Community Social Responsibility

WR understands that it has a role to play in the reduction of the harmful impact on the environment and everyone working for WR or on WR’s behalf is asked to support this.

WR recognises that organisations of all kinds are, increasingly, determined to achieve and demonstrate sound environmental performance by controlling the impact on the environment of their activities, products and services.

WR is concerned about the environment and recognises that good environmental management must be an integral and fundamental part of our business strategy. Ways of achieving a reduction of the impact on the environment are:

• by conserving energy, water and other resources, particularly those which are scarce or non renewable, while still providing a safe and comfortable working environment;
• reducing waste through re-use and recycling and by using refurbished and recycled products and materials where such alternatives are economical and suitable.

WR aims to communicate openly with staff and others, educating, training and motivating colleagues, and other relevant persons and organisations to encourage them to support its environmental objectives. Whether any goods or services are environmentally preferable will be an important factor when any purchasing decision is made.

WR will ensure, where practicable, either through its own actions or by negotiation with any landlord, that buildings occupied by WR are designed, constructed and operated to optimise their environmental performance.

Reducing our impact on the environment – wherever practically possible

• Staff are encouraged to re-use non-confidential waste paper as often as possible.
• Toners, print cartridges etc are recycled.

• All members of staff are encouraged to turn lights off in offices and meeting rooms that are not in use.
• All members of staff are encouraged to shut down their computers and switch off their screens at the end of the day and to turn off their screens if they are away from their desk for more than 15 minutes.
• Energy saving light fittings are installed where possible.

Stationery supplies are kept under review. More environmentally friendly products that are similar or less in price to those usually used are used on a trial basis initially. If these are found to be satisfactory and do not compromise on quality they are purchased in place of those usually purchased.

• All members of staff are encouraged to only print when necessary.
• All members of staff are encouraged to photocopy and print on ‘duplex’ where appropriate.
• The use of forms is under review, and paper forms are replaced by electronic ones where possible.

We are committed to eliminating unlawful discrimination and to promoting equality and diversity within our policies, practices and procedures. Diversity Survey 2021  We aim to encourage, value and manage diversity and are committed to equality for all our staff members including potential staff members.  These principles of equality of opportunity and non-discrimination also apply to our professional dealings with clients and others.

WR believes that their involvement in the local community can be wide ranging and goes beyond just giving free legal advice. WR’s people have many skills and talents that can make a difference to the communities in which they operate.

WR sponsors local sports clubs and teams, and have members of staff in voluntary and unpaid positions in these clubs and teams

We regularly support local Women’s Aid centre’s and refuges, both through the provision of our services and by devoting our time to the services they provide.

We also provide our assistance to the local Citizen’s Advice Bureau in attending on their clients.

Two Directors are members of Round Table and they, and WR as a practice and also its staff through them, support the charitable causes that its fundraising events benefit.

WR also regularly supports its business clients’ charitable fundraising events.

Other staff members volunteer for the National Literacy Trust assisting on projects in local schools, and other are Local Authority ‘Wardens’ assisting in dance classes and productions with local children.