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Environmental, Social, and Governance Report 2024
The legal sector, as a key pillar of societal structure, holds significant influence in shaping sustainable practices and policies. The Law Society of Ireland, as the main representative body for legal professionals, has a unique opportunity to drive sustainability within the law sector in Ireland.
In 2024, the Law Society worked on developing a wider sustainability strategy with stakeholders, including our staff, members of the profession, and trainees. This strategy is aligned with our overall organisational strategy to ensure that sustainability is part of everyday decisions.
One key feature of our sustainability strategy was to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as outlined under our key pillars (below), and foster a legal framework that not only upholds the rule of law, but also promotes sustainable development at its core.
The alignment of the SDGs with the Law Society’s strategy serves as a catalyst for advancing social justice, environmental protection, and economic prosperity within the legal landscape of the country.
Sustainability promise
Our sustainability promise states: “At the Law Society of Ireland, we pledge to prioritise sustainability while educating, developing, and supporting our trainees, solicitors, staff and wider stakeholder groups to create a positive impact on our environment, community, and future generations.”
Our key pillars
Building a greener future
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Affordable and clean energy:
- Usage management,
- Relevant policies,
- Stakeholders engagement and education,
- Infrastructure upgrades.
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Responsible consumption and production:
- Waste-management policies and processes,
- Supply-chain management,
- Stakeholders engagement and education.
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Climate action:
- Carbon-footprint management,
- Biodiversity
Helping society thrive
The Law Society is enabling a more diverse and inclusive environment for the sector. Our human-capital management aims to attract and retain the best talent in the following ways:
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Good health and wellbeing:
- Stakeholder engagement and education,
- Stakeholder surveys.
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Quality education:
- HR processes, for example, hiring and induction,
- Training programmes.
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Reduced inequalities:
- HR policies,
- Accessibility overhaul.
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Sustainable cities and communities:
- Community engagement and education,
- Charitable work.
Strive to lead the legal profession
The Law Society will continue to maintain strict levels of governance oversight through policies, personnel, and programmes. These are embedded into the different ‘E’ and ‘S’ goals of our action plan, and will consist of initiatives around – but not limited to – the following areas:
- Corporate governance,
- Culture based on ethics,
- Data privacy,
- Security and cybersecurity, and
- Managing a responsible supply.
