How Barry Nilsson is preparing for mandatory climate reporting

Barry Nilsson is a national law firm specialising in insurance, health, family law, and wills and estates.

The firm has fostered a culture of sustainability. Driven by its commitment to environmental leadership and long-term responsible business practices, the firm developed a net zero plan aligned with the Science Based Targets Initiative.

A member of CitySwitch and the Australian Legal Sector Alliance – an association of law firms working to improve sustainability performance – Barry Nilsson began collecting emissions data in 2018.

In 2023, the firm engaged a consultant to carry out a materiality assessment and baseline its emissions across scopes 1–3. The team says that measuring all 3 scopes at the same time makes future reporting easier because you start with a complete picture of emissions.

Barry Nilsson now manages its emissions accounting by using Trace carbon accounting software. The company selected Trace, also a CitySwitch member, for its intuitive platform, decarbonisation strategy features, AI‑driven assistance, supplier emission‑intensity analysis, and integrated third‑party auditing and assurance capabilities.

Dashboards allow the team to break down emissions by scope and category, illustrate year‑on‑year changes and track progress against the firm’s net zero trajectory.

Using the platform has helped Barry Nilsson manage its emissions internally and lower the cost of tracking and reporting them.

Going from emission accounting to Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS)

Getting started early with emissions accounting has helped Barry Nilsson prepare for the federal government’s mandatory climate disclosures as a group 3 entity.

The team said they couldn’t complete ASRS disclosures in-house without a dedicated carbon accounting platform, because they would not have access to accurate emissions-factor databases or other carbon-specific accounting tools.

Laura Pruscino, Environment Coordinator at Barry Nilsson, said CitySwitch reporting helped her team understand what data to collect and how to meet the requirements of each greenhouse gas protocol scopes and category. She said CitySwitch’s visual waste audit and assessment tools were especially useful for estimating waste in their smaller offices, where building management doesn’t track waste and recycling.

Tips for others beginning their emissions accounting and reporting journey

• Conduct a materiality assessment

  • To define your organisational boundaries and the data you need

  • Don’t be afraid to refine these boundaries as new data sources emerge and best practice continues to evolve

• Use an emissions accounting platform

  • Choose a platform with live visibility of your emission profile

  • Where possible, prioritise a platform that seamlessly integrates with your existing accounting software to reduce manual work and improve data capture

• Engage your finance, accounting and IT teams early

  • Their insights will be essential for expense mapping and to ensure the software meets organisational security and system requirements

• Educate your teams

  • Explain why emission accounting is important, how it supports risk management and compliance, and what the ASRS requires

  • CitySwitch resources on how to get your team on board, and Mandatory Climate Reporting Guide, can build internal understanding

Handy links

• Carbon accounting software - key lessons from 4 CitySwitch members

• Carbon platform checklist - your guide to purchasing carbon accounting platforms

• Mandatory climate reporting guide