Linklaters & The Aire Rivers Trust
Restoring river health through cross-sector collaboration
Summary
Leading law firm Linklaters partnered with Pilotlight to create a high-impact skilled volunteering programme, engaging colleagues across multiple territories in support of World Environment Day.
The Aire Rivers Trust—a charity committed to enhancing the River Aire and its catchment for people, wildlife and the environment—sought strategic support to strengthen its long-term sustainability.
Pilotlight designed and delivered a bespoke virtual programme that blended strategic thinking, real-time collaboration and shared learning.
The session provided practical insights for the charity and a powerful development experience for Linklaters volunteers.
The programme included:
- Cross-functional Linklaters teams tackling the strategic challenge
- Real-time feedback loops with The Aire Rivers Trust to refine ideas
- Final presentations of actionable recommendations to the charity
The challenge
Linklaters sought to engage colleagues globally in applying their professional expertise to real-world environmental challenges.
As a small charity with limited resources, The Aire Rivers Trust, was seeking guidance to position itself for long-term, sustainable growth. Key areas of focus included income diversification, financial sustainability, internal capacity and stakeholder engagement.
The collaboration
Pilotlight designed and facilitated a three-hour virtual programme, preceded by a pre-event briefing to ensure Linklaters participants were well prepared.
Despite being located across multiple countries, Linklaters colleagues quickly built rapport—with each other and with the charity team—and worked with speed and agility.
The Aire Rivers Trust appreciated the thoughtful questions and collaborative spirit, which surfaced new ideas and validated existing plans.
Outcomes for the business
Linklaters colleagues benefitted from:
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A real-world demonstration of how professional expertise can drive purpose
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Increased confidence among colleagues to apply their skills in unfamiliar settings
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The opportunity to collaborate with colleagues globally they hadn’t met before
“The session was engaging and well-paced. All the content, briefings etc were clear, considered and thoughtful. I really valued the opportunity to work with internal colleagues I wouldn’t otherwise have met.”
Linklaters Participant
"We are proud of our partnership with Pilotlight. This programme highlights the value of two-way learning when the corporate and community sectors connect.
By working with Pilotlight we were able to be connected to Aire Rivers Trust, and our people shared skills and global perspectives to support this important environmental charity."
Lucy Harrison, Global Corporate Responsibility Advisor, Linklaters
Outcomes for the charity
The Aires Rivers Trust benefitted from:
- Strategic clarity and renewed momentum
- Actionable ideas to improve operations & engagement
- Validation of its current thinking
- New perspectives on its challenges
"A really enthusiastic team, with lots of ideas. It helped us to focus too, not only during the session but also during our preparation and review time. It's made us work more strategically and collaboratively as a leadership team.”
Ruth McBain, Catchment Officer, The Aire Rivers Trust
Wrap-up
This wasn’t just volunteering—it was a shared journey of insight, impact and growth, activating professional skills for environmental change.
For Linklaters, it showcased how cross-border collaboration and strategic thinking can support real-world challenges. For The Aire Rivers Trust, it delivered fresh energy, clarity and practical ideas at a pivotal moment in its growth.
When professionals and charities come together around a real challenge, they unlock new possibilities—for the cause, for the community, and for themselves.