Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Since the firm’s inception in 1974 we have been operating with a community-sensitive approach. Throughout the firm we operate a culture that seeks to reward and challenge our staff; consider the impact of our actions on our immediate community and wider environment; and help those in need. Today we actively participate in appropriate activities as follows:-

Community

Clubs/memberships

The firm is involved with different clubs and forums through personal membership and firm membership and support. We have affiliations with: Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, Opportunity Peterborough, PECT, Peterborough Women’s Centre and Peterborough Domestic Violence Forum

Arts & Leisure

The firm supports the Arts in a number of ways, including sponsorship of the Key Theatre and individual events at the Stamford Arts Centre, as well as various ad hoc events of which recent examples include:- City of Peterborough Symphony Orchestra concert 3rd July and Stamford Shakespeare Company at Tolethorpe. The firm sponsors a number of local sports clubs including Peterborough & District Indoor Bowls Centre, Peterborough Cricket Club Ladies team & Junior team and the newly formed Hampton U7s Football Club.

Education

The firm sponsors a student award at the Peterborough Regional College, The King's School and Sir Harry Smith Community College each year. We are also members of the Careers Academy for the Ken Stimpson Community School and Orton Longueville School. This involves 2 partners of the firm acting as mentors for students and involves regular meetings, presentations and advice clinics for the students enrolled.

Work experience, internships. Trainee scheme

The firm operates a number of schemes to encourage and develop new talent including work experience, internships and a trainee solicitor scheme, more details of which can be found here.

Charity

Fundraising

As a firm we are involved in a number of charitable exercises and we encourage our personnel to join in. A charity committee was set up in 2007 to co-ordinate internal fundraising efforts and in 2008 members of staff’s personal contributions raised in excess of £1,200 for different causes. Each year the staff are involved in voting for 4-6 charities to support throughout the year. 2011’s nominated charities are:- Great Ormond Street Hospital, Comic Relief, Sue Ryder, The Willow Foundation, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Children in Need.

The business also contributes in various ways to different initiatives, for example in the past we have teamed up with the Sue Ryder Care charity to offer supporters the opportunity to make a will at a discounted cost while, at the same time, raising money for the charity. This involved donating 20% of our fees to Thorpe Hall Hospice.

Charitable sponsorships

The firm takes on a number of sponsorships in aid of charitable causes for instance corporate golf day sponsorships, charity dinners, trophies & awards and monetary contributions in response to individual requests. The firm also supports local village fetes and open days through various endeavours.

Social responsibility

Environmental policy

Hegarty LLP Solicitors is a professional services firm and we do not produce or manufacture goods or use packaging. It would be easy, therefore, to dismiss the relevance of any environmental responsibility to our business. We are, however, aware that being a professional services company does not absolve us from this responsibility. This is why we are working towards more environmentally friendly practices. Some of the ways we are addressing this include:-

Waste management – all paper and recyclable waste is combined with confidential waste with a large recycle ‘wheelie bin’ in each department. By doing this we know that confidential waste is shredded thus ensuring compliance with Data Protection legislation and that all recyclable waste including the shredding is actually recycled and does not go to landfill. The practice also encourages all staff to keep general waste to a minimum.

Energy management – energy efficient bulbs are used throughout both the Stamford and Peterborough offices, the offices are heated in the winter and cooled in the summer but an air handling unit is integral to the structure. This brings in fresh air which is circulated throughout the building.

Paper management. We have a commitment to reduce our paper consumption by 10% by the end of 2010. All documents are printed double sided wherever possible and the use of email to communicate and transport documentation is encouraged to save paper.We subscribe to the Investors in the Environment scheme operated by Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) which involves committing to using greener ways of operating.

Staff welfare

We are acutely aware that high quality people produce high quality results.  This is why we aim to recruit and retain the best people.  We do this by creating a culture where people can thrive and in which they enjoy working and by offering attractive and transparent personal development opportunities.

Culture – we have worked hard to develop our firm’s culture into something that contributes towards Hegarty LLP Solicitors being a pleasant, rewarding and challenging place to work. We have a commitment to flexible working hours and social interaction which demonstrates our duty to achieving a ‘work/life’ balance for our people.  As a result of these and other initiatives our staff retention rates are in excess of 90% - this in turn provides us with a team of people who know our clients and their requirements which in itself has a positive impact on the quality of the service that we offer.

Personal Development – our lawyers receive up to twice the minimum training requirements set down by our professional regulations.  This encompasses a mix of both internal and external training.  This training draws upon not just necessary legal updates but also concentrates on the type of work our firm provides to clients.