Sustainability
In January 2007, DLA Piper became one of the first in the legal field to introduce a Global Sustainability initiative programme worldwide. The idea behind this programme is that each office seeks to reduce its environmental impact, and aims to conduct its business in an environmentally responsible manner.
DLA Phillips Fox actively pursues the same international philosophy. In Auckland, the DLA Phillips Fox Tower (part of the National Bank Centre) was New Zealand’s first Five Star Green Star rated building in design. In Wellington, the recent refit of the offices incorporated a variety of sustainable functions, which have created energy savings and delivered a better working environment.
These principles are important to our partners, staff and clients. DLA Phillips Fox is represented on a committee of the New Zealand Green Building Council by partner Sharon Skinner, and undertakes pro bono work for it. Sharon is an accredited Green Building Council professional.
In 2007, we introduced a Sustainability Initiative statement which ensures that we:
- continually monitor our environmental impact and reduce our footprint;
- ensure that procurement decisions include assessment of environmental and social impacts;
- reduce our energy consumption in our offices;
- reduce waste, increase recycling and reduce paper consumption;
- reduce non-critical travel.
As a result of this commitment, in the past few years, DLA Phillips Fox has:
- ensured all technology automatically switches off when not in use;
- implemented a recycling programme for potentially harmful business waste such as fluorescent tubes, toner cartridges, mobile phones and batteries;
- purchased paper from FSC-certified sources and ensured default printing is always double sided black and white;
- introduced computers with LED screens;
- introduced energy efficient printer-copiers with power saving mode;
- introduced quality video conferencing facilities in both Auckland and Wellington offices, enabling very good meetings to be held between DLA Phillips Fox legal staff, or between legal staff and clients.
For all staff, DLA Phillips Fox promotes and publicises sustainability on a regular basis through tips on the intranet. Both offices have “Green Centres” which are local committees tasked with encouraging and implementing sustainable initiatives.
DLA Phillips Fox aims to continue to reduce its environmental impact over the next few years by focusing on: energy, waste, travel and procurement.