Shoosmiths, one of the leading law firms in the UK, has entered into a pre-purchase forward offtake agreement with Carbonaires for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) that will be delivered by biochar producer HUSK over a period of five years.
With this move, the law firm is securing a long-term supply of CDR that will support its strategy towards zero net operational emissions.
As part of this partnership, Carbonaires sourced the CDR project, performed institutional-grade technical and commercial due diligence and structured the agreement. Moving forward, Carbonaires will manage the CO2 removals through to retirement on Shoosmiths’ behalf.
The CDR will be generated by women-led biochar producer HUSK, which has operations established in Cambodia and Vietnam.
Commenting on the agreement, Max Finney, Senior Sustainability Manager at Shoosmiths, explained, “Our vision is to be a low-carbon law firm, enabling a sustainable future for our clients, our communities and our people. We chose to pre-purchase future carbon removals through a five-year forward offtake to lock in long-term supply and price as demand for high-integrity removals accelerates.”
To generate the carbon removals, HUSK uses agricultural residues such as rice husks to create a biochar product that locks away CO2 for over 1,000 years. The resulting product helps improve soil health while strengthening crop yields and enhancing livelihoods for smallholder farmers.
Through these operations, HUSK has regenerated over 6,400 hectares of farmland to date, with third-party trials showing an increase in farmer incomes of more than 20%.
The company’s biochar credits have been certified for six consecutive years under the Global Biochar C-Sink Standard.
Relevant: Klarna, Carbonaires & HUSK To Develop Biochar Plant In Cambodia
For Shoosmiths, the biochar removals from this agreement, combined with its reduced operational footprint by over 70% across scope 1 and market-based scope 2 emissions, will bring the company’s net operational emissions to zero.
The law firm clarifies that it is not yet claiming a net zero status, as it has still to reach the 90% reduction threshold, but it highlights that it is taking responsibility for residual emissions today as it continues working towards its 2040 net zero goal.
Read more: New Report: U.S. Biochar Industry Reached Around $157M In Economic Value In 2025
