In the first of our Summer Success series, we feature our first certified carbon neutral law firm. It's hoping its success will help bring the country into mainstream practice.
KEY POINTS:
Think carbon neutral and many people think of the big polluters and the big CO2 emitters - power generators, transportation companies and dirty old industry.
But a downtown Auckland law firm? Hardly worth making the effort, surely. Not so, says Mark Lowndes, partner at Lowndes Associates, which has just become New Zealand's first carbon neutral law firm.
"The biggest issue is that we think New Zealand business is significantly behind what's happening overseas on sustainability and climate change issues," says Lowndes.
Big companies are starting to insist the products they sell, or suppliers, take steps to become carbon neutral.
"We think business is just not noticing. We think, in terms of global competitiveness, we are going to be on the back foot on an issue that should be one of our strong points - the New Zealand brand." He says the "clean green brand is accepted around the world" and there is a risk customers will start avoiding Kiwi products if practical steps against climate change are not taken.
Lowndes is under no illusions about the global effect of just one 35- person law firm going carbon neutral.
"I don't think us becoming carbon neutral is going to save the planet. We did it for a couple of reasons. The prime one is to try and take a leadership role in highlighting the need for business to get on with this issue and respond very actively."
Lowndes Associates has shown it's "not at all burdonsome" for a smaller business to do it and, because the firm advises clients on the subject, it is showing it can do more than just talk.
"It's interesting having done it," says Lowndes. "In a sense the response from some of the people we talk to only highlights a fairly high level of ignorance. You get a bit of a weak giggle sometimes and a bit of a flippant comment.
"How crazy if, in the end, New Zealand is seen as a bit of a laggard and producers don't get on shelves. I think that is the real point people just aren't getting."
A typical day at carbon neutral Lowndes Associates is probably little different from any other similar sized law firm. For example, there's a system to measure the carbon footprint of travel being taken by staff.
A newcomer to the firm will "notice the consciousness of the issue," says Lowndes, when it comes to printing out emails, for example.
"We're just trying to point out that it's not a strange policy issue for greenies, this is a business issue.
"We're trying to point out that SMEs [small- and medium-sized enterprises] have no choice but to face it, think about it and they will find that it's surprisingly manageable in terms of resources."
The issue of climate change and carbon use is becoming bigger - meaning clients need legal advice on the topic, says Lowndes.
He's surprised Lowndes Associates is the first law firm in New Zealand to go carbon neutral and there seems to be little enthusiasm among others in the legal world to do the same.
"I think we're surprised that our intuition that climate change issues are not getting enough attention in the business community is more accurate than we thought.
"Over the next six to 12 months, I think companies exporting will see this issue rise up the agenda of the issues in their supplier relationships, at a rate it might catch them by surprise."
And in a tight labour market, caring about carbon is one way that Lowndes can try to attract young lawyers to come work for the firm.
"Our staff love it, they just love it. It's the sort of thing young lawyers love. Everyone in the firm is enthusiastic. Their ideas are coming forward - some more realistic than others - but it's a nice part of the firm culture when we think about staffing.
"There is now a huge constituency who accepts that climate change is real and they expect that people they deal with - whether it's a supplier or an employer - to be taking a socially responsible approach."
Raechel Cummins, director of the climate change services team at Price-Waterhouse Coopers, is known as "The Carbon Accountant". When a company wants to start managing its carbon use, or try to become carbon neutral, they go to her.
She says: "People ring me and say, 'What about the science? You've got it all wrong', and I say, 'I'm not a scientist'. I am a business person and there's a new business reality we're dealing in. There are risks and opportunities that need to be addressed, and if you know what you're doing you can turn it into a good opportunity, as Lowndes has shown."
A powerful motivator has been the Government's move to start looking at its supply chain, with an aim to selecting businesses that take their carbon use seriously. "Four or five years ago it was a nice add-on that you would put in," says Cummins. "Now it is becoming almost expected."
A tip from Cummins to small businesses keen on heading down the carbon neutral path is to start measuring things better, such as recording the kilowatt hours used each month as well as the amount paid out to the energy company.
Cummins says: "It's not that difficult, but if you're going to begin with carbon management, there needs to be a system in place to measure it properly. The biggest challenge most companies face is getting the information together. It's a relativity easy process and can be cost effective."
