Nigel Riches

What prompted the firm to decide it wanted to be 'greener'?

I joined in the spring last year and asked an innocent question at the staff representation meeting '“ whether the firm had an environmental policy. You see a lot of paper and waste around offices, and I am personally keen to find ways for people to do something about it and be more responsible about the environment. The answer was 'no'. Subsequent to my enquiry, I was asked if I wanted to be the firm's environment officer. So it must have been something that the partners felt they ought to consider and were keen to pursue.

In your capacity as environment officer, what more do you think you will be able achieve than people would individually?

Caring for the environment is a fundamental issue in the 21st century and we can achieve more, as a firm, through a co-ordinated policy than people going off and doing things on their own. And for a business our size, this is how we can make a difference.

So, what is the general plan?

There are a lot of basic things we can do without having to draw up a complex plan, like turning down the heating a notch, making sure we turn off computer when leaving the office, or using energy-efficient light bulbs. They are very simple things that we often don't do. Then there are things that require a little bit more organisation, such as the amount of paper used, and whether it is recycled, and generally reducing the amount of waste produced by an office. We will also be looking at car-sharing schemes for staff (and partners!), or measures to encourage people to cycle to work. In many cases, it is a question of attitude and whether people are prepared to change, it's not about making a big effort.

How would you enforce your environmentally friendly policy?

Part of the proposal is to have enough incentives to encourage people to change their approach. It is a question of educating employees: they want to do something good for the environment, but need something tangible to encourage them to actually take practical steps. Other businesses have offered shopping vouchers or a extra holiday.

Will you have a code of conduct '“ and, if so, how will you ensure compliance?

Yes, the idea is that we will have not so much a code of conduct, but a good practice guide for everyone, making sure people are aware of how serious we are about it and what they are expected to do to contribute. But policing is more difficult. One possibility is to have an environment officer in each of the firm's five offices. But we are keener that people self-police; over-policing can be perceived as heavy-handed. No one wants to be told
off every time they leave their computer
on. If we are too rigorous about it, it will put people's backs up.

Will you carry out an eco-audit?

I have put some basic ideas together, but next month I will call in experts who can advise on how to make your business more eco-friendly. The University of East Anglia runs an energy efficiency programme and has a package for small businesses, which can be tailored to include transport. It will be important to get specialist advice from experts who can get us started and point us in the right direction as to areas where we can be more efficient. Another thing they will be able to advise on is targets, which are important if we want to be able to measure how well we perform.

It costs around £500 day to get an eco-expert in, and at the end of the day, if, as a firm, we want to treat the matter seriously, we may have to accept that there may be costs associated with the concept. But there would also be savings in energy use.

In due course, we may explore more complex possibilities with specialist consultants. Getting the consultants in is important because they will have ideas that we may not have thought of; then we can consider whether and how we would take these new ideas further.

What is the timescale for implementing your green policy?

Small practical things can be implemented straight away, like switching to energy-efficient light bulbs. Others will be implemented over time, for instance motion sensitive lighting '“ but this is the type of project which has a cost element to it, and this would have to be justified. This is where an expert will be useful because he would be able to estimate how much we would save, and that is an important consideration to convince the partners.

But looking at more immediate action, the basic components of the plan, including the guidance for employees and partners, should be implemented by the end of the year.

Is your eco-plan part of a wider campaign to promote the firm as an ethical business?

Not at all. Some clients may recognise that we are fulfilling our corporate responsibility, but there is no marketing element. It does gives us something that other firms don't have, it says we are not just about being a client-focused business, that we are doing something more for the wider community.

A few larger firms in London have already taken clear measures to offset their carbon footprint '“ do you think smaller firms are likely to follow your lead?

Yes, larger firms have already put things in train, but they are only a very small percentage of firms who have taken environmental responsibility. Many more people are now conscious of ecological and environmental problems than five years ago. Issues like food miles, air travel, our individual carbon footprint '“ all these have become part of our consciousness and people are taking it more seriously in their private life. The next step is to take the attitude into the workplace: this is what we intend to do, and hopefully the message will spread.