CSR - Berry Smith

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility at Berry Smith Lawyers

Supporting our People, Community & Environment

As a firm we recognise that our success depends upon more than merely being good lawyers; we hold a wider responsibility to our employees, clients, service providers and the communities in which we operate. Our philosophy is therefore to ensure that we contribute to social and local economic development whilst improving the quality of life of all our members of staff.

The key components of our Corporate Social Responsibility policy revolve around our People, the Community and the Environment.

Our People

The firm values diversity in the workplace and expects and promotes mutual respect and understanding between people with different personal situations or backgrounds. We believe in caring for our employees and are committed to delivering a competitive and fair employment environment and the opportunity to advance. We believe continued learning is important for all our employees, and we strive to ensure that everyone in our organisation has ready access to development opportunities at all times.

We are fully committed to creating a culture of equal opportunity, fairness, inclusivity and respect for all.

The Community

The firm is dedicated to being a responsible, contributing member of the community, seeking to build strong relationships with the local community and act as a good neighbour. We are proud of the contribution made by employees to our community and social responsibility programmes and aim to encourage and facilitate the growth and development of projects. Participation is both by individuals and as a firm and includes:

  • Providing pro bono or low-cost legal advice to charities and not for profit businesses
  • Wherever possible, using local businesses to provide services such as catering, cleaning, and supplies.
  • Supporting initiatives aimed at assisting businesses in the local community
  • Volunteering in community projects
  • Supporting and sponsoring community work by employees
  • Charitable activities and donations
  • Encouraging employees to contribute to the local community by joining committees, trusts and boards.

The Environment

We recognise that our business practices have environmental effects, both directly and indirectly and, as such, we are committed to improving our environmental performance. Our goal is to be not only conscious of, but also responsible in the way we deal with our environmental impact. As a firm we aim to:

  • Consider the environmental impacts of the materials we purchase at all stages of their life cycle and to adopt a sustainable procurement policy
  • Provide information to clients in electronic format whenever possible to minimise the impact on the environment
  • Reduce the environmental impacts of our transport use through adoption of a ‘green’ transport philosophies, reducing unnecessary car journeys and promoting the use of cycling and public transport
  • Reducing the volume of paper and plastic waste we produce and maximising its reuse and recycling through proactive waste management
  • Saving energy by encouraging staff to be aware of their impact on the environment, and through intelligent use of IT
  • Implementing a “switch off” policy and actively encouraging members of staff to switch off all electrical equipment at the end of the working day

Promoting a Greener Workplace

We’re continually working to reduce our environmental impact and encourage sustainable habits across the firm. Recent projects include:

  • Free Seed Giveaway – inspiring staff to grow plants at home and contribute to greener living.
  • Berry Smith Green Week – a series of events focused on environmental awareness, sustainability tips, and eco-friendly practices.

These initiatives form part of our long-term commitment to responsible, environmentally conscious working.

We are a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance which actively promotes environmental sustainability throughout the sector

Our Environmental Policy Statement may be found HERE.

Charity of the Year & Community Fundraising

Making a Difference Together

Each year, Berry Smith selects a Charity of the Year and raises funds through firm-wide events and activities.

Our current charity partner is Ty Hafan, and previous supported charities include:

  • Wales Air Ambulance
  • Bigmoose
  • Velindre Cancer Centre
  • Maggie’s

Our team regularly gets involved in a variety of fundraising events, such as:

  • Running the Cardiff Half Marathon
  • Our popular annual charity quiz
  • Office cake sales
  • The Halloween charity raffle
  • The Ladies’ Lunch at Llanerch Vineyard

Every winter, we also organise Christmas food bank donations for local families, helping support those in need during the festive season.

Staff Wellbeing & Mental Health Support

Creating a Healthy, Supportive Workplace

The wellbeing of our people is a key priority. We’re committed to fostering a supportive and healthy working environment through:

  • Qualified Mental Health First Aiders available across the firm
  • Wellbeing workshops, including:
    • A hormonal health workshop delivered by Sarah Carter
    • A nutrition and wellbeing session from Cardiff Nutrition

These initiatives form part of our wider programme to promote workplace wellbeing, mental health awareness, and a positive firm culture.

Mental Health First Aiders

We are proud to announce we have set up a team of Mental Health First Aiders to provide support to any colleagues who may be experiencing poor mental health or emotional distress. Following a recommendation by our CSR Committee, whose remit includes the wellbeing of employees, the team have undertaken certified training through St John Ambulance Cymru. This training enables them to recognise the signs that a colleague may be experiencing a mental health crisis and offer initial support and guidance.

The training promotes a five-step action plan where the Mental Health First Aiders can:

  • Act as a point of contact to reassure colleagues experiencing a mental health issue
  • Listen and communicate non-judgementally
  • Give emotional support and hope for recovery
  • Signpost colleagues to professional help
  • Encourage other forms of help and support including self-help strategies

Since the pandemic there has been a greater focus on mental health, we recognise that providing support to colleagues in this area is just an important as physical first aid. We are keen to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues and by introducing Mental Health First Aiders we hope to change attitudes by encouraging colleagues to have open and positive discussions about their mental health and wellbeing.

Jane Emery, Practice Manager at Berry Smith LLP said: ‘I know how important it is to create a safe and supportive work environment and increasing awareness of positive mental health is key to this. By introducing Mental Health First Aiders we can provide a means of support to our colleagues and point them in the right direction for accessing appropriate services, which will make a real difference to their health and wellbeing.”

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