Governance structures and processes are of vital importance in maintaining a strong ESG proposition as well as mitigating risk. The G in ESG is a complex undertaking, requiring boards to stay ahead of the regulatory curve at the same time as meeting shareholder expectations of strong financial returns and increasingly, the interests of stakeholders and wider society in the creation of a long-term sustainable business. This difficult balancing act must be carried out in the full glare of public scrutiny and against the backdrop of the very broad range of legal, commercial, ethical and reputational risks associated with ESG.
Our clients trust us to help them to navigate these complex and sometimes competing considerations with robust and practical advice which takes account of the specific needs of their business and the realities of the business environment in which they operate. Our corporate governance offering to our clients includes:
- Good governance and stewardship obligations for asset managers and investors
- Design of governance tools, policies and procedures
- Assessment of ESG risks and opportunities
- Corporate culture and purpose, and the pursuit of ESG goals
- Reporting and disclosure obligations and messaging
- Engaging with stakeholders and responding to activist or hostile shareholders/approaches
- Directors' duties
- Drafting ESG provisions for commercial contracts
- Advice on the competition law implications of ESG-related structures and commercial arrangements
- Delivering practical training on ESG topics to boards, senior executives and legal teams.
On corporate M&A transactions, our clients turn to us for increasingly sophisticated ESG due diligence and post-completion work on practices and policies. Our recently created ESG health-check and due diligence toolkit can also be used to prepare a business for sale.
