Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility—encompassing respect for people, wise use of profits, and care for our planet—governs many aspects of Winston & Strawn’s strategic vision for our firm.
Winston’s longstanding commitment to being good global citizens and responsible stewards in our local communities is focused on three areas: sustainability, volunteerism, and charitable giving.
The firm has a long history of giving back to the communities in which we live and work and being good stewards of our planet.
Julie Goodman
Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer
Sustainability
Winston is committed to being a leader in environmental responsibility and has enacted a robust sustainability framework that guides our firmwide processes and is integrated into our business strategy. Every Winston office has adopted strategies to significantly reduce the firm’s carbon footprint. Through our paper recycling alone, we have saved thousands of trees and barrels of oil in addition to millions of gallons of water.
Additionally, every Winston & Strawn office building in the U.S. has been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council under the program for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and our London office is located in a building that earned a BREEAM Excellent sustainability rating.
Each year, we participate in Earth Week with educational programming, local park clean-ups, and by donating money to help our planet by planting trees.
In 2022, we developed the firm’s “Roadmap to Net Zero,” which is designed to achieve 50% carbon reduction by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. These strategic goals are aligned with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations.
In 2022, we also created a comprehensive carbon footprint baseline, which covered all relevant emissions-generating activities across 100% of Winston’s global facilities. We use this baseline to annually measure our progress towards achieving our net zero goals.
In 2023, we achieved our 2030 goals for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by:
- Increasing our use of renewable energy to power our offices
- Purchasing high-quality renewable energy certificates (RECs) equivalent to 100% of our non-renewable electricity consumption
- Purchasing high-quality CCB-labeled REDD+ carbon offsets equivalent to our Scope 1 emissions*
*While we do not count our purchase of carbon offsets toward our net-zero goal, they demonstrate our commitment to minimizing our environmental impact.
In 2022, we developed the firm’s “Roadmap to Net Zero,” which is designed to achieve 50% carbon reduction by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. These strategic goals are aligned with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations.
In 2022, we also created a comprehensive carbon footprint baseline, which covered all relevant emissions-generating activities across 100% of Winston’s global facilities. We use this baseline to annually measure our progress towards achieving our net zero goals.
In 2023, we achieved our 2030 goals for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by:
- Increasing our use of renewable energy to power our offices
- Purchasing high-quality renewable energy certificates (RECs) equivalent to 100% of our non-renewable electricity consumption
- Purchasing high-quality CCB-labeled REDD+ carbon offsets equivalent to our Scope 1 emissions*
*While we do not count our purchase of carbon offsets toward our net-zero goal, they demonstrate our commitment to minimizing our environmental impact.
Winston for Good
Winston has a strong and vibrant grassroots volunteer program managed by dedicated office teams that identify local opportunities to enhance the lives of others and mobilize volunteers.
Each year, hundreds of Winston for Good volunteers contribute their time, talent, and energy toward making the world a little bit better. These volunteer activities range from tutoring high school students and making sandwiches for those living in shelters to helping build a Habitat for Humanity home.
Firmwide, we participate in two signature events: service events honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cycle for Survival. In 2025, WinSTRONG teams from coast to coast spent a day cycling and raised $90,000 to help fight rare cancers.
In recognition of the firm’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, business professionals are able to take up to two days of paid time off to volunteer. Additionally, associates are able to count up to 10 Winston for Good hours towards meeting their annual billable hours goal.
Charitable Giving
Winston & Strawn has a long and proud history of supporting charitable organizations that strengthen our communities around the world. The Winston & Strawn Foundation provides financial support primarily to non-profit organizations that our attorneys, staff, and clients are actively engaged in supporting. In 2024, the Winston Foundation donated $3.2 million to charities.
Each year, we also participate in numerous firmwide and local office charitable donation drives, which range from collecting back-to-school supplies for children in our local communities and donating work clothing for a women’s shelter to providing food, warm coats, and holiday gifts to local area families. The firm also sponsors an annual Pets of Winston Calendar contest, where firm members vote for their favorite pet photos submitted by Winston’s proud pet parents. The top 12 vote-getters grace our calendar with proceeds going to an animal rights charity.
Our 2024 Commitment
Provided hives for 350,000+ bees in Chicago, Dallas, and New York
Donated $3.2M to nonprofits
Raised $138,000+ through local fundraisers
Helped plant 1,000+ trees during Earth Week
Participated in 120+ community-based initiatives
Contributed 2,300+ Winston for Good volunteer hours