ESG Issues for Corporate Legal and Compliance Leaders

Global Counsel Leaders is proud to announce the upcoming release of the first annual comprehensive report on ESG Issues.  The report co-authors are E. Leigh Dance, Executive Director of Global Counsel Leaders and Leaders Circle and Anna Livia Mazzoni, who led the report project and conducted the research.

The quotes from Global legal leaders and ESG subject matter experts below come from in-depth interviews for this report. Data in the report comes from >30 reputable, relevant sources and studies, such as BlackRock, Forbes, FT, Morningstar and the UN Development Programme, to name a few.

"ESG has always been more than nice to have, but now it is seen by all our key stakeholders from investors and regulators to customers and colleagues as a mark of superior standards of operations excellence as well as an indicator of the company’s long-term sustainable high performance.”
– Daragh Fagan, Group General Counsel & Company Secretary, Rentokil Initial 

What the first annual ESG Report covers: 

Through unique insights from Global Counsel Leaders’ tailored interviews with industry experts and GCs at the forefront of ESG – including Hugh Welsh from DSM, Paul Lalli from GE, Carmen Nuzzo from PRI and Jeremy Barton from KPMG – as well as extensive secondary research, the 60-page report addresses the points below.

To see the actual report Table of Contents click here:

1. 2020 global trends in ESG investing and corporate strategy, including the connection between ESG ratings and business performance
2. Data-backed proof of why ESG increasingly matters to your stakeholders
   
3. Regulation and Compliance: How legal, compliance and other risk management functions can navigate a changing ESG landscape
   
4. How to build a robust ESG strategy, including the identification and risks that are material to key stakeholders
5. Who should bear responsibility for ESG programs and the role of in-house legal and compliance leaders in strong ESG performance
6. Why ESG is markedly different from CSR
7. Reporting: How to select and prepare ESG reports using the right standards/framework for your company and reduce legal risks in ESG disclosures
8. How to ensure transparency, reliability and clear internal and external messaging around ESG
9. Helpful resources with practical info for readers

As we near the one-year mark since the global economy was struck by Covid-19, it is increasingly clear that environmental, social and governance issues present material risks to businesses and communities worldwide. Global investments in ESG funds have soared in 2020, exceeding the combined totals for the last 5 years.

Whether it’s called ESG, Social Impact or Corporate Citizenship, this report addresses the various ESG issues that corporate legal, compliance and enterprise risk leaders must understand and address. It also provides guidance from experts on the legal, compliance and risk leader’s role, and guiding ESG strategy development and reporting in your enterprise. 

“Legal, compliance and risk leaders have vital roles to play in contributing to successful ESG planning and execution… As an advocate for your organization and a steward of its reputation, you serve a critical role in helping your company shape and deliver on its ESG goals.” 

– from the ESG Report Foreword by Alex Dimitrief, former CEO, GE Global Growth and Group GC, GE; now Zeughauser Group partner

The first annual comprehensive report on ESG Issues for Corporate Legal & Compliance Leaders is available to order at a cost of $120 USD per digital copy. Global Counsel Leaders Circle members receive the report free.

For more information and to order copy visit www.globalcounselleaders.com

October 26th & 27th, 2021

The Legal ESG Summit

Join us online October 26th & 27th for the Legal ESG Summit - as the legal profession comes together for 2 days of in-depth case studies, crucial discussion, debate, and networking to addressing the business critical imperative of Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance in the Legal Profession

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