The Bar Council is set to lead the way in supporting the barristers’ profession’s efforts to tackle climate change, with the launch of a new initiative - the Bar Sustainability Network.

Working with Achill Management, a sustainability consultancy with expertise working within the legal profession, the Bar Council’s initiative will provide a range of services and support for chambers and other Bar organisations to help them change to a more sustainable way of working – saving not just carbon emissions but costs too.

In line with the Bar Council’s wider campaign to modernise the Bar, the Network aims to kick-start a shift towards more sustainable practices. Membership of the Bar Sustainability Network comes with a range of benefits, including membership of the Bar Renewables Pledge, free use of a Carbon Calculator, and many resources and events to help barristers and chambers operate in a more sustainable way.

Chair of the Bar, Derek Sweeting QC, said: “It might seem that barristers can’t make much of a difference to saving our planet, but climate change affects us all. The Bar wants to do its part and take action on the global climate emergency. The Bar Council’s Bar Sustainability Network is designed to provide the tools and resources for the Bar to achieve that ambition. We also envisage that by becoming members of the network, chambers and others may be able to save costs through exploring cheaper ‘green’ options - which, given the financial uncertainty caused by the pandemic, will be a game-changer for many.”

Those interested in learning more about the network are being invited to a virtual launch event at 17:30 on Monday 15 March to hear more about the benefits of joining the Bar Council’s environmental drive.

More information about the Bar Council’s Bar Sustainability Network can be found here.

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. Press contact: [email protected]
  2. Standard membership of the Bar Sustainability Network is £500+VAT and there is also discounted membership at £150+VAT for chambers who do 50 per cent or more publicly funded work.
  3. The Bar Council represents all 17,000 barristers in England and Wales. It promotes:
  • The Bar’s high-quality specialist advocacy and advisory services
  • Fair access to justice for all
  • The highest standards of ethics, equality and diversity across the profession, and
  • The development of business opportunities for barristers at home and abroad.