Sustainability is an area that affects all businesses, no matter the sector. We are all currently contributing to the climate crisis, from travel and hospitality to manufacturing to those working in an office or from home. You may be surprised to hear that the legal sector is currently one of the leaders in championing sustainability, not just in enforcing new environmental legislation, but also leading by example in the race to net zero. One such stand out leader is today’s guest – Clyde & Co, a global law firm that have made great strides in their sustainability journey. In this episode, Mel is joined by Paddy Linighan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Clyde & Co, to discuss their ambitious net zero targets, sustainability initiatives and their journey towards ISO 14064 Carbon Verification.   You’ll learn What is Paddy Linighan’s role as CSO? Who are Clyde & Co? What are their net zero targets according to their responsible Business report? What sustainability initiatives have Clyde & Co introduced? Why get ISO 14064 verified? What were the challenges with obtaining ISO 14064 verification? What are the benefits of obtaining ISO 14064 Verification?   Resources Clyde & Co Clyde & Co Responsible Business report Carbonology   In this episode, we talk about: [00:25] Episode Summary – We welcome today’s guest, Paddy Linighan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Clyde & Co, to dive into their responsible business report, discuss their net zero ambitions and journey towards ISO 14064 Carbon Verification. [01:40] Introduction to Paddy: Paddy has 30 years experience in the legal sector, and was formerly the Chief Operating Officer for Clyde & Co before transitioning to the role of Chief Sustainability Officer. Paddy is also a Director at the Legal Sustainability Alliance, which is an association committed to supporting the legal sector to measure and manage their carbon emissions to achieve net zero. One lesser-known fact is that Paddy was a Latin and ballroom dancer! [02:30] Who are Clyde & Co? – They are a global law firm with 500 partners, 2700 lawyers and 3216 legal professionals across the world and operating out of 70 offices. They set out to help organisations successfully navigate risk and maximise the opportunity in the sectors that underpin global trade, namely insurance, aviation, marine construction, energy, trade and natural resources. They offer a comprehensive range of contentious and non-contentious legal services and commercially minded legal advice to businesses operating across the world in seamless fashion. Clyde & Co are committed to operating in a responsible way by progressing a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities and the clients it serves, and provides an environment in which hopefully everyone can realise their potential. They use their legal and professional skills to support communities through pro bono work, volunteering charitable partnerships, and minimisation of environmental impact through the pursuit of sustainability standards. [04:25] What are some of the Net Zero targets highlighted in Clyde & Co’s responsible business report? Near term target: Reduce their scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 80% by 2030 and scope 3 emissions by 50% by 2030. Long term target: Have a 90% reduction in emissions by 2038  Focused on decarbonizing their operations across the globe. [06:25] What are some of the sustainability initiatives that Clyde & Co have started? All their initiatives can be broadly groups into 3 categories, but ultimately they seek to decarbonize their operations, address resource consumption and offset emissions where possible. They found that 95% of their emissions reside in their scope 3, which is due to their supply chain. A few of their initiatives include rationalizing their supply chain to reduce the impact of purchasing goods and services. They are also supporting their supply