Why and how large international law firms recycle

Jennifer Anduha, Managing Director of Office Service at a large, Washington-DC based international law firm, is the first guest blogger for the Recycling Chronicles. Here is her story:

Even big international law firms, and even lawyers, care about the environment- most care very much and I know this because I have seen the firm, that I work for grow an environmental program from nothing in 2008 to a robust and dynamic part of the firm’s culture in just 4 years.  As one of several careers that I have embarked, law firm management is the most challenging and by far the most rewarding.  I have been able to apply skills learned in the hotel and the executive suite business to my job- mostly how to multi-task, manage people, and keep a sense of humor at all times!

I never thought I would become the “green guru” as my boss likes to call me. Other than recycling my water bottles and newspapers at home, I came into co-chairing our firms’ Green Committee with very little knowledge about good business environmental practices (other than common sense) and what initiatives should be implemented.

Then there was the added challenge of trying to identify those staff and attorneys in the firm that were passionate (or at least mildly interested and intrigued to commit the time to become part of a formalized committee) and doing it all without a budget.  It has been an incredible learning experience so far!

We have approximately 500 lawyers just in DC and worldwide our lawyer count approaches 2,400.  We operate out of over 40 offices across the US and abroad, including Asia, Europe, Middle East, and South America.

Culturally there are varying degrees of participation in firm environmental programs across the globe with our US and European offices being more involved and experienced overall than our Asian offices.   But there is certainly a level of engagement in all offices and the Environment has become a cornerstone of our firm culture.

turn out the lights sign in German law office

In the last couple years we have seen an uptick in the number of potential clients that specifically ask, as part of the bidding process, about our environmental programs- this definitely got the attention of our attorneys.   I feel that the driving force for this, in most organizations, is that it is the right thing to do in a society so entrenched in consumerism and the waste that goes along with it.  Organizations then expect to do business with and partner with vendors and professional services firms that share the “it’s the right thing” philosophy.

The first “green” committee was formed in August of 2008 and consisted of lawyers, managers, and support staff across the firm’s US offices.  The committee’s initial goals were to understand how all the offices recycled (if they recycled) and how we could work together to promote reducing our carbon footprint.

We were successful!   In the 4 years since, all of the US offices recycle on some level and most recycle everything- paper, cans, glass and plastic.  We encourage recycling by providing desk side bins, centrally located bins in copy rooms, pantry areas (see example below),

Pantry area recycling bins

large departments, and conference rooms.

I thought that putting recycling in the conference rooms would meet with some resistance, but I feel it is quite the opposite.  Attorneys and staff using these rooms find it convenient (as those really good citizens were taking empty plastic bottles with them to recycle) and visitors can see that we practice what we preach.  In all of our new construction we are incorporating slide out recycle bins in all conference rooms.

conference room recycling bin

We post information in our cafeteria with examples of items that are recyclable or compostable.

recycling examples posted in cafeteria of major international law firm

We instituted the use of an email signature, “to consider the environment before you print”, tag line 2 years ago; and we partner with our building each spring for an informative Earth Day event in our lobby.

Earth Day Recycling event

The firm has a robust e-waste program and recycles approx. 50,000 pounds of electronic waste per year.

We pursue LEED certification through the US Green Building Council in all of our new office build out projects (and two of our projects have been awarded LEED Silver status in the last 3 years, and we are working on 2 more in the next 15 months.

The firm has made the cultural switch to default all high speed copiers and printers to double sided- and I have to say the push back was a minuscule blip on the radar so all in all very successful!

The newest challenge we face is trying to actually quantify our results.  How much are we recycling; how much paper are we saving every year; what is the resulting save to our planet and OUR impact on OUR carbon footprint?  Fortunately, law firms understand that our clients want to know and our clients are asking therefore, slowly support for calculating and organizing this information is coming to fruition through organizations like the Legal Sector Alliance in the UK and the newly forming Law Firm Sustainability Network in the US:  http://www.ecoanalyze.com/resources/LawFirmSustainabilityNetwork.aspx

On a personal level and to give the reader an idea of how wasteful we really are (and most of us are to a fault); I suggest doing the carbon footprint quiz.  We did this a couple years during out Earth Day event and it was eye opening- and fun.  Here is the link:  http://www.myfootprint.org/en/visitor_information

I was particularly interested that the firm located recycling bins in its elegant conference rooms. I have heard concerns elsewhere (including here at Wilson Center) that outside visitors to meetings might be offended by recycling bins.  Apparently, however, it is a business plus.

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