SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Our ethos pivots on our commitment to the promotion of human rights and civil liberties through the law. Social responsibility is at the heart of this, and we support like minded people working to effect positive social change.

Our commitment to the community and wider society means that at any one time Members are either taking part individually or as a group in various social initiatives. Listed below are examples of just some of these initiatives.

Pro Bono and Volunteering

Members of Chambers are actively involved in the diverse communities within which they live, taking an active role in society. Members are encouraged to use their professional legal knowledge to benefit those who are disadvantaged, under-privileged or lack access to justice. Many of our barristers provide pro bono advice to those who cannot afford legal representation and volunteer their free time to legal advice drop-in centres.

Sustainability

Doughty Street Chambers is committed to protecting and enhancing the environment and as such we focus our resources where it is practical to conserving energy and protecting the environment, thereby reducing Chambers’ carbon footprint.

So far as it is reasonably practicable, Chambers’ operations are carried out with a commitment to having a positive social and environmental impact. This is supported by all members of Chambers and the workforce. In implementing this commitment to manage our environmental impact properly we will:

  • Fully comply with environmental regulations, such as the WEEE 2006 directive.
  • Ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into our business decisions.
  • Ensure that we use risk assessments in order to identify potential environmental risks to our businesses.
  • Actively pursue opportunities to minimise the environmental impact of our operations, concentrating particularly on the use of energy and waste disposal.
  • Attempt to develop a wider understanding of environmental issues among our suppliers, tenants and workforce.
  • Regularly review our policies to ensure that they remain properly aligned to the need to reduce waste and encourage the most effective utilisation of scarce resources.
  • Continually review our business processes with a view towards neutralising and reducing our environmental impact, adopting a practice of sustainability.
  • Actively encourage recycling in the workplace and as such work with ISO 14001 accredited suppliers that offer green business solutions and a comprehensive recycling service, enabling us to purchase environmentally friendly and sustainable products.

The Green Team

The Green Team are a welcoming collective of members and staff motivated to act on the climate and ecological emergencies. Our primary aim is to get our own house in order, by helping Chambers go green. We’re doing this by getting to grips with Chambers environmental impact and then taking steps to make it better. But we’re also a place to exchange ideas for how we can use our professional skills to make Doughty Street a leader on green issues and work.

Charitable Activities

Either as a collective or individually, Members of Chambers and staff support a number of charitable organisations of all sizes, through volunteering their time, fundraising or simply making a donation. Doughty Street Chambers awards up to 1% of all members contributions to DSC to charities or organisations that reflect the ethos and values of our Chambers. We identify supported causes who benefit from a large grant for a period of three years. In addition, we make a series of smaller grants and also have a budget for emergency funding of urgent campaigns or activities which seek to protect human rights or civil liberties.

The Donations Committee are excited to share the organisations that will be receiving a donation from DSC in 2024-26:

  • Koestler Arts: Chambers has supported this charity which stimulates and provides art material for prisoners for many years, and we support their annual exhibition of prisoners art at the Royal Festival Hall.

  • Spark Inside: DSC are supporting this charity’s implementation and expansion of the Hero’s Journey Program in London prisons, workshops that empower young men to make positive changes and overcome challenges, alongside 1:1 coaching in prison and into the community.

  • Urban Synergy: DSC is supporting Urbans Synergy’s mission to inspire, guide, and ignite the ambitions of young people between the ages of 9 and 24 to further their mentoring programs and initiatives.

  • Clean Break: DSC are supporting this charity to conduct theatre productions, workshops and projects, and trauma-informed support to women who have experience with the criminal justice system of are at risk of entering it.

  • Women in Prison: DSC support helps WiP to support women affected by the Criminal Justice System, including to support women in prisons and women's centres.

  • Legal Action Group (LAG): Chambers supports LAG’s works to support frontline charities, lawyers, and advisers in delivering access to justice and to influence law and policy to create a fair legal system for everyone.

  • INQUEST: DSC support will contribute to Inquests’ mission of ending deaths caused by unsafe detention systems and institutional failures, ultimately striving to create a more just and accountable society.

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The Donations Committee welcome applications for small donations, usually between £500 and £1000 at any time during the year. Applications must be made in writing and sponsored by a barrister or staff member (donations policy is available here). For further information, please write to the attention of the DSC Donations Committee, emailing: enquiries@doughtystreet.co.uk.