The following summary outlines our Environmental Policy at Sutcliffe Matson Law.

We want to decrease our footprint on the environment by being more environmentally conscious as a firm. We have recently implemented several initiatives to do our part in reducing plastic and general waste, power consumption and printing as a business.

We are committed to this initiative and are motivated as a team to look for other ways to improve the way we do business.

 

CLIENT FILES ARE MANAGED ELECTRONICALLY WHERE POSSIBLE

  • Files managed electronically: Small files such as Wills & EPOA’s can now be fully managed online. A small number of physical files are still in use, however, the majority of a client’s file is now electronic.

  • Problem: When a client comes in to sign documents, many instances are still done manually on printed copies. 

  • Solution: Investigate potential of having an iPad or similar device that sits in the meeting room.  Or introduce a policy that everyone uses their laptop for client signatures.

  • Environmental Savings: Energy saving, paper saving, decreasing plastic waste (folders). Managed online and no physical file is required

WORKING FROM HOME

  • We encourage people to work from home at least one day a week.

  • It reduces transport emissions and can improve productivity through less interruptions.

  • Environmental Savings: Transport Emissions


WASTE

We want to decrease all aspects of our waste. This is split into organic material, general waste, paper waste and recyclable waste.

Organic Waste We have a Bokashi Bin located outside the office back door. Bokashi Bins are used to ferment compostable waste.

We can add:

  • Fresh fruit and Vegetables

  • Prepared foods

  • Cooked and uncooked meats, and fish

  • Other food such as cheese, eggs, bread, coffee grinds and tea bags

  • Wilted flowers


Do not add:

  • Liquids such as milk, orange juice or oils

  • Paper and plastic wrap

  • Large meat bones

General & Plastic Waste

  • We have invested in a new coffee machine that uses coffee beans rather than Coffee Pods.

  • We will be looking into more environmentally friendly stationery options.

  • We ask that each team member personally considers their own plastic wastage – lunch wrappers/glad wrap.


Paper Waste

  • Problem: The office confidential paper bin was also being used for normal paper waste which means overflow goes into the landfill bin, rather than being recycled.

  • Solution: Get a general paper recycling bin that can be collected at the same time as our confidential bin (so no extra transport emissions are used)

  • Environmental Savings: Decreasing landfill waste


Recycling Waste

  • Commercial recycling is not available in our area.

  • Make a staff roster with everyone’s home recycling days. On your recycling day, you take home the recycling bucket from work and bring it back the next day.

  • If someone is taking home something every day, it should not add much to your recycling.

  • Environmental Savings: Landfill input


POSTING TRANSPORT EMISSIONS/PRINTING EMISSIONS

The vast majority of people now communicate by email rather than post.

  • All documents (reporting/billing/LOE etc) should be sent by email.

  • Environmental Savings: Paper savings, energy savings, transport emission savings.

  • Each team member is to ensure that every client has an email address saved into internal systems. All staff to use electronic signatures where possible.

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PRINTING

Only documents that need to be printed should be printed.

  • In most instances, emails can and should be retained and saved into our internal system, rather than being printed out.

  • Even if you prefer to read hard copy material, please only print if absolutely necessary. As everything becomes increasingly digitalised, we also need to adapt how we learn and work.

  • If you do need to print, everything should be printed double sided (some exceptions apply).

  • You do not need to print in order to get something on letterhead. There is a letterhead letter saved in precedents file and additionally there is a background letterhead image that you can insert. From here, you can just send the letterhead letter to the client through email.

  • Additionally, you do not need to print something to sign it – use Electronic signatures.

  • Environmental Savings: Paper savings, energy savings.

  • Team member action points: Set default setting on printer and desktops to double sided.