Case study
Leading the legal sector towards net-zero
Legal
Large Business
Law Firm, Cripps, commitment to environmental sustainability began more than five years ago and has become integral to the firm's identity. Cripps LLP aims to achieve net-zero emissions, navigating through the complexities of carbon reduction with a focus on values important to their staff and clients.
About Cripps
Location
UK
Company size
500+ fte
Industry
Legal Services
Use case
Embedding sustainability into business values and legal practice
Services used
Carbon footprinting, emissions reduction planning, employee engagement
The issue
Cripps recognised that their clients and staff were increasingly concerned about environmental impact. The firm wanted to take meaningful climate action, but needed support to understand their carbon footprint and define a credible pathway to net-zero.
The challenges
The firm faced three key challenges in their sustainability journey. First, a significant portion of their emissions were hidden in Scope 3 categories, making comprehensive measurement difficult. Second, they struggled with a lack of clarity on what an appropriate net zero strategy should look like specifically for a legal business. Finally, they needed to effectively engage the full organisation and embed sustainability considerations into firm-wide decision-making processes rather than treating it as a separate initiative.
The solution
Cripps began by measuring their full carbon footprint, including all operational and value chain emissions. With clear insights in hand, the firm set a net-zero target and developed a tailored emissions reduction plan. They implemented practical measures across their operations, optimising travel policies, work processes, and client interactions to reduce emissions. The firm also focused on building internal capacity and knowledge, ensuring that sustainability became embedded in their organisational culture.
The results
Cripps achieved several outcomes from their sustainability initiative. They established a formal net-zero target with clear timelines and accountability measures. Through detailed analysis, they successfully identified and prioritised key Scope 3 emission sources that had previously been overlooked. Carbon reduction efforts were systematically embedded into operational processes across departments. Additionally, sustainability transitioned from being a peripheral concern to becoming a core part of the company culture, with widespread engagement across the organisation. Cripps has now achieved 'On the Road to Net Zero' certification, demonstrating their commitment and progress.
"Employees want to work for a responsible business and know that we're taking this seriously."
Joanna Ford, Partner, Cripps
