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TLT plays a key role in climate change initiative launched by Prince Charles

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales today urged the legal profession to sign up to a set of bespoke principles to combat global warming in a keynote speech given last night at the official launch of the Legal Sector Alliance [LSA] in London.

Top 100 law firm TLT, which is headquartered in Bristol, is one of the LSA’s new members, having signed up to the LSA principles to tackle climate change. The LSA is an inclusive movement of law firms and organisations committed to working collaboratively to take action on climate change by reducing their carbon footprint and adopting environmentally sustainable practices.

The Prince of Wales promoted a low carbon future for the legal profession and celebrated the sector's commitment to taking collective action on climate change by changing the way it does business. Polar Explorer Pen Hadow, who is leading the Catlin Arctic Survey also spoke at the event to highlight the urgency of the imperative to take action. The Arctic Survey is a pioneering expedition, which aims to result in the first accurate mapping of one of the Earth’s largest and most at risk geophysical surface features: the North Pole ice cap.

The LSA principles which provide a framework for taking action on climate change, have been developed through extensive consultation with environmental experts and law firms of all sizes across the country. They cover firms’ own operations, as well as their influence on clients, suppliers, employees and policy makers. Many firms both large and small, have already signed up to the principles and the Prince will urge the rest of the profession to follow suit.

TLT is committed to reducing the adverse environmental impact of its business activities, in particular to reducing the size of its carbon footprint. The firm's strong and firm-wide environmental policy integrates environmental considerations into all business decisions, including strategic or significant purchasing decisions. Over the last year, TLT has taken a number of actions to reduce its carbon footprint and has hosts an annual 'Green Day' in partnership with local and national sustainability organisations including the Soil Association, Bristol City Council, City Car Club and Sustainability South West, to share information with about reducing carbon emissions at work and home.

Jonathon Porritt, Founder Director, Forum for the Future said; "I think these Principles are excellent, and I am impressed to see just how comprehensive the boundary conditions are - that’s really important. I look forward to seeing how the legal profession takes these principles forward into action."

The premise of the LSA is that acting on climate change is in the profession’s collective interest and that greater impact can be achieved through collaborative action and the sharing of knowledge and experience than could be achieved individually. The greater the number of firms, chambers and in-house legal teams that get involved, the greater the chance of having a real influence on the way the sector does business. Law firms, in-house legal counsel and barristers’ chambers across the South West are invited to join the LSA by signing up at the LSA website.