Developing responsible and sustainable operations throughout our global network
White & Case is committed to fair and ethical operations that respect the interests of our stakeholders and recognize the importance of protecting our environment.
UN Global Compact
As a signatory to the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative, White & Case is committed to doing business responsibly by aligning our operations with ten principles related to human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption. We are also a signatory to the UN Global Compact’s « Statement from Business Leaders for Renewed Global Cooperation. »
Read more in our 2024 Communication on Progress.
Our responsible business operations
As a global law firm, we recognize the importance of a healthy environment and are working to improve our sustainable management operations.
Our Environmental Sustainability Team and Reporting & Policy Team, which are part of our Responsible Business Committee, lead on ESG and sustainability efforts across our operations. These teams include General Counsels, partners, associates and Business Services professionals from different locations and business functions. In 2022, we appointed a Global Environmental Sustainability Manager to oversee sustainability practices across the Firm.
Leveraging the knowledge of our Environment & Climate Change Practice, ESG and Sustainability Practice and Environmental Sustainability Team, we share best practices across our global network that reduce the environmental footprint of our operations, our employees and our suppliers.
Read more about our commitment to sustainable operations.
External engagement
We are actively engaged in several influential networks, providing opportunities to collaborate and exchange best practices with industry peers.
We are members of the Legal Sustainability Network (formally known as the Law Firm Sustainability Network) in the US and are members of the Legal Sustainability Alliance in the UK. These memberships reinforce our dedication to sustainability within the legal sector through increased collaboration and knowledge sharing. We are signatories to the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations’ (CGA) Green Pledge, a global initiative to raise awareness of the carbon footprint of international arbitration and to minimize its environmental impact by promoting sustainable best practices and procedures. The CGA focuses on innovative technology and procedures to deliver more sustainable outcomes. In addition, the Firm is an active participant in the City of London Law Society ESG Working Group.
Resources
White & Case has published several reports and adopted internal policies to increase accountability and guide its responsible business activities.
- 2024 Communication on Progress for the United Nations Global Compact
- 2023 Statement on Slavery and Trafficking
- Supplier Code of Conduct
- Australian Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
- 2024 Environmental Sustainability Report
We support the principles of the UN Global Compact and are committed to driving the sustainability of our operations through continuous improvements.
Gavin McLean, Partner of Counsel
