Pro bono and corporate citizenship
Pro bono legal practice
We take our responsibilities seriously, supporting the communities in which we work and live, and contributing to a more just and sustainable future.
Pro bono work has always been an integral part of our practice. In 1996, we became the first firm in Australia to appoint a full-time in-house pro bono lawyer. Alongside two full-time dedicated pro bono partners, a full-time pro bono special counsel and three full-time pro bono lawyers, our team collectively worked over 28,000 hours on pro bono matters in FY2024.
This dedicated practice helps ensure our services are accessible to people who need them, in cities, rural and remote Australia. We have a particular focus on First Nations people, people with disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers and human rights matters.
Corporate social responsibility
Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program focuses on community, reconciliation and the environment. It includes:
environmental management, including monitoring, improving and reporting to our clients and the public
ethical procurement, working with our suppliers to improve environmental and social sustainability
workplace volunteering and flexibility, encouraging staff to commit to causes they care about
continuing to champion and push for Reconciliation for First Nations people and communities.
We report on our CSR performance to the Australian Legal Sector Alliance (AusLSA), and consistently seek ways to improve our contribution as a responsible corporate citizen.
Environment
We are committed to taking responsibility for the environmental impacts of our business, particularly in relation to climate and biodiversity. We have been on the path to reducing GHG emissions for over a decade. We began measuring, offsetting and publicly reporting our GHG emissions in FY2018 through the Australian Government’s Climate Active carbon neutral program. In FY2023, we began publicly disclosing our GHG emissions through CDP.
G+T is a Climate Active certified carbon neutral service and carbon neutral organisation. We source 100% of our tenancy electricity from renewable sources. We purchase Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), Verra CCB carbon credits and renewable energy to offset our reported Scope 3 emissions.
To help us progress on our journey to net zero, we have been a CitySwitch Green Office program signatory since 2007.
We actively work to reduce emissions from our operations across our Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth offices. To remain accountable, we undertake an annual National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) assessment to measure our energy efficiency. We have achieved:
5.5-star NABERS Energy (Tenancy) rating in Sydney
5-star NABERS Energy (Tenancy) rating in Melbourne
4.5-star NABERS Energy (Tenancy) rating in Perth.
As a member of AusLSA, we work collaboratively to improve sustainability in the legal sector and we report publicly on key sustainability metrics in the annual AusLSA Legal Sector Sustainability Update.
Read our sustainability policy for more details on our approach and commitment.
First Nations strategy
Reconciliation with First Nations people in Australia has been part of our commitment since our inception in 1988. Our vision is a society which is just, equitable, inclusive and free from racism. G+T was the first national law firm to launch a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2008, building on 20 years of active engagement with First Nations communities. Reconciliation is important to us, and we are committed to taking practical steps to achieve tangible outcomes. This includes:
prioritising pro bono support for First Nations individuals and organisations
First Nations Employment Strategy which includes our First Nations Cadetship Program for law students, and commitment to diversifying this into non-legal roles
financial support to First Nations community organisations, including the Tribal Warrior Association, and Ngalaya Indigenous Corporation
supporting First Nations economic development by procuring products from Supply Nation certified First Nations businesses.
Since 2011, we have made positive progress - although we know we still have some way to go. This includes:
60+ First Nations people recruited
42,747+ cumulative pro bono hours worked on matters for First Nations clients
$27.57 million+ value of pro bono hours on matters for First Nations clients
50+ First Nations university students with cadetship and internship placements
48+ employees participated in First Nations cultural immersion
$60 million+ cumulative supply chain spends directed to Indigenous businesses
$1.14 million+ cumulative value of donations to organisations supporting Indigenous people
1.8% rate of Indigenous employment (as of September 2024)
implementation of Anti-Racism and Cultural Competence Training.
G+T has been a strong advocate for Indigenous constitutional recognition and the implementation of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Although the referendum was not successful, G+T continues to advocate for and amplify First Nations voices.
Read about our reconciliation outcomes in our Reconciliation Outcomes Report here.
Community
We support community organisations aligned with our strategic focus areas, including:
Creating Chances and Football United, providing safe, free and accessible playing and youth leadership opportunities
Monterey Secondary College, located in one of Australia’s most disadvantaged urban post codes, helps keep students engaged and attending school
Women’s Justice Network, runs a mentoring program for women being released from prison
SHINE for Kids, supporting children with incarcerated parents and offers mentoring programs for Indigenous young people released from prison.
The G+T Foundation and Workplace Giving Program also supports a wide range of community organisations. Past recipients of financial support include the Ngak Min health service, Djirra, Just Reinvest, Literacy for Life Foundation and NOFASD.