Green Day for Ware & Kay

Ware & Kay has become the first law firm in Yorkshire to join the Legal Sector Alliance (‘LSA’), an organisation dedicated to cutting the carbon footprint of law practices. By signing up to the LSA, Ware & Kay agrees to work towards 6 ‘green’ principles, reporting its progress at the end of every year.

Ware & Kay’s Green Committee has been working hard for the last 2 years, meeting bi-monthly to discuss and implement greener practices and greater environmental awareness within the company. The committee has introduced a raft of green initiatives. These include using ‘hippos’ in office toilets to reduce water used, re-cycling all types of paper and cardboard and printing on FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved paper. Ware & Kay have also added extra bike racks and even run a new cycle scheme, which enables staff to buy a bike at a discounted price, paid in small monthly instalments.

David Hyams, partner at the firm and a member of the Green Committee comments: “Ware & Kay are delighted to be the first law firm in York and North Yorkshire to join the LSA and we hope that other law firms in the area will follow our lead in playing their part to try and reduce their carbon footprint.

“Since the firm formed a Green Committee over two years ago, to address environmental concerns, we have carried out many of our own initiatives to try and reduce waste and adopt other environmentally friendly practices.

“Joining the LSA will give us a framework and structure for further action and we hope that a greater impact can be achieved through collaboration.”

The Green Committee is currently measuring the firm’s carbon footprint and will use the findings to identify further schemes to make the practice more environmentally friendly.

As a member of the LSA, Ware & Kay is also committed to considering the implications of climate change in the advice they give to clients and working with external stakeholders to promote the green message.

Ware & Kay is already involved in a ground-breaking green initiative with York schools: over the past three years, the firm has supplied more than 5,000 free reflective jackets to pupils in York, with the aim of encouraging more school children to get on their bikes.

(Pictured above, Ware & Kay cyclists and Green Committee members.)