1. Why can the SDGs matter to a law firm?

Today all businesses, including law firms, have a role to play in helping to make the planet sustainable. It is clear that we are serious about this and it matters more and more to our clients, our employees, our suppliers, our governments. 

Sustainability is not just about the environment, it has a social component, and if a company wants to last over time, it has to be concerned about providing its employees with training and non-discriminatory treatment. 

Moreover, our customers also want to know what sustainability is all about. It is clear to us that this is a field of consultancy that is set to grow. The trend to include legal requirements that in one way or another stem from the need to protect the planet is unstoppable. More and more buyers of products and services are choosing sustainable suppliers. We are working to be part of that group. We do not want to be left behind.  

2. Does the legal sector generally care about meeting these goals?

Generally not yet. It is starting, but there is still a long way to go. Most of the large law firms are carrying out some initiative through instruments such as foundations or with the support of a non-profit association, but there is still a long way to go. It is clear that sustainability can be an opportunity for small and medium-sized law firms and it can be an opportunity in several ways: as an argument to differentiate themselves from others or as a line of advisory services. 

3. What SDG objectives does Orbaneja Abogados aim to achieve?

Thinking about sustainability means thinking about the future of the company, but above all about society. Maybe in a specific act it does not benefit you as a company, but it will in the future in a company with which you are contracting. 

Within the objectives defined by ODESIUS, we have focused on improving the health and well-being of our employees and our clients. Health is key for a firm that has been advising more than 500 pharmacies for more than 70 years. 

In addition, we care about the professional growth and development of our team and therefore we invest in their training. 

Finally, we believe in the need to forge alliances with other organisations that know more about sustainability than we do, and we are already working on partnerships that will allow us to achieve these goals faster and better. 

4. How is sustainability relevant to a firm?

Sustainability allows you to stay and we want to be centenarians. We are not far from it, we have already completed 72 years of existence. Not many law firms can tell a story as long as ours. In our case, sustainability refers to aspects such as energy consumption, water consumption and other supplies, such as paper, printer cartridges, etc. We look for environmentally friendly solutions in all these areas, we promote good practices among our employees and we look for suppliers who, like us, also attach importance to sustainability. 

5. How do you raise awareness of the importance of achieving SDG goals among the lawyers in the same firm?

First of all, it helps to raise awareness as a society, as a country, something that is achieved above all by informing the public. As a company, it is essential that leaders are clear about their strategy and execute it. I take care to convey to my team that sustainability is in our DNA. Information and communication play a fundamental role in making our professionals aware of the need to dedicate efforts to achieving the SDGs.  

6. Is your firm encountering any obstacles or challenges when it comes to achieving one of the proposed goals?

At Orbaneja Abogados it is not so long ago that we started investing in sustainability, but so far we have not encountered insurmountable obstacles. The most important one has been the resistance to change. In our first project, which we tackled more than two years ago, which consisted of establishing the "paperless office", there were some clients who resisted us, but they eventually gave in. Last year we tackled the field of energy costs and our next projects have a more social objective. To be honest, I don't think we will encounter any major obstacles in making them a reality.