Your Role
and What You'll Be Doing
The ESG Compliance Advisor plays a key role in ensuring our organisation meets its commitments to responsible business practice, health and safety, safeguarding and environmental sustainability. This role oversees the implementation of Responsible Business and Sustainability policies, co‑ordinates internal and external reporting, and ensures compliance is maintained across all areas.
With a particular focus on health & safety, environmental sustainability, and safeguarding, you will work closely with the Responsible Business and Facilities teams to manage risk assessments, external audits, and site inspections. You will support Office Managers in administering safety assessments, maintain accurate and up‑to‑date documentation, and support safeguarding requirements linked to our Empowering Communities activities.
You will monitor organisational health and safety and sustainability performance, provide guidance on compliance standards, and help embed a proactive culture of safety and sustainability. The role also involves co‑ordinating environmental and energy audits, monitoring ISO compliance, and project‑managing key reporting requirements across the Responsible Business agenda.
Travel between sites will be required to deliver exceptional service and ensure consistent standards.
Key responsibilities:
1. Play a key role, working in collaboration with our General Counsel, HR, Risk and Internal Audit and Responsible Business teams to develop and implement comprehensive Health & Safety, Environmental Sustainability and Safeguarding policies, related documentation, and processes to ISO standards where appropriate, ensuring organisational compliance with legislation and regulations, awareness, and a culture of safety and sustainability.
2. Develop and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, suppliers and partner organisations ensuring wherever relevant, they are aware of and adhere to Irwin Mitchell policies and procedures.
3. Co-ordinate external parties undertaking environmental management and energy audits and all related reporting, including that required for ESOS, SBTi and Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR).
4. Collate, monitor and where appropriate report sustainability data relating to energy, travel etc, working with the wider team to analyse trends and ensure we are on track to meet our Net Zero targets.
5. Work alongside Office Managers to co-ordinate management of risk assessments, COSHH assessments, and Method Statements, to help identify and mitigate potential hazards, develop strategies to reduce identified risks and enhance workplace safety
6. Support Office Managers to effectively administer H&S, DSE, and Maternity Risk Assessments, monitoring compliance and making recommendations where necessary to uphold safety standards.
7. Working with Office Managers to ensure site inspections are carried out and improvements are implemented where necessary.
8. Maintain detailed records of inspection findings and generate reports that recommend actionable improvements, ensuring timely completion of tasks.
9. Stay informed on Health and Safety and Sustainability legislation and developments, providing recommendations e.g. on protective and preventative safety measures to help the organisation remain compliant.
10. Identify and report where training needs might exist for managers and employees on Health and Safety, sustainability and safeguarding compliance, fostering awareness and understanding of risks.
11. Ensure an accurate record of accident, incident and safeguarding reports, working with the wider Responsible Business and Facilities teams to analyse data and monitor trends to inform future safety initiatives
12. Work with the Director of Responsible Business and Sustainability to co-ordinate communications related to Health and Safety and Sustainability matters, ensuring clarity and consistency across the organisation.
13. Project manage external and internal ESG reporting including submissions in external benchmarks and client audits.
14. Work with the Head of Premises and Facilities Management and Office Managers to monitor the delivery of work against the PPM schedule to ensure compliance with SFG20
15. Promote a culture of compliance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Code of Conduct and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) at all times, including but not limited to duties of confidentiality.
About You
Essential:
16. Knowledge of Legislation: Basic understanding of UK environmental management, health and safety and safeguarding laws and regulations
17. Qualifications: NEBOSH National General Certificate or working towards it.
18. Experience: 1-2 years of experience in a compliance and reporting related role, ideally within a professional services environment.
19. Office Safety: Basic knowledge of office-based health and safety issues, including DSE (Display Screen Equipment) assessments.
20. Sustainability: Basic knowledge of sustainability initiatives such as SBTi, ESOS and ISO requirements.
21. Safeguarding: Basic knowledge of best practice and compliance around safeguarding to support ESG activity in an office environment.
Desirable:
22. Risk Assessment: Ability to assist in conducting risk assessments and implementing control measures.
23. Incident Investigation: Basic experience in assisting with accident and incident investigations.
24. Project Management: Exposure to health and safety, property and facilities management or ESG projects.
25. Continuous Improvement: Awareness of continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean or Six Sigma.
26. Legal Sector Experience: Awareness of responsible business compliance challenges within a law firm environment.
27. Multi-site Experience: Exposure to working in a multi-site organisation with remote offices.
Our Benefits - What We Can Offer You
28. 25 days holidays as standard plus bank holidays - You can ‘buy’ up to 35hrs of extra holiday too.
29. Generous and flexible pension schemes.
30. Volunteering days – Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid)
31. Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.
We also offer a wide range of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported. This includes our Flexible by Choice programme which gives our colleagues more choice over a hybrid way of working subject to role, team and client requirements.
We have been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2024!
Our responsible business programmes are fundamental to who we are and our purpose. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish, and we have established a number of inclusion network groups across our business to support this aim.
Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It’s made up of four strands: Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono.