Thames Valley: Blandy & Blandy places environmental issues at its heart

While continuing to place the interests of the firm’s clients at the heart of its thinking, Blandy & Blandy LLP is also aiming to take care of our planet a little more, according to joint managing partner Tim Clark.

The Thames Valley law firm, which has three offices in Reading and Henley-on-Thames, is committed to making changes to further reduce its environmental impact, which Clark described as “an issue of paramount importance for businesses, as well as our clients and our people”.

On October 25, the firm wore green in support of the environment when raising money for its adopted local charities, Age UK and the League of Friends of the Royal Berkshire Hospital, but its support extends to making real practical changes as well.

For example, as Clark explained: “The firm is proud that its offices at 1 Friar Street are now powered by 100% renewable electricity, with its Henley-on-Thames office set to follow suit in the near future”.

“As part of our ongoing aim to reduce our consumption of energy, water, paper and other key resources, we have set and shared annual reduction targets with all of our teams and outlined how everyone can play their part in helping us to achieve them.”

Within the firm’s offices, a growing range of items can be recycled, from stationery and toner cartridges to crisp packets and snack wrappers for which recycling options are not always obvious. Better still, items are collected and donated to a scheme that raises funds for local schools. Even the firm’s food and general waste is sent to a waste to energy plant, turning it into bio gas that powers homes and businesses.

Clark outlined that Blandy & Blandy is already doing many things well. 93% of the Firm commute by public transport, cycling or walking and existing initiatives range from limiting the firm’s use of printed materials and using FSC (sustainable) paper to providing water coolers with reusable cups and replacing personal waste bins with improved recycling facilities. However, there are always opportunities for improvement and the Firm’s policy is to avoid single use plastic where a sensible alternative exists and to consider the environment more widely as part of any procurement process.