Scale is important;
it means we can always
draw on the right
specialist advice.
Corporate social responsibility
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES
At Hewitsons, we care about the impact which we have on the communities and the environment in which we work and live and we acknowledge that in making strategic business decisions it is important that we consider the social and environmental needs of local and regional communities and how we can bring benefit to those communities beyond legal services.
Our Corporate Social Responsibility and our Environmental Policies are inextricably linked. These Policies detail our activity focus in the wider communities and how we can bring benefits to them, as well as all our efforts to reduce our impact on the environment.
In compiling the Policies we have discovered a wealth of knowledge and skill amongst our people about which we would not otherwise have been aware. There is a passion and an enthusiasm to give of time and creativity in a selfless way and a genuine commitment to reduce individual and collective impact on the environment. Putting together these Policies is all the more meaningful, knowing that they embody that generous and responsible approach to life.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Our people working with charities
Many members of the firm are actively involved in a variety of charitable activities, outside of their working lives. As a business we celebrate the contribution which they are making to the wider world through their activities. Where possible we are flexible with annual and/or unpaid leave to enable our people to continue to contribute in this way. There are a number of profiles on our website which give details of the activities just some of our members are involved with. To find out more about Hewitsons in the community, click here
Raising funds and giving money to charities
Each year this firm is heavily involved in both organising and participating in the Chariots of Fire charity race held in Cambridge. The race is now a serious sporting charity event in the calendar for Cambridge of which we are very proud indeed. The event recreates the famous race in the film Chariots of Fire which was inspired by the winning British Olympic Team of 1924.
The race takes place in Cambridge’s city centre, with teams of six runners following a route which takes in three of Cambridge’s colleges: Kings, Clare and Trinity, as well as other famous landmarks in the city. Each year over two and a half thousand runners take part in this event, whose collective efforts raise money for a different nominated local charity. Over £750,000 in total has been raised by those taking part over the last 18 years.
In addition to raising money for our own participating teams, the firm’s members are heavily involved with the organisation and this means a significant commitment on the part of this firm’s resources in terms of people and time. For further information and the latest news about the event, please visit www.chariots-of-fire.co.uk
New ideas
We encourage the participation of our members in charitable activities and, where possible and appropriate this firm agrees additional funding, as a separate contribution from the firm.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
This firm is committed to achieving its business objectives in a manner which is as friendly to the environment as possible. We aim to minimise any adverse impact on the environment from our business activities and we aim to improve our environmental performance. Our efforts in being environmentally friendly often generate an additional charitable or community based connection and these are synergies which we seek.
We act for a number of conservation charities and in our operations seek to emulate their environmental principles and objectives where possible. We have used a number of advisory services to establish the Environmental Policy, including the Carbon Trust, Legal Sector Alliance and a variety of contractors as well as publications.
We have a CSR/Environmental Committee the membership of which is open to all members of the firm. The CSR/Environmental Committee meets formally twice a year although communication informally takes place on an ad hoc basis as it monitors progress and creates and responds to new opportunities and ideas as to how we can improve
Business waste
Where possible this firm recycles its business waste products as follows:
Paper
All the firm’s confidential waste paper is collected by Shredsecure, an organisation which itself conducts all its activities in a responsible manner and having regard to the environment.
All paper is collected in reusable sacks. Any boxes filled with paper are either returned to the firm for reuse or recycled to a cardboard recycler.
All trucks are properly maintained and lorry journeys are kept to a minimum.
Paper is recycled and made into hand towels within 7 days of being shredded.
Plastic
Plastic is recycled from the firm being placed in special bins and collected regularly.
Obsolete computer equipment
The firm recycles as much as possible of its obsolete computer equipment including toner and print cartridges, using authorised recyclers.
PC cases are sent to local scrap merchants. The precious metals of circuit boards are recovered from those which cannot be reused. All working hard drives are wiped and resold. Failed hard drives are repaired and remanufactured. Monitors are sold locally if they are in working order. Broken digital monitors are mended and resold. All printers, except mono inkjet printers, are refurbished and resold. In appropriate circumstances equipment may be passed on to charities.
Mobile telephones
This firm supports a national charity with money raised through the recycling and resale of all our obsolete mobile telephones using an authorised provider of this service.
Front of house uniforms
The logo labels are removed from the firm’s uniform when the garments become surplus to requirements. The garments are distributed to national charity shops.
Excess furniture
Where we have excess furniture which we can no longer put to good use, we donate it to a number of local charities.
CARRYING OUT OUR BUSINESS
Purchasing
We promote a purchasing policy which gives preference, as far as practicable, to those products and suppliers which cause the least harm to the environment, including using local suppliers where possible.
Printing
More and more of our business is carried out by email and we are introducing e-filing to reduce paper and printer use, and transport and storage. Where we need to print material, we use multifunctional devices each of which is carbon offset for up to a million prints or copies. The MFDs themselves are manufactured from up to 56% of recycled materials. Wherever possible our members are encouraged to print double sided.
Transport
This firm aims to minimise travel between our offices and all members of the firm are encouraged to work efficiently by grouping meetings in other offices in order to avoid unnecessary travel. We utilise video conferencing both internally and with Clients wherever this is appropriate which has further reduced travel.
We have a Remote Working Policy which enables us to balance the firm’s needs with the needs of the members, who minimise travel by informally (on a discreet project basis) or formally working remotely (on particular days).
Energy
We are reducing the amount of gas and electricity which we use by operating a policy by which our members turn off electrical items when they are not in use and our members do not heat rooms which are empty or open the windows whilst increasing the heating.
Property management
This firm works hard to improve and maintain its working environments so as to provide safe, comfortable, healthy and efficient buildings.
This firm makes reasonable adjustments to the working arrangements including the working environment where it is necessary to do so, in order to provide comfort for individuals with particular medical requirements including those with disabilities.
No smoking
This firm has operated a No Smoking Policy throughout all its buildings since 1994.
Awareness
This firm promotes a culture of environmental awareness throughout the organisation so that it is embedded in good practice.
CONCLUSION
This firm operates on the basis of continuous improvement for both the CSR/ Environmental Policies. We monitor our progress, processes and procedures and continually look for ways of increasing the input which we can make into our wider communities and reducing any adverse impact on the environment.
