The future, today

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do and how we grow

We believe that sustainability is not just a goal but an integral part of how we do business. As one of the leading law firms in the Baltic region, our commitment to sustainability is reflected in our strategic activities and daily operations.

Our team is dedicated to developing and implementing initiatives that reduce our environmental impact, promote social well-being, and ensure robust governance practices. By integrating sustainability into every aspect of our operations, we not only contribute to a healthier planet but also enhance our expertise in environmental, social, and governance matters.

In line with global efforts to encourage sustainable development, we fully support all seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals. We have identified five goals where we can have the most significant impact through our professional activities and community engagements:

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

We support the wellbeing of our colleagues by striving to identify and address avoidable stress in the workplace.

Goal 10: Reduced inequalities

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone has equal opportunities.

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

We advocate for sustainable business practices that minimize waste and promote resource efficiency.

Goal 13: Climate Action

We proactively work to reduce our environmental footprint and support initiatives that address climate change.

Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

We uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and justice in all our dealings.

Download our sustainability report

COBALT Estonia's Sustainability Report 2023/2024

Environment

At COBALT, we take our environmental responsibilities seriously. In 2022, we participated in the Greenspect pilot program to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of our offices. Our firm has established robust practices to reduce our environmental impact and promote sustainability by applying the principles of the European Green Office. Our environmental commitments include reducing GHG emissions, minimizing waste, and promoting sustainable procurement practices. One of our flagship initiatives, started in 2024, is the COBALT Forest
project – our team plans to plant and nurture a 10-hectare forest that will never be harvested for timber production.

Social

COBALT is dedicated to fostering a positive social impact through our work and community engagements, both within our team and in wider society. We have launched several internal initiatives to reduce avoidable stress in our work practices and to promote healthier, more effective ways of working. Our social responsibility extends to numerous pro bono projects and partnerships with over 25 non-profit organizations in the Baltic region – European Law Students Association, Center of Contemporary Arts in Estonia, Association of LGBT and their friends Mozaīka, Vītolu fonds, ArtVilnius Art Fair, the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, to name a few. For more information on our social responsibility and pro bono projects, please see below.

Governance

Strong governance is the backbone of our sustainability efforts at COBALT. We uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in all our operations. Our governance initiatives include stringent ethical guidelines, a Business Partner Code of Conduct that sets clear ESG expectations for our collaborators, and comprehensive diversity and inclusion programmes to create a culture of equality, providing an environment where all employees have equal opportunities for development and progression. We are proud of our ISO 9001 certification and the VEF ESG Quality Certificate, which recognize our commitment to excellence in governance and corporate social responsibility. Through these efforts, we ensure that our firm operates responsibly and ethically, contributing to the broader goal of sustainable development.

Our Baltic-wide ESG practice group, comprised of more than 20 dedicated professionals, exemplifies our commitment to these goals. Through our efforts, we aim not only to contribute to a more sustainable and just world for future generations, but also to assist our clients in identifying and mitigating ESG risks, ensuring compliance with evolving regulations, and discovering new opportunities for sustainable
growth.

Social responsibility

We are proud to be a long-standing partner and supporter of these respected non-profit organizations and projects:

Culture

Sports

Corporate

Education

Society

The Arvo Pärt Centre

Center for Contemporary Arts Estonia

Art Museum of Estonia Foundation

The Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra

ArtVilnius Art Fair

Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL)

Tallinn International Horse Show

TechHub Riga

Institute for Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility

Lūžio taškas (Tipping Point)

The Responsible Business Forum Estonia

Vilnius University Faculty of Law

Estonian Academic Law Society

Vitolu fonds

European Law Students’ Association

The Willem C. Vis International Moot Court competition in the Baltics

Good Deed Impact Fund

PAI

Peaasjad

Apeirons

Jūrmala Protection Association

Association of LGBT and their friends Mozaīka

SOS Children’s Villages in Lithuania

Jaunimo linija (Youth Line)

Estonian Human Rights Centre - Diversity Charter

Estonian Association of Blind Masseurs

Pro Bono

We provide legal assistance to the Lithuanian Association of Art Galleries on topical issues of art law to support the country’s artists and encourage their creativity. The association unites the most famous Lithuanian galleries, gallerists and art critics.

The different legal and tax environment in foreign countries not only poses difficulties for businesses, but also for organizations which are providing support to Ukraine. We provide Blue / Yellow with legal support by advising the organization on its activity in Ukraine and ensuring that the support complies with legal and tax requirements.

We're advising a non-profit organisation MTÜ Slava Ukraini in resolving legal issues to ensure that collected funds and needed supplies will reach the people in Ukraine. We set up a helpline to assist Ukraine refugees with pro bono assistance in settling in Estonia.

We provide legal assistance to the Children’s Athletics Academy FULLGAZZ ACADEMY. About 40 children are already attending trainings at the first Lithuanian Athletics Academy in Vilnius, which has opened its doors in 2022.

We are counselling the Arvo Pärt Centre since its foundation, including advice regarding the construction procurement for their new building. The Arvo Pärt Centre is a foundation responsible for maintaining the personal archive of world-renowned classical composer Arvo Pärt and operating as an information centre on the composer and his works.

We are proud to have contributed to a private initiative by Innovative Pharmaceutical Industry Association (IFPA) in Lithuania in providing essential individual protection measures for healthcare workers during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe.

We provide legal assistance to APEIRONS, a foundation advocating the rights of disabled persons in Latvia, on matters related to accessibility of environment and securing favourable work conditions for people with disabilities.

We advise the largest civic initiative platform of Latvia ManaBalss.lv on different domain and trademark protection issues. The platform provides a public voting tool for legislative initiatives to help strengthen democratic values and activate civic society in Latvia.

We advise the Good Deed Foundation on establishing the legal framework for Estonia’s first Social Impact Bond project. The Good Deed Foundation is the only venture philanthropy organisation in the Baltics that concentrates on supporting high-impact social initiatives (both social enterprises and non-profits) such as the issuance of social impact bonds.

We have advised producer and supplier of face shields for medical institutions Shield48, a start-up born in 48 hours during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic at the virtual hackathon HackForce in Latvia. Shield48 was established to help tackle the shortage of effective protection tools for the medical community during the 2020 outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe.

As part of an initiative by Startup Estonia, we contribute to drafting model documents, which contain a total of 22 key contracts and documents that start-ups and investors need most. Startup Estonia is a government initiative aimed at supercharging the Estonian start-up ecosystem.

We support Lithuanian startups at the onset of their business. Together with Startup Lithuania, Unicorns LT, LT VCA and other Lithuanian lawyers, we develop a free publicly available platform offering a package of legal documents relevant to startups, which accelerate the development and provide maximum protection to the businesses.

We provide legal assistance to the Association of LGBT and their friends Mozaīka in Constitutional Court cases and legislative proceedings in the Ministry of Justice and Saeima, the legislator to prevent discrimination and to support the development of an inclusive and safe society in Latvia.

We are the official legal partner of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL), which is the premier professional men’s basketball league in Lithuania. LKL is a perfect example of top-tier professionalism, excellent teamwork and leadership, which is also exactly what we stand for at COBALT.

We contribute to a legal aid centre established by the Latvian Association of Journalists to provide legal support to media organisations and journalists against attempts to influence the professional activities of journalists.

Let’s Do It! World is a global organisation and movement that tackles the environmental challenges related to the mismanaged solid waste crisis by mobilising millions of positive-minded people into coordinated local and global actions.

We have provided legal assistance to Jaunimo Linija – a free online emotional support provider. We have helped them to solve legal issues in corporate, administrative, regulatory, compliance and real estate areas. Jaunimo Linija is one of the largest charities providing free emotional support by telephone, email and online chat in Lithuania.

We have provided the Latvian Venture Capital Association and TechHub Riga with legal assistance in the process of amending regulations for share options in Latvia to facilitate the development of the start-up community, as well as to boost private equity investments in Latvian companies.

We contribute to the Friends for Life Day campaign by providing legal support in various areas, such as the establishment of the foundation, tax law and data protection in Estonia. The Friends for Life is an initiative launched in 2019 that aims to encourage men to take better care of their health and to invite men to devote more time and care.

We provide comprehensive legal assistance to the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra of Vilnius City Municipality, which is a collective widely known for its versatility, professionalism, and artistic excellence.

We assist Jūrmala Protection Association (Jūrmalas Aizsardzības biedrība) on matters related to the zoning and development of the resort city of Jūrmala on the Gulf of Riga in a way that is advantageous and friendly for city inhabitants, cultural heritage and the coastal environment.

We defended the trademark registration of Latvian magazine publisher Cits Medijs AS in a cancellation action brought by a corporate raider to protect media freedom and support independent journalism in Latvia.