Website HERE
The Modern Slavery Amendment (Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner) Bill 2023 has been introduced to Parliament by the Attorney General and proposes the establishment of the first Federal Anti-Slavery Commissioner. This is a landmark reform which builds on the commitment to add a new, independent pillar to Australia’s comprehensive response to modern slavery.
The Bill amends the Modern Slavery Act 2018 to establish the core functions of the Anti-Slavery Commissioner, including engaging and supporting victims and survivors of modern slavery and supporting business to address risks of modern slavery practices in their operations and supply chains.
See the press release HERE.
Pride in Diversity have released the third in the series of fact sheets around recruitment and employment for people who have a trans and/or a gender diverse experience, which focusses on the barriers they face.
This series has been made possible by generous support from BHP. While much work has been done to support trans and gender diverse people within the workplace over the last years, there is still much to do.
Organisations have the opportunity to address some difficult challenges which trans and/or gender diverse people face securing meaningful work aligned with their skills and experience, predominately due to the significant challenges faced during the initial stages of the application and recruitment process.
Read the fact sheet HERE
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