Freshfields' Climate Action

Freshfields is a global firm with over 280 years' experience of anticipating change, setting new standards and shaping the future of law. And when it comes to climate action, it’s no different. Freshfields has committed to ambitious climate targets, including significant reductions in emissions, increased use of renewable energy, and supplier engagement in science-based targets.

Through a long-term partnership with Climate Impact Partners, Freshfields has supported impactful carbon projects and employee engagement initiatives, reinforcing their commitment to sustainability.

Freshfields has set bold environmental sustainability goals, including carbon reduction goals validated by the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). Against a 2018/19 baseline year, the firm is seeking:

• 55% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions (operational and energy supply) by 2027.
• 100% renewable electricity across all offices by 2030 (with an interim target of 80% by 2025).
• 62% of suppliers (by emissions) committed to science-based targets by 2027.
• 30% reduction in other fuel and energy-related emissions by 2027.
• 35% reduction in business travel emissions by 2027.
• 40% reduction in paper usage by 2025, leading to a total decrease of over 60% in the past decade.

Freshfields partnered with Climate Impact Partners as early as 2006, leveraging tailored solutions to meet its climate commitments:

• Long-term Carbon Offtake Agreement: Since 2015, Freshfields has supported the TIST Community Reforestation Program in East Africa by securing carbon credits at a fixed price to advance its future net-zero goals and provided the project with a secure source of revenue, accelerating its expansion and amplifying its scale and impact.  
• Annual Reports and Case Studies: Annual updates on the reforestation project provide valuable insights into implementation on the ground, and personal stories from the farmers involved, enhancing employee engagement.
• Employee Offsetting Programme in the UK: Offering a personal offset benefit to engage UK employees in climate action.
• Strategic Spot Purchases: Freshfields has complemented its long-term TIST support with carbon credit purchases from various projects, ensuring immediate climate impact while awaiting TIST credit issuance.

Freshfields’ climate strategy delivers significant business benefits, strengthening its brand reputation and colleague engagement. By integrating sustainability into its core operations and advice, Freshfields is a leading voice for climate action in the legal sector.

The firm’s long-term approach to carbon financing is designed to build resilience among communities impacted by climate change. It reflects the firm’s position as a bold,  forward-thinking, responsible business.

The experience of working with Climate Impact Partners and TIST has enabled the firm to:

• support the resilience of local communities in East Africa subject to the effects of climate change
• promote gender empowerment through encouraging women’s participation in project leadership (via a rotational leadership scheme)
• contribute to biodiversity conservation through the planting of native trees, also reducing deforestation pressure
• contribute to human health through planting of fruit trees and enhanced farmer incomes.

Specifically, over 10 years, the Freshfields Reforestation in East Africa Programme (REAP) has:

• sourced 110,000 tonnes of carbon credits from two VCS projects located in Kenya and Uganda for the period 2015 to 2020
• requested a further 220,000 tonnes of credits for the period 2021 to 2026.

To date, 180 communities have benefited from the REAP programme, representing 41,000 farmers and over six million surviving trees.

“By taking a long-term approach to carbon financing, we provide stability to the communities we support, allowing them to plan ahead with confidence. Our commitment to climate action in our own operations and through high-quality carbon removal projects aligns well with how many businesses are tackling similar challenges. We are proud of what has been achieved and grateful to the whole team, from Climate Impact Partners and TIST to the communities and families sequestering carbon on their farms.” - Jake Reynolds, Head of Client Sustainability and Environment, Freshfields

Freshfields’ case study demonstrates how a strategic, long-term approach to carbon financing can drive real impact. By investing early in carbon reduction projects, engaging employees and clients, and integrating sustainability into business operations, they set an example for other organisations looking to step up their climate action.