Shoosmiths Foundation donates £97,500 to advance a carbon net zero UK

The Shoosmiths Foundation, a grant-making body managed by law firm Shoosmiths, has awarded a total of £97,500 to Energy Sparks and The Chancery Lane Project charities for projects that will advance a carbon net zero UK aligned with a just transition.

National charity, Energy Sparks, helps schools become more energy efficient to fight climate change. It provides a unique online energy management tool and education programme designed to help schools, their pupils and staff reduce their energy use and carbon footprint.

The Chancery Lane Project is the largest global network of lawyers and business leaders using the power of climate contracting to deliver fast and fair decarbonisation. It has a suite of 153 freely available climate clauses ready to go into contracts, which enable a faster and fairer decarbonisation of the economy. It has also created guides which help aid lawyers getting climate clauses written into contracts.

Claudia Towner, Energy Sparks CEO said: “UK schools play a pivotal role in addressing the net zero challenge. Over the last three years many schools have seen their energy bills increase substantially placing enormous pressure on school budgets.

“School communities can use Energy Sparks’ services to identify low-cost opportunities to reduce their energy bills, optimise existing heating control systems and take action to make a difference. We demonstrate that sustainability doesn't have to be expensive and that acting on climate change can save schools money. At the same time, our pupil activities empower the next generation to understand their carbon footprint and develop energy-saving life skills.

“Shoosmiths Foundation funding will allow us to expand free provision of our energy management tool, education programme and in-school workshops to an additional 45 primary, secondary and special schools. We will target schools local to Shoosmiths’ offices in England particularly focusing on locations with lower social mobility prospects and underrepresented individuals.”

On The Chancery Lane Project, Ben Metz, Executive Director, said: “Shoosmiths Foundation funding will enable us to create a vocational e-learning training course on climate contracting for business professionals and lawyers.

“While some business professionals and practising lawyers feel sufficiently skilled, confident, and knowledgeable about putting climate clauses into contracts, most do not. Therefore, as part of our engagement strategy, we will address this by offering an e-learning training course as a way of upskilling lawyers and business professionals with a specific and practical focus on working through the difficulties that can arise.

“Shoosmiths Foundation funds will be used for user needs research, course creation and participant recruitment. The on-line course will be a learn-in-your-own-time course, enabling participants to engage at times and at a pace that suits them.”

Kirsten Hewson, chair at Shoosmiths, said: “Shoosmiths believes these two projects will raise awareness and knowledge about the importance of tackling climate change and crucially, the practical steps that can be taken to reduce emissions.

“Shoosmiths is on an ambitious pathway to achieve net zero across its value chain by 2040. At the same time, we are committed to supporting charities who want to make a difference in this area and so we are looking forward to reporting on the difference these climate change upskilling projects have made.”

Further information about the impact the Shoosmiths Foundation has made to previous beneficiaries can be found here.