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In 2007 Lowndes Associates became the first law firm in the country to be certified carbon neutral when we achieved carboNZeroCertTM certification. We are currently undertaking the re-certification process. For more information on the carboNZeroCertTM programme, please visit www.carbonzero.co.nz.
Through our international work and network we have learned that being carbon neutral creates substantial advantages for businesses, such as cost savings through more efficient energy use. As consumers gravitate toward environmentally friendly products and services, those who offer them will benefit from increased market share and brand loyalty.
We believe that New Zealand is significantly behind its international counterparts in reducing emissions, and with government support for assertive emission-reduction programmes apparently ebbing, businesses need to take responsibility for their own activity – both to preserve New Zealand’s environment and to remain competitive in a global market.
Climate change is a widely accepted problem and has rapidly become a pressing business issue. Conscious consumers and companies worldwide are also becoming more demanding of suppliers and actively seeking carbon neutral options.
In the UK, media have reported that the leading supermarket Tesco is planning to give all products a carbon calorie rating to aid customer choice, and that Wal-Mart, the biggest retailer in the world, has pledged to bar all products that contribute to global warming from its shelves.
There are clear benefits to businesses of all types in becoming carbon neutral, from decreased energy, transport and other costs to increased market share and brand loyalty. Ultimately it can mean retaining a customer relationship that might otherwise be lost, or gaining a new relationship that would not have previously been available.
In line with the trend among law firms internationally, and to meet the needs of clients affected by climate change issues, Lowndes Associates has established a specialist practice group whose members have expertise in advising industries on regulatory issues.
This team is collaborating with our colleagues in our international network to draw on international experience. Our team’s objectives are to assist clients’ understanding of the government’s emissions trading scheme and the emerging voluntary market for carbon trading; help clients understand the risk and opportunities associated with climate change and carbon trading issues; and develop commercial contracts that adequately reflect the climate change imperatives of clients and their business partners.
The proposed new carbon trading and climate change laws mean potential increased costs and liabilities for business, but they also create new opportunities. Our team’s advice draws on the expertise and experience of specialists within our international network where climate change issues are further advanced than they are in New Zealand.
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