Our Commitment to ESG and Sustainable Business
As a global alliance of accounting and law firms in over 300 cities across 100 countries, we recognise the growing importance of sustainable business practices - for the planet, for our people, and for international clients who expect responsible partners. With 8,000+ professionals across the world serving over 500,000 organisations, our alliance is positioned to drive meaningful impact at scale, supporting a global shift toward more sustainable, responsible business practices.
We are still early in our ESG journey, but read below the meaningful first steps we are taking to becoming a more responsible and future-ready alliance.
Reducing our environmental footprint
We are actively reducing the environmental impact of our operations, starting with our global events programme. In the past, we produced large volumes of printed programs, name badges, and other materials for conferences held in multiple regions through the year. We have now shifted to a digital-first approach, replacing most printed materials and eliminating plastic. Mobile apps, scannable QR codes, digital programs and delegates badges made from recycled paper have become the norm. These small but significant steps have already helped cut our paper use dramatically and the reduce the impact of our events on the communities we visit- and we are committed to continuing to explore new ways to digitise our communications and event experiences for a lower-carbon future.
Joining the UN Global Compact
We are proud to be a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. By joining this initiative, we have formally committed to aligning our alliance’s operations and strategies with the UN’s Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment, and anti-corruption. This step not only reflects our values but also signals to clients, stakeholders, and member firms that we take our role in the global ESG movement seriously. As part of this commitment, we submit an annual Communication on Progress (COP), demonstrating our ongoing efforts and accountability in advancing these principles across our global activities.
Launching ESG advisory services
Recognising that ESG compliance is now a business advantage, not just a regulatory requirement, our alliance is developing a dedicated ESG advisory framework to support established SMEs and mid-sized international companies.
Led by experienced financial and legal professionals across global offices, the principle-based framework will focus on helping businesses assess 'ESG readiness', identify risks, and develop practical roadmaps for voluntary reporting and future regulatory compliance. Our goal is to equip clients to improve transparency, access green finance, enhance brand reputation, and meet the ESG expectations of larger multinational supply chains.
From carbon accounting and reporting frameworks to legal due diligence and tax-related disclosures, we combine multidisciplinary expertise to guide clients through the evolving ESG landscape.
Selecting sustainable partners
As part of our commitment to sustainability, we now prioritise working with hotels and venues across the world that demonstrate strong environmental practices. Whether it is choosing conference hotels that have green certifications, reduce food waste, or rely on renewable energy sources, we aim to ensure our spending reflects our values. This approach also encourages sustainability within the broader ecosystem of vendors and partners we work with and raises awareness across our alliance about the importance of responsible procurement and supply chain choices.
Encouraging low-emission travel
Our Executive Office team and events staff are encouraged to make sustainable travel choices whenever possible. For local and airport transfers, we partner with Uber Business and actively seek green transportation options such as EVs or hybrid taxis. While business travel remains a key part of global collaboration, we believe small changes such as how we move between cities and venues, can have a cumulative impact. This principle also supports our broader ambition to be more environmentally conscious in how we run our events and operations across regions.
Promoting diversity in leadership
We strongly believe that diversity in leadership in terms of gender, race, skills, experience, as well as socio-economic, educational and professional background, leads to better governance, stronger decision-making, and a more inclusive alliance.
Hence we are actively working to improve the diversity of our leadership structure, including our regional committees and the Worldwide Board. Darsi Casey served as our first woman Worldwide Chair from 2021-2024. Member firms are encouraged to put forward women candidates for leadership roles and take steps internally to ensure greater visibility and inclusion for underrepresented voices.