Date: June 12, 2008
Contact: Kelly Griffith, Marketing Manager
Phone:
(612) 492-7514
Email: kgriffith@fredlaw.com
For Immediate Release
Fredrikson & Byron Goes Green - Launches “Aim to Sustain”
Minneapolis, MN June 12, 2008 – – Fredrikson & Byron has launched a new green initiative, Aim to Sustain, which encompasses a long-term strategy for reducing carbon emissions, educating firm members to apply sustainability principles to their work and home lives, and creating awareness with business partners and clients.
“As good corporate citizens, we have the responsibility to take an active role on issues impacting the broader community,” said John Koneck, President of Fredrikson & Byron. “Because global warming affects everyone, we are proud to join with other green-minded organizations to take proactive steps to be more environmentally-friendly.”
As part of Fredrikson & Byron’s Aim to Sustain program, the firm is now offsetting 100% of its power usage through the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). The firm’s purchase of RECs has the environmental benefit of preventing as many as 4,426,650 pounds of carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas, from being emitted into the atmosphere annually. This has the equivalent to one of the following environmental benefits:
- Removing 367 cars from the road for a year
- Converting 265 average U.S. households to renewable energy for one year
Other elements of the Aim to Sustain program include waste reduction and energy conservation. For example, the firm installed filtered water taps in all firm cafes, and are providing pitchers of filtered water in client meetings, conferences, and events, instead of bottled water. The firm also converted its core marketing materials to paper stock that is produced from 30% post-consumer recycled content that is FSC-certified and manufactured through green power. Throughout the summer, Fredrikson will promote and reinforce aspects of the green program to continue to raise awareness about conservation. The firm will provide tips, trainings, and contests encouraging employees to save energy by turning off lights and powering down computers at the end of the day, and to reduce paper waste by “thinking before printing” emails, and posting stickers in each office to promote recycling on a daily basis.
Fredrikson & Byron is a sponsor-member of Minnesota Waste Wise, a member of the Green Power Leadership Club through the ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge, and a member of EPA Green Power Partnership. “Fredrikson & Byron is proud to Aim to Sustain, continually looking for ways to reduce our dependence on natural resources and conserve the environment for future generations,” noted Ann Ladd, VP of Fredrikson & Byron and member of the firm’s Aim to Sustain Taskforce.
Fredrikson & Byron’s Aim to Sustain program was featured in the September 22, 2008 Minnesota Lawyer article, “Going Green - Local law firms mean business in their efforts to be environmentally conscious,” by Michelle Lore.
Fredrikson & Byron is a 225-plus attorney law firm based in Minneapolis, with offices in Bismarck, Des Moines, London, Monterrey, Mexico, and Shanghai. The firm’s primary areas of practice include banking, corporate, employment, franchise, government relations, healthcare, intellectual property, international, litigation, real estate, securities, tax, and energy. We serve a broad range of clients, including multinational corporations, public companies, privately-held businesses, entrepreneurs, government agencies, and family businesses. Fredrikson & Byron’s attorneys also work with individuals on estate planning, family law, and immigration matters. We are the exclusive Minnesota law firm member of the World Services Group, a worldwide network of professional service providers. More information about the firm is available at www.fredlaw.com.