Case study

Poole Alcock

Carbon Footprint Report and Science-based Targets for Poole Alcock

Poole Alcock is a leading firm of solicitors providing a broad spectrum of specialist and general legal services throughout the UK. They strive to build strong relationships with their clients, understanding their unique needs and working diligently to address their legal concerns effectively.

CLIENT OBJECTIVES

Poole Alcock embarked on their sustainability journey with Green Element at ground zero, but they were determined to go beyond mere superficial efforts or box-ticking exercises and instead strive for substantial and meaningful impact.

The first step in their sustainability journey was to establish their greenhouse gas (GHG) baseline for the financial year 2021-22. By establishing this baseline, Poole Alock aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of their carbon footprint, enabling them to identify areas for improvement and implement effective emissions reduction strategies.

BUSINESS CHALLENGES

One of the primary business challenges Poole Alcock faced was the unavailability of data in the required format for carbon footprinting. This situation was not uncommon since it was the first time the company had undertaken a greenhouse gas accounting exercise. However, this presented a significant obstacle as it made the data collection process time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Despite the challenges, it was crucial for Poole Alcock to invest the necessary time and resources into this process. The accuracy of a carbon footprint is heavily dependent on the quality and reliability of the data supplied. Therefore, the company recognised the importance of diligently going through this time-consuming process to ensure the accuracy and integrity of its carbon footprint assessment.

What our clients say

Madeleine and the team at Green Element made the daunting process of collating the information needed for our first carbon audit straightforward and easy to follow. They were always on hand to answer any questions and provide further guidance when needed. We really felt we were working in partnership with Madeleine and the team, and this collaborative approach was exactly what we were looking for.

Helen Stoller, Partner, Poole Alcock

HOW GREEN ELEMENT HELPED

Poole Alcock’s partnership with Green Element was led by Environmental Management Consultant, Madeleine Woods. Madeleine guided Poole Alcock through a thorough carbon footprinting assessment that set the foundation for a robust emissions reduction strategy.

CARBON FOOTPRINT REPORTING:

A fully operational Greenhouse Gas accounting analysis was undertaken for the period April 2021-March 2022. The footprint covered all 11 offices and included data points such as:

Office Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Water, Waste and Refrigerant)
Business Travel (Company Cars, Rail, Taxi, Expensed Mileage)
Employee Working Habits (Commuting and Working from Home)
Purchased Goods (Paper, Stationery, Ad Hoc office supplies, Food and Drink, And IT Equipment)
Digital Network

IDENTIFYING CARBON HOTSPOTS:

Calculating the carbon footprint also provided a deeper understanding of the carbon hotspots within their operation. The results of this analysis would feed into developing a focused and bespoke emission reduction strategy across all three emission scopes. Business travel and commuting were Poole Alcock’s main hotspots.

SCIENCE-BASED TARGETS:

As part of the 2021/22 analysis, Green Element helped Poole Alcock set science-based targets, which provides a clear and actionable pathway for organisations to align their efforts with the latest climate science. These emission reduction targets were set in line with the Science Based Target Initiative’s SME pathway, enabling Poole Alcock to reduce its environmental impact and make meaningful changes. This involved setting near-term targets for Scope 1, 2, and 3, and a net-zero target in line with the 1.5°C pathway.

Find out more about science-based targets in our comprehensive guide.

Full operational GHG accounting analysis undertaken by Green Element

Set near-term science-based targets and a net-zero target

Identified carbon hotspots that informed the emission reduction roadmap

CLIENT OUTCOMES:

The carbon emissions reporting that Green Element worked with Poole Alcock on has helped form its wider ESG strategy and uncovered new focus areas for environmental improvement. The ESG strategy looks like:

What Our Team Think

It has been a joy to work with Helen Stoller and Poole Alcock to conduct their first carbon audit and establish their emissions baseline. It is clear that the team at Poole Alcock are committed to their sustainability journey and achieving their environmental goals.

Madeleine Woods, Environmental Management Consultant, Green Element

NEXT STEPS

Poole Alcock is planning to implement an environmental management system across its offices, certified to ISO 14001. The benefit of implementing an Environmental Management System is that it will unite all aspects of Poole Alcock’s environmental strategy in a holistic manner.

Additionally, Poole Alcock has made plans to calculate its carbon footprint annually. This ongoing monitoring is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of the emission reduction measures they implement. By regularly assessing its carbon footprint, the company can determine whether its sustainability initiatives are successfully reducing emissions in alignment with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

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