DLA Piper is pleased to announce that it has joined the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA). The WBA supports businesses in their commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by developing free and publicly available benchmarks by which to measure progress against.
“It’s truly an honor to be the first law firm welcomed into the WBA’s community of Allies and to formally align our firm’s work around the world with the SDGs. DLA Piper works every day on issues that are top of mind for businesses and civil society alike, and our joining the WBA is a natural extension of that global commitment,” said Rick Chesley, DLA Piper’s co-US managing partner. “We look forward to serving as a voice for the legal industry within the WBA, and to helping the Alliance better understand the legal challenges the private sector faces in rising to the challenge of the SDGs.”
The SDGs provide a framework for addressing the world’s most pressing issues, such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, education and access to justice. The benchmarks help businesses understand and compare their performance in relation to achieving the SDGs and give them incentives to deliver on the SDGs.
As a WBA Ally, DLA Piper is pledging its commitment to the WBA’s mission by working at the global, regional and local levels to shape and steer the contributions of the private sector and the legal industry toward achieving the SDGs.
DLA Piper’s clients include many of the world’s most prominent companies, from multinational enterprises to the most innovative startups, and more than half of the Fortune 250. The firm’s work with these clients thus represents its biggest opportunity to bring about positive social change. DLA Piper is committed to helping its lawyers understand how its clients across sectors engage with sustainability issues to help them understand and avoid legal risks they encounter on their paths to sustainable operations. By prioritizing sustainability and environmental, social and governance as a key driver of value, DLA Piper is meeting its business clients where they are and anticipating where they are going.
“We are delighted to welcome DLA Piper as the first law firm to join the Alliance. We look forward to working together and explore how we can incentivize the legal sector and its corporate clients towards the achievement of the SDGs. We are also keen to learn from DLA Piper's unique global insights, and find synergies for our research and dialogue with companies,” said Pauliina Murphy, Engagement Director at the World Benchmarking Alliance.
DLA Piper also has strong record of engaging with community partners to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The firm’s extensive pro bono work encompasses efforts in the US and around the world to promote the rule of law and civil society. Its lawyers work on a variety of projects and programs, including protecting vulnerable asylum seekers during the pandemic; partnering with food banks to fight local, national and global hunger; and defending justice-involved children, among others. Partnering with the WBA provides yet another opportunity for DLA Piper to advance the interests of justice and progress in the world.
