Environmental Sustainability Manager

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The firm
Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: property, corporate services, litigation and private client advisory.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.

Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do. RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 5th best law firm to work at in 2024.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.
Purpose of job
Doing the right thing has always been at the core of everything we do at Birketts to create a significant positive impact by operating in a socially, ethically, and environmentally responsible manner. We strive to foster an inclusive workplace, minimise our environmental footprint, and collaborate for the greater good within our communities, the legal profession, and through our client work. This is how we, both individually and as a firm, contribute to a fairer, more equitable, and environmentally sustainable future.
Accountabilities
Environmental and Sustainability Strategy

• Progressing the Birketts's Environmental Sustainability strategy.
• Leading on the development of our Net Zero Plan (NZP) (aligned with SBTi), including engaging with external environmental consultants.

Data collection

• Collaborating with internal stakeholders, including operations and risk, to obtain relevant carbon usage data and develop NZP proposals (targeting scope 1, 2 and 3 reductions).
• Developing proposals for firm procurement and supply-chain arrangements to achieve Scope 3 carbon reduction as part of the NZP.
• Support the collation of information for both internal reporting and for ISO 14001 certification and assist with the annual ISO 14001 certification.
• Providing evidence for client questionnaires, pitches and tenders.
• Keep abreast of new developments in Environmental practices, policies and regulations for reporting compliance.
• Supporting the Head of Accreditations and external consultants to support the programme of continuous improvement required under ISO 14001.

Communications

• Promoting environmental sustainability to colleagues across the business, including via intranet news items and presenting at internal workshops.
• Taking a lead role in the firm's participation in events such as Green Week.
• Maintaining current awareness of trends and opportunities which can inform the development of the firm's strategy, including by networking with counterparts in other professional services firms.
• Attend external training and networking events on environmental sustainability themes.
• Drafting updates on project milestones for internal distribution or external publication via the firm's website or social media channels.

Environmental and Sustainability Committee

• Managing and running the admin support to organise and manage the internal Environmental and Sustainability Committee.
• Monitoring and updating internal environmental policies under the supervision of the Head of Accreditations.
• Admin support for engaging with the firm's external sustainability initiatives and their requirements.

Skills
In addition to the above, candidates must be able to demonstrate the following:

• Critical reasoning with clear ability to analyse and interpret complex information.
• Experience with carbon data and GHG reporting (specifically Scope 1-3 collection and analysis), the SBTi guidance, and other environmental regulations, standards, and frameworks.
• Good data management and excel skills.
• Understanding of ISO certification systems.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to work to deadlines and stay calm under pressure.
• Very good written skills, able to produce good quality first drafts.
• A strategic and creative thinker capable of identifying, developing and gaining support for appropriate opportunities.
• Proactive and self-sufficient with the ability to take ownership and manage certain tasks with limited guidance.
• Personable and confident, able to build relationships with partners/ key stakeholders.
• A flexible and can-do approach, willing to provide varied support across different departments when required.

Equal opportunities
We are committed to recruiting individuals on merits of suitability for each role, on the basis of qualifications and experience. All applications are treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation, race, disability, religious beliefs and any other protected characteristic, ensuring that there are equal opportunities at all stages of the recruitment process.

Benefits

One of the best things about joining Birketts is our rewards package. At Birketts we are appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. A competitive salary and benefits package is given but you can also expect a great team and supportive colleagues, a strong focus on diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities, a programme of wellbeing and mental health support and structured career development and study support.

https://www.birketts.co.uk/recognition-reward-benefits/

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays rising with service. (SA + 30 days)
• Long Service holiday award - 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare - BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
• Staff Profit Share / Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid CSR day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Season Ticket Loan
• Gym Flex membership
• Electric car scheme
• Dress for your Day Policy
• Agile Working Policy
• 35 hour working week