Social and Environmental Commitment
A version of the following has been adopted as a bylaw of Green Economy Law Professional Corporation.
MISSION STATEMENT
Green Economy Law Professional Corporation (the “Corporation”) strives to be a responsible business and legal practice representing the highest standards of ethics and professionalism, and acting so as to (a) advocate for and advance climate-conscious laws, legal practice, business practices, and sustainable economic development; (b) assist, to the best of its ability, businesses and organizations working to protect and defend Earth’s climate and environment, including, without limitation, through the reduction or avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions; and (c) ensure the availability of affordable and reliable legal services to small and local businesses and organizations with a sustainability focus.
The Corporation has reviewed the B Lab requirements for B Corp certification and used these requirements to help shape the Corporation’s policies with respect to its social and environmental commitment. It is critical that the Corporation’s directors, officers, employees, agents, and clients remain aware of current social and environmental issues, and inform, educate, and act to protect our environment and human, animal, and plant communities.
In keeping with the social and environmental objectives and priorities of the Corporation, and its intention to be recognized as a certified B Corporation by B Lab, this bylaw is intended to integrate the following policies into the Corporation’s constating documents.
WORKER IMPACT
(a) The Corporation is committed to paying all employees (including part-time and temporary employees) and independent contractors a fair living wage per applicable municipal, provincial and federal standards.
(b) The Corporation shall first consider internal promotion and/or hiring for all higher positions which may become open.
(c) The Corporation is committed to the belief that work should be paid for. Accordingly, the Corporation will not seek or accept unpaid labour on behalf of interns or students.
(d) The Corporation shall offer employees and independent contractors part-time and flex-time work options as appropriate. All employees and independent contractors shall be allowed to work remotely at all times.
(e) Employees and contractors will be issued payments off-schedule on an as-needed basis.
(f) The Corporation shall offer all employees and contractors unpaid parental and secondary parental leave.
(g) Employees and contractors will be surveyed as to their satisfaction with Corporation employment. Unless dismissed for cause or poor performance, outgoing employees and contractors will also be surveyed as to their satisfaction with Corporation employment.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
(a) The Corporation is committed to serving at least 75% local and independent clients, local being understood to mean those within the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding communities in Ontario.
(b) The Corporation shall make a commercially reasonable effort to hire associates and law clerks either (i) located within the Greater Toronto Area or surrounding communities in Ontario; and/or (ii) attending law schools located within the Greater Toronto Area or surrounding communities in Ontario.
(c) The Corporation shall aim to provide low-income community members with at least twenty (20) hours of pro bono legal services per year.
(d) 1% of the Corporation’s annual profits shall be donated to local environmental organizations, with the intended goal being to support environmental and sustainability non-profit initiatives in the local (Greater Toronto Area) community. Over the last several years, the Corporation has made these and other donations to the following local organizations:
(e) The Corporation shall provide discounted legal services to non-corporate clients under the age of twenty-four (24).
SOCIAL IMPACT
(a) The Corporation is committed to working within the legal industry and community to promote and develop social and environmental standards, as applicable.
(b) The Corporation shall endeavour to fill open positions with women, people of colour, LGBTQ, disabled, low-income, and other persons of previously excluded populations, as appropriate.
(c) Job postings made on behalf of the Corporation shall feature the following language with regard to the Corporation’s commitment to inclusion and accessibility:
“Green Economy Law Professional Corporation is committed to the full utilization of all human resources and to a policy of equal employment opportunity. The firm will not discriminate against applicants on any legally recognized basis including, but not limited to veteran status, race, colour, religion, sex, gender, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or age.”
(d) The Corporation will make commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the use of software and/or online platforms perceived to (i) have a harmful effect on social discourse and democratic governance; or (ii) operate with unacceptable disregard for users’ privacy and human rights.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
(a) The Corporation shall not engage or perform work for fossil fuel industry clients.
(b) The Corporation shall be committed to at all times operate in a manner intended to minimize any greenhouse gas emissions which may be generated in connection with its operations.
(c) The Corporation shall, to the extent of its ability, make commercially reasonable efforts to utilize and promote the use of the following:
energy efficient lighting systems;
energy efficient office equipment;
energy efficient heating and air conditioning systems;
water efficient systems; and
low-impact renewable energy.
(d) The Corporation shall, to the extent of its ability and as applicable, make commercially reasonable efforts to purchase environmentally friendly, locally produced and sustainably sourced products, including, without limitation:
office supplies;
food;
electronics;
cleaning products; and
other items.
(e) The Corporation shall be committed to humane treatment of animals, and any food purchased on behalf of the Corporation, whether for meetings or events, shall be plant-based and vegan.
(f) The Corporation shall aspire to produce zero waste, meaning the Corporation shall make commercially reasonable efforts to minimize all waste associated with its operations. Where it cannot avoid producing waste, it shall make commercially reasonable efforts to only produce waste that is compostable or recyclable, and such waste shall be properly disposed of.
(g) The Corporation shall, to the extent of its ability and as applicable, make commercially reasonable efforts to (i) not produce any hazardous waste; and (ii) responsibly dispose of any hazardous waste it may produce, including, without limitation, used batteries, electronic equipment, and paint.
(h) The Corporation shall, with respect to the shipping of inbound or outbound items, at all times opt for such shipping to be conducted by the most environmentally-friendly, low-impact means available, provided that such policy may be overridden in extenuating circumstances.
(i) The Corporation shall encourage its employees and clients to at all times make commercially reasonable efforts to use virtual meeting technology to reduce travel and the unnecessary emission of greenhouses gases related to various means of travel, including by internal combustion engine cars and airplanes.
(j) All employees and independent contractors who perform work for the Corporation shall, to the extent reasonable, be trained with respect to the environmental mission of the Corporation.
GOVERNANCE IMPACT
(a) The Corporation’s financial statements shall be reviewed or audited by its board of directors, other formal governing body, or an independent third party.
(b) The Corporation shall educate and train its employees with respect to the Corporation’s social and environmental mission, priorities, objectives, and commitments.
(c) Corporation management and employees shall be evaluated on the degree to which they succeed in helping the Corporation achieve its social and environmental mission, priorities, objectives and commitments.
(d) The Corporation shall make beneficial ownership and board of directors membership publicly available and transparent.
CLIENT IMPACT
(a) The Corporation shall have a formal, publicly available policy on data privacy on its website(s).
(b) The Corporation shall, to the extent reasonable, endeavour to make clients aware of any data the firm collects and how it is used. Client and potential client data shall not be shared with any other entities other than those permitted per the Law Society of Ontario’s Rules of Professional Conduct.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We acknowledge the land we live and work on is of the traditional territory of the Mississauga of New Credit, the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, and the Huron Wendat. Today, the meeting place of Tkaronto (Toronto) is home to many indigenous people from across Turtle Island, and we are grateful to be on this land.
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
Marc Z. Goldgrub is the sole director, shareholder, and beneficial owner of the Corporation.
Last Updated: April 2024