As a leader in the communities where we do business, Sutherland is committed to being a good steward of resources—not just because our clients expect it, but because it’s the right thing to do. In 2008, Sutherland formally began a firmwide Sustainability Commitment to significantly reduce waste and promote conservation of energy and resources and appointed Thomas H. Warren as Sustainability Partner to hold the firm accountable to its commitment.
ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge
Sutherland is a recognized leader in the ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge, a voluntary program that encourages law firms to improve energy efficiency, use renewable energy and reduce paper consumption.
Renewable Energy Certificates
Sutherland purchases renewable energy certificates (RECs) representing 100% of Sutherland’s estimated annual electricity usage. These certificates represent electricity that has been generated by a renewable source. We purchase Green-e Energy® certified RECs from firm client Sterling Planet, a supplier of renewable energy and low-carbon solutions and winner of the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2007 and 2008 Renewable Energy Marketer of the Year award.
EPA Green Power Partnership
Sutherland has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a member of its “Green Power Partnership” for the firm’s efforts to reduce the risk of climate change through green-power purchasing.
Energy Efficiency
We have worked with building management in our respective facilities to adopt energy-efficient lighting and temperature settings. Within the office, we have reduced the number of printers, reduced time for printers and computers to switch to energy-saving “sleep” mode, and are in the process of implementing additional energy-saving measures.
Paper Standards
A typical office produces about 1.5 pounds of paper waste per employee each day. In response, Sutherland seeks to reduce paper waste by using electronic methods of communication and document distribution as much as possible. Understanding that paper is still necessary for some of our business operations, however, the firm now uses paper with 30% post-consumer waste fiber throughout the firm, and also uses recycled paper for its letterhead. We have instituted a policy to print materials two-sided whenever possible.
“Do One Thing Differently” Campaign
Sutherland’s “Do One Thing Differently” campaign challenges attorneys and staff in our offices to modify one aspect of their behavior every two weeks in order to build a more sustainable culture, both within the firm and within their daily lives.
Contact
For more information about Sutherland’s sustainability efforts, please contact Sutherland’s Sustainability Partner Thomas H. Warren at 404.853.8548. You can also e-mail us at sustainable@sutherland.com.
Please click here to view Sutherland's Sustainability Initiative brochure.
© 2010 Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP