Our CSR Charter

Preamble

All civil actors of our society are responsible for the environment, and primarily economic actors. This is called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

CSR concerns all organisations, both public and private. Law firms are no exception to this imperative.

CSR is not only a moral obligation, as we all jointly and severally are obliged to participate in the development of a sustainable and fair society. It is also, first and foremost, an economic obligation, because growth depends on sustainable development.

The importance of CSR has been internationally recognized and has been the subject of guidelines published by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).

On 25 September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in New York entitled "Transforming our world: The sustainable development agenda to 2030". 

The UN Agenda 2030 includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with 169 targets that member states aim to achieve by 2030. These 17 goals are listed on the Miles Legal website as active icons. 

Our law firm Miles Legal, mainly dedicated to company law, has decided to make social responsibility and the pursuit of the SDGs one of its priorities. Miles Legal not only advises its clients on CSR and SDG issues but has also decided to subject itself to these requirements.

In addition to complying within the law, which is binding to all, Miles Legal is therefore committed to respect and implement internally the following Charter.

Charter

1. General remark

This charter is binding on our law firm when exercising its activities. CSR has an impact on several levels, as discussed below. This list cannot be exhaustive and Miles Legal is committed to respecting CSR requirements in general and to pursuing sustainable development objectives [SDG].

2. Transparent and participatory management

Miles Legal has adopted a fully transparent management approach from a financial, operational and strategic point of view towards all members of the firm. For example, the adoption and quarterly control of the firm's operating budget is carried out in consultation with all members of the firm.

The firm operates in a participatory management mode with all Miles Legal's lawyers and lawyers of Miles Legal Network that are being involved in the decision-making process and the practical implementation of decisions.

3. Client relations

Miles Legal's interventions are in line with the following principles: 

• drawing the attention of the clients to CSR, its goals, its advantages, its respect by the firm;
• promoting "sustainable advice and ADR": prevention, auditing, timely advice, compliance, collaborative law, arbitration or mediation, negotiation, compromise, transparency, codes of conduct in the context of CSR and the implementation of sustainable development objectives;
• strict adherence to deontological rules and sustainable ethics, including the obligation to advise the client on the most efficient method of resolving the client's needs or dispute (such as legal action, arbitration or mediation);
• to guarantee a personalised and efficient welcome; 
• to promote the availability of the lawyers through the use of any new technology that enables the client to contact his or her lawyer directly;
• to offer the possibility that the follow-up of a file or a client will be ensured by a single person in charge, so as to ensure the most effective possible intervention, improve the relationship of trust with the client and reduce the costs;
• to control the firm's operating costs in a CSR environment, in particular by avoiding the waste of consumable goods, drastically reducing printing costs, ensuring a better use of energy, the use of premises adapted to the activity without unnecessary luxuries;
• to enable clients to benefit from free training on current legal issues that are likely to have an impact on their businesses, so that they can share knowledge;
• to conclude, prior to interventions, clear and balanced agreements regarding the fees;
• to communicate clearly and transparently to clients about services and fees.

4. Relationship between members of the firm

Miles Legal strives to promote a working community that is united, supportive, enthusiastic and based on the principle of mutual respect.

It is a constant concern of Miles Legal to keep ensuring the health and well-being of each lawyer of the firm within the framework of a harmonious balance between professional and private life.

Respect for diversity, equal treatment of women and men and non-violent communication are among the operating principles of the company. These principles are implemented in particular through a participative management which involves each lawyer of the firm in important decisions such as strategic policy and recruitment.

Last but not least, Miles Legal is as a firm resolutely focused on the future and reserves a special place for young people. 

In addition to the supervision and advanced training of the firm's trainees and lawyers, the latter are involved in the participatory management system from the moment they are recruited. This uniqueness allows them to acquire very quickly an awareness of the firm's operating imperatives and, consequently, of our clients' needs and the constant reflection on improving our services. Every effort is made to promote a long-term career path within Miles Legal.

In the same spirit, Miles Legal has refrained from presenting its team in any hierarchical form, as each lawyer of the team has a role to play and each role is important. 

5. Communication and Information technology

Miles Legal takes advantage of technological innovation, as long as it serves the perspective of a sustainable world, and this while respecting its ethical obligations, in particular the respect of professional secrecy and independence.

Especially, it has enabled the firm to:

• the development of a "paperless office": the communication and archiving of correspondence and documents is as much as possible paperless;
• the use of the most environmentally friendly materials;
• the implementation of collaborative networking enabling remote working, increased availability and limitation of unnecessary travel.

6. Premises, energy and suppliers

Miles Legal is committed to:

• make the necessary investments, as far as possible, to ensure that its operating sites meet environmental criteria, inter alia in terms of energy consumption and heating;
• apply a policy designed to reduce the nuisances that its activity can cause to the environment such as over-consumption;
• to sort waste and to optimize recycling;
• the use of cleaning products that have a minimal impact on the environment and the ozone layer;
• to prohibit the use of a range of toxic and dangerous products;
• to control water consumption as optimally as possible;
• to select its suppliers in order to reduce the firm's ecological footprint and according to their respect for social rights;

7. Transport

Miles Legal promotes:

• the choice of means of transport according to the type of trip in order to reduce pollution as much as possible;
• contacts with clients via video or telephone conferences.

8. Social aims

Miles Legal supports projects that share its values either financially or by offering free legal support.