Delivery of the Bar Sustainability Network (BSN) is being transferred from the Bar Council to Achill Legal in the next phase of its development. The Bar Council will continue to support the Network under Achill's leadership.
The BSN was founded by the Bar Council in March 2021 to support the Bar in its transition to more sustainable ways of working. Achill Legal has been engaged since its inception, providing strategic support - including on the delivery of the Bar Carbon Calculator - to help members track and reduce their operational emissions.
The BSN will transition into a fully independent entity with new governance structures and aims to engage more of the Bar in the transition to net zero, as well as motivating chambers and Inns to be more ambitious with climate action. Amanda Carpenter, CEO at Achill Legal, will lead as director of the BSN Secretariat.
Achill Legal is uniquely placed to support the legal sector’s net zero goals as it already provides full secretariat support to Legal Charter 1.5, the Legal Sustainability Alliance, the Greener Litigation Pledge and the One Million Hours project. The addition of the BSN brings another part of the profession – the Bar - under its umbrella, further facilitating best practice across the sector.
Since 2021 the network has grown to 40 members, including some of England and Wales’ leading and most influential sets. The focus for year one will be to continue to build up membership, increasing the number of chambers and barristers engaging with sustainability, and to enhance the use of the Bar Carbon Calculator. Achill Legal will lead on all direct contact with chambers.
International law firms, DWF and Clyde & Co are supporting the Bar Sustainability Network throughout the transition.
Amanda Carpenter, CEO at Achill Legal and new Director of the BSN commented:
“Our aim is to support the Bar to measure and reduce its own climate impact and better understand its place in wider supply chains. Through peer-to-peer support we seek to empower barristers and their chambers with better knowledge of climate issues, carbon emissions, and reporting and management.
“We aim to grow the network, connecting those further along the path to net zero with others on the journey, thereby fostering mutual learning. Achill holds a unique position working at both ends of the legal profession through five major sustainability initiatives, ensuring a more coordinated approach. Private practice firms and barristers’ chambers have shared challenges and through this collaboration, Achill can enhance the services we provide to both.”
Sam Mercer, Head of CSR at the Bar Council, said:
“The Bar Council is incredibly proud of the Bar Sustainability Network – a community of barristers and chambers committed to environmental sustainability, which we’ve built up since 2021. Achill Legal has supported the Network since the beginning and so it feels like a natural next step for Achill to take on the delivery of the Network to help it grow even further and ensure chambers have access to expert advice and best practice from across the whole legal sector.
“Barrister members of the Network, representatives of the Bar Council’s Climate Crisis Working Group and Bar Council officers will continue to help set the Network’s strategic direction as the Bar works towards its net zero future.”