Green Pledge

4 Rivers has taken the pledge for greener arbitrations.

The international arbitration community has talked about how we might arbitrate climate change issues. We also need to consider our own impact on climate change, and, better still, we need to act on it.

The pledge for greener arbitrations outlines a few specific steps which we can take to reduce the impact of arbitration on the climate. As a player in the international arbitration community 4 Rivers will, wherever possible:

• Create a workspace with a reduced environmental footprint, including by looking for opportunities to reduce energy consumption and waste;
• Correspond electronically, unless hard copy correspondence is expressly needed in the circumstances, while also being mindful that email has a carbon footprint;
• Encourage the use of videoconferencing facilities as an alternative to travel (including for the purposes of conducting fact finding or interviews with witnesses);
• Avoid printing, request the use of electronic rather than hard copies of documents and promote the use of electronic bundles at hearings;
• Use, where possible, suppliers and service providers who are committed to reducing their environmental footprint (including for the purposes of arranging an arbitration hearing);
• Consider and/or suggest, where appropriate, that witnesses or experts give evidence through videoconferencing facilities, rather than attend hearings in person;
• Avoid unnecessary travel and use videoconferencing facilities as an alternative;
• Consider and question the need to fly at all times and offset carbon emissions for any arbitration-related travel.

The pledge for greener arbitrations, championed by Greenwood Arbitration, can be taken here.