Sustainability – B Corp
The integration at the origin of RPLT comes at a time in history when the issue of sustainability is, quite simply, inescapable-even for legal & tax professionals.
Sustainability
In 2001 we were among the first in Italy to offer clients an Impact & Sustainability department dedicated to the consequences that business activities have on communities and the environment. Today, under the acronym ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), we deal with all the environmental, social, governance, sustainable finance, compliance and control issues that affect companies and other players in the markets.
Turning our gaze within the firm, in line with a conception of corporate culture that takes into account the impact of activities on communities and the environment, we are aware that the choice of the ways, contents and recipients of each of our advice/assistance entails direct and indirect, immediate and medium- to long-term consequences.
Sustainability
In accordance with this approach, in September 2023 – a few days before the integration that gave way to RPLT RP legalitax – RP Legal & Tax became a B Corp: it means that we obtained one of the most authoritative certifications regarding the internal ESG standards of organizations. The B Corp certification came at the end of a challenging journey – and still a very uncommon one among the players of the legal world: we described it in detail in the article that we have published upon receiving the certification.
Beforehand, in May 2020, we adopted a “Sustainability Model” revolving around four core policies-Environment, Diversity and Inclusion, Labor and Human Rights, and Pro Bono-and including the firm’s Charter of Principles and Values and impact measurement methods. The Model is reviewed every 3 years in order to keep it up-to-date, both with the firm’s internal developments and with emerging and evolving sustainability theories and practices. The Model is reviewed every 3 years in order to keep it up-to-date, both with the firm’s internal developments and with emerging and evolving sustainability theories and practices.
The creation of social and environmental value within the firm also and above all comes through our Governance. In this respect, the Sustainability Committee-comprised of partners, associates, employees, and a practitioner representation-meets regularly to discuss all ESG and topical issues in our professional community, such as practitioner and employee training and other initiatives that address mental and physical well-being,incentives for the use of alternative mobility, smart working, and work-life balance needs..
Inclusion
Sustainability also means inclusion. Shifting the focus to those who use our services makes customers more involved in the journey and reasoning within our work. That is why we are active in designing new models of legal aid, new services, documents and products that are understandable, effective, accessible and easy to use. We do this by combining the different professional skills of lawyers, graphic designers, communicators, and computer scientists, through the use of legal design and legal tech tools developed with the most innovative digital technologies and communication techniques to enable clients to achieve their business goals better and sooner.
Pro Bono
We believe in individual social responsibility on the part of the lawyer as a professional, as well as collective social responsibility on the part of the firm as a professional association. For us, this responsibility takes the form-aside from the general duties listed in the Forensic Code of Ethics-in the promotion of pro bono with a commitment in all areas of competence to facilitate access to legal and fiscal assistance to organizations that work to implement initiatives of collective interest and innovative projects. Each year, based on the modalities outlined in our Pro Bono Policy, we identify projects and initiatives that we intend to support, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.