12 March 2024
Andrew Mackenzie, CEO of the Scottish Arbitration Centre, has been appointed as co-chair of the Campaign for Greener Arbitration’s European Committee.
The Campaign for Greener Arbitration (CGA) is an initiative that seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of international arbitrations through behavioural change. The Green Protocols help provide necessary guidance to ensure more sustainable arbitrations and arbitration practice, they include (non-exhaustive list): the use of green energy; reduced energy consumption and environmental footprint; going digital; minimising printing and use of paper; encourage recycling; and more. The CGA was founded by Lucy Greenwood, International Arbitrator, in 2019.
Mackenzie is joined by Monika Diehl, Advocate at Clifford Chance in Warsaw, and Laura Halonen, Of Counsel at Wagner Arbitration in Berlin, as co-chairs of the European Committee, which comprises arbitrators, practitioners and representatives of various arbitral institutions from over 30 jurisdictions.
Mackenzie’s appointment follows the Scottish Arbitration Centre’s support for the CGA over many years. The Centre sought to follow the CGA Protocol on Arbitration Conferences when delivering the ICCA Edinburgh Congress. It did the same for the Edinburgh International Arbitration Festival (ArbFest2023), when hosting that event last September, which included carbon mitigation involving a donation to RSPB Forsinard to support its peatbog restoration work in Caithness and Sutherland. The Centre also embedded the CGA within its arbitration rules, which were published in 2022, leading to a nomination by the CGA for the GAR CGA Award for sustainable behaviour (GAR Awards 2023).
Lord Glennie, Chairman of the Board of the Centre, said:
“I congratulate Andrew on his appointment to the senior leadership of the CGA. He has been a strong supporter of, and involved in, the campaign since its outset. The Centre is also proud to be the first arbitration centre to provide a sustainability provision within its arbitration rules, demonstrating our desire to see greener arbitration. This appointment also illustrates the Centre’s prominent voice within the international arbitration community, ensuring Scotland and the Centre has a powerful role.”