Sustainability
Sussman Shank is committed to sustainability, and we recognize our responsibility for environmental conservation in our workplace. We have implemented practices that incorporate environmental, economic, and social sustainability considerations into firm operations. Our practices were developed by a Sustainability Committee composed of lawyers and staff. In the end, our workplace uses less energy, creates less waste, and creates a culture where employees know that they are making a difference every day.
Some of our sustainability efforts include:
Recycling
- Convenient collection areas have been established for composting and recycling.
- When purchasing office supplies, consideration is given to recyclability, biodegradability, recycled content, and resource conservation. This includes buying 100% recycled paper.
- Batteries are disposed of in an environmentally responsible fashion.
- Filtered tap water is provided in our office and at firm functions rather than bottled water.
- Computer equipment is disposed of in a safe and secure manner.
- We recycle printer toner and use remanufactured toner cartridges.
- We reuse equipment and office supplies where feasible or donate used furniture and equipment to charity.
Reduced Paper Use
- Our clients are given the option to receive invoices electronically.
- We offer our clients the option to conveniently pay their bill online.
- We print and copy double-sided when possible.
- Many of the firm’s internal and external communications that were previously printed are now distributed electronically.
- Incoming faxes are forwarded directly to the recipient’s computer rather than printing and distributing.
- Our employees have the option to receive paperless paystubs.
- We use reusable dishware and flatware as well as offering “family style” catering when possible, which uses less packaging and minimizes waste.
- Any time we receive disposable flatware or dishware provided by our vendors, we donate it to a local homeless charity.
Energy Conservation
- We have “energy star” rated office machinery, appliances, and electronic devices.
- It is firm policy to turn off lights when they are not in use.
- We have installed motion sensor lighting.
- Our office equipment (i.e. printers and copiers) is set up to turn off automatically after working hours, and computers go into standby mode when not in use.
- Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) have been installed where possible.
Pollution Prevention
- Bicycle commuting is encouraged by providing a monthly bike allowance and access to bike racks and shower facilities in the building.
- We provide pretax public transportation tickets.
We volunteer and support local environmental and charitable non-profits with a sustainable focus. This has included:
In addition to these efforts, we educate our employees about sustainability and conservation, both at the office and in their personal lives by hosting educational presentations. We encourage everyone at the firm to participate in green initiatives—and to propose ideas for reducing our impact on the environment. We welcome your input and suggestions in this area so that we can continue to improve and spread this initiative to others.