Our activities have an impact on the environment, both locally and in the wider community. As such we take our role in the community very seriously, not least because it impacts on our firm and the lives of our staff and their families. To address this we have implemented the following steps:
Derbyshire ProHelp, part of the national Business in the Community initiative, was established to meet the needs of community projects in the most deprived wards of Derby city as well as charitable organisations from anywhere within the county.
As a successful community initiative, Derbyshire ProHelp receives an increasing number of requests for legal work and we have an annual target of donating 100 hours of work pro bono.
We are members of Business in the Community, an independent charity that works to improve the positive impact of business in society.
Membership of Business in the Community allows us to get involved in a range of community based projects.
Charity initiatives
We have an active entertainment and social committee that regularly organise events to raise funds for our chosen charity; which this year is When You Wish Upon A Star, as well as a cluster of other charities.
In the last 12 months we have raised over £25,000 for charity from various events including:
 Breast Cancer’s Race for Life
The Edward Bright appeal
The Hobie Challenge yacht race
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Ethical trading policy
We have always been committed to conducting business in a fair and honest manner with openness and integrity.
We support the Fair Trade mark, which is the independent consumer label that appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged farmers and workers in the developing world are getting a better deal. We only purchase Fair Trade tea, coffee, sugar and confectionary for our staff refreshments and constantly look to source other Fair Trade products wherever possible.
The environment
We recognise the importance of environmental considerations and will take these into account at all stages of our business planning.
Recycling schemes are in place across the firm and we are working in partnership with all suppliers to ensure that we reduce pressure on landfill sites wherever possible.
We have a strict recycling policy where cardboard, paper, plastics, glass and tin cans are collected either weekly or every two weeks for recycling. We also recycle laser printer and fax cartridges. We are working towards a 90% recycling target across the firm.
In addition we have ceased using bottled water due to the strain its extraction and manufacture puts on ecosystems and have installed ‘plumbed in’ water coolers.
It is the policy of the firm to reduce its carbon footprint in all office locations and we have recently replaced all lighting with, as far as practicable, low energy lighting. We ensure that, when not in use, all appliances consume either zero or the minimum amount of energy necessary.
The workplace and our people
We continue to evaluate and reappraise our working methods, techniques and our suppliers. Wherever possible we ensure that we operate the very best practice standards in employment, health, safety and working facilities for all employees.
Part of our appraisal process is to note the contribution individuals make to organisations outside of work, for example supporting schools, charitable causes and other organisations, and it is a policy of the firm to provide support to individuals who participate in such activities
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