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Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance
Environment<br />

Environment

Contributing to a more sustainable world

We recognise that a sustainable approach to business is essential for the planet and future generations.

A comprehensive strategy that includes ambitious net zero targets, collaborative industry initiatives, and a commitment to sustainable business operations underpins the Environment pillar of our responsible business practices.
In the year ended 30 April 2024, the firm continued to work in partnership with peers, clients and stakeholders to support sustainability, broadening our understanding of climate issues and improving our people's capabilities to advise clients on climate issues.

Our firm also made considerable advances in reducing its carbon footprint, enhancing the sustainability of our global office portfolio, and integrating the likely impacts of climate risk into our firm-wide Enterprise Risk Management framework with greater specificity than before.

The Net Zero Delivery Group (NZDG) is instrumental in our firm's emissions reduction plan, which focuses on key areas such as business travel and supplier emissions, as well as engaging people across the firm in sustainability efforts.

Emissions reduction progress

Our firm is ambitious in its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction goals. The SBTi approved the firm's near-term science-based emissions reduction target in FY22; we aim to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 80% by FY30 from a FY20 base year, and to reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions by 47% within the same time frame. Our long-term target is a 90% reduction in our absolute Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions by FY50 from our FY20 base year. We have used updated emissions factors for our FY24 GHG inventory and plan to recalculate and report on historical emissions using these updated emissions factors in FY25.

Progress highlights in FY23-24

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Responsible Business Report 2024

Our progress towards our Responsible Business objectives during the financial year ended 30 April 2024 (FY24) was guided by our focus on understanding the evolving needs of our stakeholders – our people, our clients and our communities – and translating them into actions which deliver positive impact.

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Sustainable operations and real estate management:

Houston and New York offices achieved high sustainability accreditations, and in London a 25% efficiency gain and an estimated annual CO2 reduction of 95 tonnes

Follow our progress

Case studies

Powering the future

New technology and government incentives are boosting clean energy and driving a greater demand for high-end legal capabilities steeped in the sector. These capabilities become increasingly important when production scales in ways never achieved before. A case in point is our advice to the US Department of Energy on a landmark clean hydrogen project in Utah - read more from David Evans and Peter Hughes.

Find out more about Powering the future

Clifford Chance attains Gold Medal status in EcoVadis sustainability assessment

Clifford Chance has been recognised with a gold medal for its sustainability efforts, which highlights progress made over the course of FY 2022/23, and places the firm in the top 5% of companies assessed by EcoVadis and top 2% of those firms assessed within the legal and accounting services sector.

Go to external website: https://www.cliffordchance.com/content/dam/cliffordchance/About_us/responsible-business/2023/2023-responsible-business-report.pdf#page=46

Our insights

The latest points of view from our people on our responsible business activities

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