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gadens lawyers third dimension is the way we interact with each other, our clients and the community. It includes programs to improve our environmental performance, philanthropy and support of the arts.
We are constantly mindful of new challenges facing our community and seek to maintain the right balance between commercial and social responsibility. Over time, we have come to realise that our own business will stay healthier and more sustainable if we, as a group of people, maintain that outlook. Our third dimension program covers the following areas:
environment
Assisted by environmental consultant Guy Williams, gadens lawyers has been running an industry best practice greener gadens program since 2005. Involving all levels of staff, the program has helped bring about improved environmental awareness, management and performance across the firm. Examples of successful initiatives include sourcing our energy from renewable resources, switching to 100% recycled stock paper and the incorporation of energy efficient materials and design principles into our major office refurbishment. Through our greener gadens program, we are currently working to help establish transparent and consistent environmental performance reporting in the legal industry and we have signed up as a pioneer member of Legal Green, the first national legal industry environmental benchmarking program.
arts
gadens lawyers has had an enduring relationship with the arts world which we continue to nurture. Beyond offering traditional forms of corporate support to the arts, our approach is based on a philosophy of engagement. Examples of this include the display of artwork created by our summer clerks in our foyer, depicting their various experiences and impressions of our firm, and the hosting of our hallmark client function each year at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. We also run an emerging playwright sponsorship program that provides patronage to emerging artist Caleb Lewis, who creates his works alongside us at our offices.
community
gadens lawyers runs a closely co-ordinated community involvement program with charitable organisations including United Way and Youth Insearch, as the founding partner. These programs involve corporate assistance in addition to voluntary help and donations by salary deduction from our staff which is matched by the partners.
Our commitment to our community extends to Papua New Guinea, where we provide significant support to Susu Mamas, a non-government organisation that provides health care services and education to the local community and remote villages on infant and maternal health and nutrition. We also support the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria through our involvement with “Friends of the Global Fund Pacific”, established with the support of the the Lowy Institute for International Policy and funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
gadens lawyers is also a Pacific Friend of the Global Fund. The work of Pacific Friends of the Global Fund as a high-level advocacy organisation requires us to communicate our message across the Pacific to mobilise regional awareness of the serious threat posed by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria to societies and economies in the Pacific. In pursuing its goals Pacific Friends is also taking steps to enhance its presence at a global level.
gadens lawyers is also the honorary sponsor of the Cell And Gene Trust, a charity that supports cell and gene therapy research. We played a pivotal role in the launch of the Trust with pro bono work and financial support, which we continue to provide. We also maintain a range of other pro bono interests, including membership of PILCH and public interest litigation.
All of these activities are equally important elements of our social responsibility program, third dimension. Jane Skinner, who has been with the firm for 19 years and has developed our community involvement from the grassroots level, is the director of third dimension. Contact: Jane Skinner,
+61 2 9931 4729, jskinner@nsw.gadens.com.au
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