Charitable foundation & CSR

We value the opportunity to give something back to the communities in which we work. In addition to charitable giving, we actively encourage our employees to undertake pro bono initiatives and to help with a variety of community projects. We are mindful of our surroundings and aim to minimise our impact on the environment wherever possible.

As a firm, we are committed to the highest professional standards in our engagement with our clients, people, suppliers and wider society. Conscious of the important role that corporate social responsibility (CSR) plays in the success of our business, we are keen to give everyone at Penningtons Manches Cooper the opportunity to participate. So, each member of staff is allowed to undertake 21 hours of voluntary work every year during office hours.

Charitable giving

Penningtons Manches Cooper Foundation is at the heart of our charitable giving and pro bono work. Formally registered by the Charity Commission in January 2017, the foundation provides Penningtons Manches Cooper staff and partners with an opportunity to support the community through the charities selected by the trustees by way of donations, volunteering and pro bono work. The foundation’s funds are generously provided by our partners, staff who have the opportunity to donate under the ‘Pennies from Heaven’ scheme and a small number of private individuals who have made donations.

The foundation is administered by staff from Penningtons Manches Cooper and the trustees are responsible for strategic direction under the chairmanship of Gillian Rivers. The foundation has a broad outlook but particularly focuses on the vulnerable in our society, including the homeless and victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, as well as education, training projects and general charitable purposes.

From time to time we choose targeted initiatives where Penningtons Manches Cooper staff can play an active role. We are currently highlighting the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking, a serious issue affecting vulnerable people both across the UK and worldwide. Our involvement in this field has led to the formation of a number of working partnerships with organisations undertaking vital work to support victims of exploitation.

Helping our communities

We are proud to do this in many different ways and, with enough notice and enthusiasm, we can turn our hands to almost anything!

We support schemes which have a positive impact on the communities in which we are based. Each regional office has a fund allocated to support local community initiatives and dedicated committees in each of our offices annually select a number of local projects and charities whose activities complement the objectives of the foundation. The foundation is currently supporting over 30 charitable, educational and community based entities such as Asylum Welcome, The Children’s Trust, Home-Start, Justice in Motion, Karuna Action, King’s Hedges Family Support Project, Little Miracles, Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership, The Passage, St Michael’s Hospice, Whitechapel Mission and YMCA, to name but a few. We are keen to give everyone at Penningtons Manches Cooper the opportunity to participate and volunteer.

Pro bono

Our work brings us into contact with many people and we are conscious that not everyone has the financial resources to obtain the legal support they need.

As the foundation continues to develop, one of our key offerings to organisations supported by our special projects will be pro bono activity.

• In the City of London, our lawyers regularly give free legal advice to individuals on a range of issues at the Citizens Advice Bureau of the Royal Courts of Justice.
• A number of cases are referred to us annually through the Environmental Law Foundation which provides pro bono advice on planning and environmental matters affecting communities.   

Building a sustainable future

Sustainability is an intrinsic part of our activities - we are focused not only on reducing the negative effects that our own organisation may have on the environment but also on engaging with our clients to help them navigate the risks posed by climate change. We are taking a number of important steps including becoming net carbon neutral through offsetting, working towards net zero emissions across our entire business by 2030, introducing a new sustainable travel policy and developing a strategic approach to our relationship with our suppliers to reduce the emissions linked to their services to the firm. We have also gained a Planet Mark accreditation and signed up to The Legal Renewables Initiative.

While we are pleased with the progress that has been made so far, we will continue to build on recent operational changes and put new ideas into play.

Read more about our sustainability programme here.

Penningtons Manches Charitable Foundation is a charitable incorporated organisation established for exclusively charitable purposes and is registered with the Charity Commission with registered number 1170958.