CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
Caring about the community and social responsibility.
Carter Bond has a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility. This includes promoting diversity, championing equality and protecting the planet.
Our community, the welfare of others and human rights are all areas that we’re passionate about, and it forms the cornerstone of our law firm. We believe that it’s important to give back to our community and to provide help and assistance – financial and otherwise – wherever we can.
As individuals and as an organisation, we are committed to making a difference, and being a positive contributor in all we do.
This includes fundraising and donations, support for those from disadvantaged backgrounds plus adopting an environmentally aware approach.
This is often referred to as corporate social responsibility, but to us, it’s more than a snappy soundbite.
We believe corporate social responsibility must be meaningful, consistent and have a genuine impact on the community. As a modern and innovative law firm, we are always seeking new ways to expand how we can achieve this, and actively welcome suggestions from all our employees.
HOW WE AIM TO MAKE AN IMPACT
A diverse team
We believe that our diversity is one of our strengths and we stand firm on the subject of equality in all its guises. We regularly review our policies and practices to ensure we are continuing to be a champion of diversity.
We consciously promote an ethos of inclusivity and encourage all of our employees to contribute to creating a workplace where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. We believe that it’s important to make sure every single person knows that they are valued.
Open communication is a priority for us, and our team meetings are open to all and transparent. Employees receive regular opportunities to provide honest feedback, through the use of surveys and 1:1 meetings.
We know that our people are our strength and we work hard to make sure we offer a safe and supportive workplace for all.
Support & inclusion
We recognise that not everyone has the same opportunities in life, but we also appreciate that finances are not indicative of talent. We therefore believe that it’s essential to support those from a disadvantaged background and to offer opportunities which would otherwise be out of reach.
All of our opportunities for learning, development and employment are offered on a non-discriminatory basis as we believe having a disadvantaged background should not prejudice opportunities for success.
Charitable giving
Providing time and resources to the local and wider community is central to the Carter Bond culture, and we encourage everyone in our law firm to participate.
We intentionally choose not to send Christmas cards, as we donate the money to Great Ormond Street Hospital instead. This has the dual benefit of reducing the use of paper as well as providing financial support to a worthy cause.
During the course of our work, we periodically choose specific causes to support or initiatives which we believe are important. This helps us to ensure that we are being effective in our efforts and that our donations are channeled in the best direction.
Environment
We all have a collective responsibility to minimize our impact on the planet, and to protect the world around us wherever possible. Here at Carter Bond we have developed working practices which aim to do just that.
We have introduced a paperless office to reduce our carbon footprint, just one of the many measures we have implemented.
Other initiatives include:Â Â
- A commitment to recycling as much as possible
- Development of IT processes which reduce environmental impact
- Switching off the lights when an area is not in use
- Computers and monitors switched off daily
- When printing is essential, double-sided copying is used
- Regular reviews of use of the copier and printer
We encourage staff to adopt the same green approach to their personal lives, including transport to and from work.
As new technology and information become available, we will continue to update and innovate in our use of environmentally friendly services in every way we possibly can.
JUST ONE Tree
JUST ONE Tree is a non-profit initiative removing CO2 from the atmosphere and reversing biodiversity loss through global reforestation. They plant trees in areas severely affected by deforestation to maximise the effect on reducing global warming. In the process they help to provide agricultural education and sustainable incomes to local communities.
But they don’t stop there. JUST ONE Tree concentrates on restoring the entire ecosystem by planting on land and in the oceans, and they also focus on helping to shape the next generation of planet-conscious thinkers by bringing environmental education into the classrooms with lesson plans and JUST ONE Tree Day.
Suppliers
We have created a set of values for Carter Bond that we believe are important and full of integrity, benefitting our clients, our employees and the community. Where possible we look for partners and suppliers that also embrace the same ethos.
We strive to choose partners who share our commitment to protecting the environment, and who have a similarly inclusive approach to equality and diversity.
By choosing to work with those who are also endeavoring to make a positive contribution to the world, we believe we can make a difference together.
DIVERSITY AT CARTER BOND
Professional Role
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