Foot Anstey unveils responsible business impact in new report
National law firm Foot Anstey has published its first annual Responsible Business report. The report showcases the firm’s achievements since hiring Bola Gibson as its first Executive Director, committing 1% of net profit to its responsible business activity, and launching a comprehensive strategy. The report reflects on the firm's progress towards its strategic goals and lays the foundations for an ambitious next phase of its strategy.
The firm delivered a series of impact-led initiatives over its 2024/25 financial year designed to produce better outcomes for both the firm and its stakeholders:
Driving social mobility - The 1% commitment has enabled the firm to significantly increase its charitable giving. It set up a new Foot Anstey Foundation with a focus on driving social mobility. Funded by the Foundation, the firm entered its first year-long charitable partnership with The Youth Hostels Association E&W, donating over £50,000 to provide 250 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds access to the YHA Breaks Programme. The programme helps young people, and their carers, build new skills, relationships and confidence that can support them in the short and long-term.
Growing diversity in the industry - A key aim of the firm’s strategy is to break down barriers to entering the legal profession and wider industry. As well as continuing to invest in Achieve, its award-winning vacation scheme tackling the underrepresentation of Black and Minority Ethnic individuals in the profession, the firm introduced a new legal apprenticeship route. The firm also joined the UWE Futures programme, a collaboration among Bristol firms aimed at growing minority ethnic representation within business professional roles.
Rewarding employee experience - With significant competition for top talent, delivering a rewarding employee experience has become essential to boosting satisfaction and productivity. The firm invested heavily in its people throughout the year. It continued to invest in its industry‑leading parental support package which includes paid Fertifa reproductive health benefits and innovative flexible working arrangements. It introduced the groundbreaking CultureScope Assessment from iPsychTech, using behavioural science to shape a culture aligned to the firm’s growth strategy. New career pathways and leadership programmes were also launched to help employees progress and achieve their ambitions.
Targeting net zero emissions - sustainable and responsible growth is the target for the firm. As well as pursuing ISO14001 certification, the firm committed to the Science Based Targets initiative and started the process of setting rigorous targets to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Its energy efficiency programme helped drive a 24% decline in scope 2 emissions from the previous year.
Partnering with clients for positive impact – the firm continues to provide insights and services to help tackle the responsible business challenges faced by clients across its key sectors. The report showcases its work on significant projects in the UK's energy infrastructure, its focus on natural capital and biodiversity net gain as well as its work to provide useful insights through platforms like its Power for Good podcast.
The next phase of its responsible business programme includes greater investment in its local communities, a renewed approach to supplier sustainability, the rollout of carbon literacy training in advance of announcing its carbon reduction targets, and a new offering supporting the ESG related needs of its clients.
Martin Hirst, Managing Partner, commented: “As we continue our firm’s transformation, responsible business is a deliberate and essential part of how we grow. The foundations we’ve laid this year are just the beginning, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact we will create in the years ahead.”
Bola Gibson, Executive Director of Responsible Business, added: “We have been intentional in building a responsible business strategy that drives sustainable growth and delivers positive change. This year’s milestones show what is possible when we focus our efforts and work collectively, and we remain committed to deepening our impact across all five pillars of our strategy.”
The report follows another year of significant progress for the firm, marked by the introduction of enhanced parental leave giving employees, regardless of gender, six months’ full pay, a 71st‑place ranking in the Social Mobility Employer Index 2025, and winning the Diversity & Inclusion Award at the Bristol Legal Awards 2025 for its Achieve programme.
