Home / Publications / CMS UK attains CDP’s A- score for climate action...

CMS UK attains CDP’s A- score for climate action and sustainability programme

16 December 2020

CMS UK is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a score of A- by CDP in recognition of its continuous efforts to tackle climate change issues as part of its Climate Action and Sustainability programme. 

The firm has made significant progress in addressing greenhouse gas emissions (including in its supply chain (scope 3 emissions)) over the last three years moving its UK CDP score from D in 2018, to B in 2019, and to A- this year. CMS UK’s rating remains well above the average for the professional services sector. This places the firm among the top 30% of companies that reported to CDP and in CDP’s Leadership level. 

CDP is a highly respected not-for-profit charity that runs the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. The world’s economy looks to CDP as the gold standard of environmental reporting with the richest and most comprehensive dataset on corporate and city action. 

The A- CDP score marks another milestone for CMS’s commitment to climate change and sustainability. CMS UK and its international offices were the first law firm to commit to Science Based Targets which were this year officially approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), an organisation formed by the United Nations, World Wide Fund for Nature, CDP and others to encourage and measure corporate climate action. The independent verification confirmed that CMS UK’s targets for reducing its carbon emissions met SBTi’s latest criteria and aligned with the UN Goal for Sustainable Development to limit global warming to +1.5˚C. CMS also signed up to the UN Global Compact.

Penelope Warne, The Senior Partner at CMS, comments: “Climate change and sustainability remain, more than ever, a central priority for the firm, our people and our clients. As a future facing law firm, we are fully committed to addressing our environmental impact and approach to sustainability, as well as advising clients on these issues as related to their legal and regulatory needs. By having Science Based Targets for carbon reduction, aligning ourselves with the UN Goals for Sustainable Development and committing to net zero by 2025, we aim to be a leader in this for the legal sector.”