Firm Overview

Sustainability is a core value at Garvey Schubert Barer. We believe that making our firm’s operations more sustainable is both good business practice and an essential part of our commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Our goal is to make sustainable use of renewable natural resources and conserve nonrenewable natural resources through efficient use and careful planning. With this goal in mind, we have taken a number of steps to create and foster sustainability within our firm, including practices that promote energy conservation, reduce waste and improve the workplace for our employees. Specific steps include:

Operations and Investments

• Establishing a Sustainable Practices Committee tasked with enhancing and managing the firm’s varied and ongoing sustainability initiatives
• Operating in Seattle from a 98 percent Energy Star rated building, which is in the process of being LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified
• Working with building management to incorporate additional energy, water and cost-saving ideas including motion detector lighting and low flow, automatic flush water systems
• Collaborating whenever possible with vendors and suppliers to achieve sustainability
• Offering a socially responsible investment option for employee investments and 401(k) programs

Energy Efficiency

• Upgrading computer monitors firm-wide with LCD technology that consumes approximately 30 percent less energy
• Removing one fluorescent light bulb per office
• Setting printers, copiers and desktops to shut off automatically after a certain hour
• Installing heat-reflective blinds to help reduce energy consumption

Waste Reduction and Recycling

• Deploying FileSurf, an electronic records management software application that facilitates the management of all physical and electronic records and documents (FileSurf is certified by the U.S. Department of Defense as meeting the Design Criteria Standard for Electronic Records Management Software Applications)
• Placing recycle bins in multiple locations in our offices to promote recycling of plastic, glass, aluminum and paper (including books, magazines, newspapers, Redweld file folders, etc.)
• Removing bottled water from offices and substituting with filtered tap water
• Recycling and safely disposing of batteries, toner cartridges, computers and other electronics
• Optimizing all photocopiers and printers to allow double-sided copying
• Installing E-Copy scanning device on all photocopiers to minimize unnecessary printing
• Encouraging lawyers and staff to retain items electronically rather than printing them
• Promoting the use of glasses and mugs instead of plastic containers

Transportation

• Encouraging the use of commuting alternatives such as mass transit and bicycling, and telecommuting when appropriate
• Encouraging the use of videoconferencing and teleconferencing for meetings involving lawyers or clients in multiple locations
• Using bicycle couriers whenever possible for local deliveries
• Subsidizing employee mass transit passes
• Promoting Bike-to-Work programs

We also are in the process of implementing other sustainability initiatives recommended by Sustainable Business Consulting. For example, sustainability will be a key factor when we consider tenant improvements for new or renewing office leases.

Our efforts are producing results. For example, in 2003, our Seattle office used 54,453 sheets of paper; in 2006, it used less than half of that, only 22,489 sheets.