Simmons & Simmons
Simmons & Simmons is a world class law fi rm Early Adopters
providing advice to fi nancial institutions,
corporates, public and international bodies through its As the most knowledgeable group, the ‘Early
offi ces in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The fi rm Adopters’ were enthusiatic about the fi rm’s
became CarbonNeutral® in 2006 and is the fi rst CarbonNeutral® status and formed the basis of the
international law fi rm to achieve CarbonNeutral® environmental committee. James Clark, Offi ce
status across all its offi ces. Services Manager, who leads the Simmons & Simmons
carbon management programme, says that this group is
vital to ongoing carbon reductions innovation in the fi rm.
However, he says that sometimes expectations need
What Simmons & Simmons did
to be managed, as their suggestions may not always
In the beginning
be practical or feasible. That said, he advises taking the
opinions of all the participants on board as it’s essential
In 2004, Simmons & Simmons realised its
for them to feel integral to the progress.
environmental policy needed improving: there was no
measurement of CO
2
emissions nor was anyone in the
business identifying gaps for improvement. The decision
‘Early Adopters’ at Simmons & Simmons respond
to become CarbonNeutral® was driven by employees
positively to:
who strongly believed that the fi rm needed to manage its
environmental impact. Many individuals within the fi rm
• The fi rm’s decision to go CarbonNeutral® which
were already addressing their personal carbon footprints
demonstrated a strong commitment to GHG
and some were offsetting their own CO
emissions reductions
2
emissions.
• Positive and constructive responses from management
Simmons & Simmons undertook a greenhouse gas (GHG)
teams to their carbon reduction suggestions
assessment and became CarbonNeutral® in 2006. One
• Visible progress and innovation. For example, to
of the key objectives behind the decision to become a
help meet its CarbonNeutral® internal reduction
CarbonNeutral® company was to engage and educate
targets, Simmons & Simmons have introduced waste
the staff on climate change issues. Once the programme
composting and plastic cup recycling initiatives
was launched, the fi rst initiative was to invite staff to join
• Continual improvement with regular communication
an environmental committee. The invitation received a
on progress.
mixed response which led the fi rm to create a three-tiered
communications strategy which would address different
Critical Mass
levels of knowledge and belief.
The majority of staff are interested and aware that GHG
The inside story
emissions need managing but require guidance and
encouragement to do it.
Simmons and Simmons found that they had three main
groups: Early Adopters (around 10%), Critical Mass
The ‘Critical Mass’ at Simmons & Simmons respond
(around 80%) and Stragglers (around 10%). Using
positively to:
this categorisation, Simmons & Simmons formulated
messages and channels suitable to each group.
• Communication which is engaging and
accessible: since 2007, Simmons & Simmons has
held an Environment Week, providing staff with
“Being CarbonNeutral® is a great driver for
information on carbon offset projects and climate
making deep internal emissions reductions
change competitions which have proved very popular
because the cost of carbon is very visible and
• Education on the fi rm’s CarbonNeutral®
programme and environmental policy which has
The CarbonNeutral Company provides a lot
been incorporated into the induction programme
of support to embed the programme across
to raise staff awareness from the beginning
the fi rm. Corporate responsibility is now
• Persuasion: energy, travel and waste reduction
a business critical activity and when our campaigns in the offi ce provide examples and facts
clients ask about our environmental
for staff to make environmental choices throughout

credentials, the CarbonNeutral® brandmark
their working day. The fi rm also implemented a travel
is easily recognised as a credible response to
policy to promote video conferencing and low carbon
climate change.”
transport alternatives.
James Clark, Offi ce Services Manager
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