Charter Workstreams
Advised Emissions
This workstream is developing a robust approach to measure and report on law firm emissions associated with the provision of client advice.
Firms involved in this workstream are: DLA Piper, DWF (co-chairs) Dentons, Bates Wells, Clyde & Co, Charles Russell Speechlys, Gowling WLG, Taylor Wessing, Shoosmiths, Simmons & Simmons, Slaughter and May, Watson Farley & Williams.
Advisory members: Oxford Serviced Emissions Hub, Cornerstone Barristers, Bar Council Climate Crisis Working Group.
Workstream highlight:
Legal Sector Leadership in Advised Emissions Reporting
Advised emissions (serviced emissions for wider professional service providers), is a complex and challenging area, which as yet has no clear agreed or accepted quantitative methodology, unlike carbon emissions measurement defined by GHG Protocols Scopes 1,2 & 3. However, the proposed changes in standards being considered during 2026 by the international organisations SBTi, GHG Protocol and ISO suggest that service providers will soon be required to measure and report on emissions associated with the provision of client advice.
Legal Charter 1.5 is leading the legal sector in developing a robust approach that builds on the best practice implemented by both the financial and the advertising sectors.
Definition of Advised Emissions
The Race to Zero definition referenced in ‘Catalysing Climate Action’ states that “serviced emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions arising from or impacted by client activities that are informed and/or enabled by the advice and/or service of a professional service provider”.
The Charter is cognisant of the recent Law Society definition “emissions associated with the matters on which solicitors advise, as a proxy for understanding whether these are reducing, alongside those of their clients, in line with the IPCC recommendations”. (Guidance on the Impact of Climate Change on Solicitors 2023)
Legal Charter 1.5 takes as its baseline a definition of advised emissions as follows:
‘those emissions arising from the work of professional service providers – lawyers, accountants, consultants and advertisers – from the indirect emissions associated with a company’s value chain, including those generated by the use of its services’.
For law firms these emissions relate to those arising from advice to clients.
Partnership working
The Charter leads the legal workstream for the newly launched Oxford Net Zero Serviced Emissions Hub. This partnership allows us to benefit from the shared mapping and good practice on serviced emissions developed in other sectors such as finance and advertising.
The leadership of Purpose Disruptors and Creatives for Climate provides a valuable framework for us to build on.
The Advised Emissions workstream focuses on two main areas: advocacy and methodological development.
The workstream will report back initially at London Climate Action Week in June 2026.
References:
Race to Zero: Catalysing Climate Action
Law Society Climate Guidance
Professional Service Providers Consultation
Purpose Disruptors: Advertising’s Evolutionary Moment Oct 2024
Purpose Disruptors: Beyond the Chaos 2025
Advised emissions: the role of law firms, and professional services, in reducing emissions OUP 2025