Responsible Business

Sustainability at CMS

For CMS in Germany, sustainability is an integral part of responsible business management. We take ecological, social and economic considerations into account in our business activities and progressively refine our structures and processes.

As a commercial law firm, we deal both with the legal and regulatory requirements for sustainable management and with the impact of our own business activities. Our sustainability activities include addressing environmental matters, terms of employment, diversity and equal opportunities as well as cooperation with business partners. Providing legal support to our clients on sustainability-related matters is also part of our work.

Our sustainability management practices are guided by the global CMS ESG Charter, our commitment to the ten principles of the UN Global Compact and our Sustainability Charter. The principles on diversity and equal opportunities enshrined in these are complemented by the CMS-wide Diversity & Inclusion Charter and the Charta der Vielfalt, to which we are signatories.

Our EMAS-compliant environmental management system is a framework we have established for systematically identifying and assessing the key environmental matters in our business activities and for devising environmental measures. When we do this, we also take into account that our ability to influence environmental impacts – for example through our tenancy agreements – may be limited.

Transparency and further development

In our 2026 Sustainability Report, we provide an overview of our key areas of focus in the field of ESG, selected key performance indicators, measures we have taken and areas where we see a need for further development.

Our EMAS environmental statement complements this report by providing information on our environmental matters and measures. Together with our Sustainability Charter, these two reports form a basis for transparently presenting our sustainability activities.

We regularly have our progress in the area of sustainability audited by independent third parties. CMS achieved a silver medal in the EcoVadis rating in 2025. EcoVadis is an internationally recognised rating platform that assesses companies according to clear criteria in the areas of the environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.

Click here to view further details and information on the methodology behind our EcoVadis rating.