ENVIRONMENTAL

SOCIAL

GOVERNANCE

STATEMENT.

Here’s the thing …

When it comes to ESG the legal landscape is rapidly changing. Changes include introducing the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), expected to apply to large organisations from 2024 and to SMEs from 2026. 

What we offer is intangible – try holding legal advice in your hands, yet our actions are having an impact on both society and the environment. When this impact is positive, we’re delighted. When it is detrimental we know we have work to do to improve!  

So we believe it is time for the business community to reinvent itself.

Actions HM3 Legal is taking

We are aiming to be a B Corp business following the structure to embed purpose into how we operate in the 5 key impact areas: Governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. As you read this we are reviewing, measuring and setting targets for improvement to become a force for good, championing change in professional services.  

Being ‘seen’ to be green is not how we roll. Our Vision is changing lives for the better for clients, colleagues and communities by becoming a purpose-led business.

Broadening the foundations for why our business exists includes operating for all stakeholders; we have changed our Articles of Association to reflect this. We support the Better Business Act, as we believe that changing UK law to ensure every company in the UK aligns their interests with those of wider society and the environment is not a nice to have – it is now a must have. And it starts with updating Section 172 of the Companies Act to signal being in business not just for shareholders and profit, but all stakeholders.

Business with a capital P: Purpose

There are plenty of terms and buzz words around: ESG, sustainability, EDI, going green, green economy, #greenwashing and blue rinsing (actually we added the extra one in at the end).

Being the difference. That is our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) statement in a nutshell.

It means we are not content to say we want to make a difference, we’re making a difference by taking action in three main areas:

  1. People. Our personal and professional development programme is designed to nurture individuals so they can progress. We offer an inclusive environment which encourages diversity and equality, leaving no-one behind. We give back time and resources to our local communities by supporting charities and organisations, and sponsoring events which make a tangible difference to peoples’ lives. We work with our collaborators and partners to promote sustainable ways of doing business.
  2. Planet. We continue to review the impact of our business practices are having on the environment: reducing consumption and waste, increasing up-cycling and re-cycling and being responsible for hazardous waste. Our sustainability goals are addressing ways to lessen our negative impact both at work and while working from home. We are opening up new discussions with our supply chain so encouraging others to make sustainable choices.
  3. Prosperity. Focussing only on the bottom line is, well, so last century. The world would benefit from more businesses having a bigger purpose beyond making gazillions in profit. Just because they can. Sometimes with disregard for much else. We believe this is not the path to build a bright future for people or the planet. We want to grow our business in a sustainable way and are putting internal processes in place to achieve this goal.

Why become a sustainable business?

Because it is the right and fair thing to do for society and the environment. Read more about our overarching purposeful Vision here

Also, it is the right thing to do to create resilience and reduce risk. Research in 2023 by PwC explains that businesses are facing a race for the future, describing a pressing need to respond to current challenges. In short, evolve or die.

Approx. 50% of global CEOs expect some degree of impact from climate change in the next 12 months – primarily in their cost profiles, and their supply chains. 

 

Annual reflections and review process allows colleagues to have open conversations about career progression, and SMART personal goals. 

We don’t leave it 12 months between discussions. We believe in supporting ongoing growth through mid-year reviews and regular 1:1s.

Progression pathways are transparent. They are designed so everyone knows what they are working toward, and how to get there. 

Bite-sized training ensures continual development, means colleagues can step away from their desks to focus on self-improvement. ‘Power Hour’ sessions develop personal skills while ‘How to Wow’ focusses on personal development.

Mentoring scheme recognises the talent with in HM3, and taps into this. It gives colleagues the chance to share knowledge, support and learn from each other. Mentoring is open to 100% of employees, and provides a  the opportunity for collaboration between teams at all levels.

This scheme is about developing skills – legal or otherwise – as well as ‘soft’ skills, best practice, and sharing ideas. Mentors and mentees both find the partnerships are reciprocally beneficial.

We recognise we all have something to contribute, regardless of role or experience.

We have signed up to the Better Business Act, declaring a climate emergency, believing that we are living through the ‘decisive decade’ – our actions taken today will be felt by many generations to come. UK For Good membership is helping us connect with like-minded progressive businesses that are taking the lead, running businesses focussed on sustainable growth and building resilience.

We are taking steps to reduce the direct and indirect impact our business is having on people and the planet. We are an information-heavy industry – relying on paper and real and virtual storage. We are calculating the impact of running our our offices, and over the next year or so are (ambitiously!) aiming to calculate our homeworking impact, and displaced emissions too.

We are meeting challenges, but we are committed to having a clearer view of our impact so we can set credible, science-based reduction targets. We may not achieve what we want to in 2023, but we are continuing to improve wherever we can.

HM3 Legal is developing an Impact Report that will set out key goals, targets and results. Our 5 areas of focus:

  1. Benchmarking and measuring our activities so we can understand areas of high impact.
  2. Minimising our greenhouse gas emissions.
  3. Auditing and reducing the impact of materials, adopting responsible procurement where possible.
  4. Reducing waste and increasing recycling.
  5. Taking action on the climate by raising awareness and forming partnerships that contribute to achieving the Paris Agreement.

HM3 Legal is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and is committed to operating in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including those concerning accounting and auditing, and prohibits fraudulent practices by any of its board members, officers, employees, or volunteers.

We believe our marketing and communications should be in plain English and transparent about what we do and how we work. We build relationships with customers based on trust and integrity, so we believe in honest marketing – no hard sell or hidden costs in line with our fixed fee options.

Our Top 3 marketing principles:

  • No hard sell.
  • No hidden costs or dodgy deals – just honest, clear pricing.
  • No spam – we don’t send unsolicited marketing emails.

We stick by our principles, promptly responding to and investigating any reported issues.

GET IN TOUCH…

If you’ve got a legal enquiry, call us on 01244 318 131 or click here to complete a short form, and a bl**dy brilliant lawyer will be in touch.

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