How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?  

A solid team with excellent cooperation and communication skills is crucial. Strong leadership manages the team, sets out clearly the roles and responsibilities of each of its members thus ensuring stability in times of crisis.  At the same time leadership has to have a certain level of flexibility since in times of crisis things tend to change in a moment. 

Effective communication and redefining of targets as needed are very important as well as alignment with the company’s strategy at times of crisis. The legal department of the company should not be seen as a supportive function but rather as a driving force to ensure stability and resilience at times when it is most needed.

 What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?   

The legal profession can play a crucial role in mitigating the climate crisis. We as in-house lawyers can make use of the knowledge of our organisations, and ensure strict implementation.  We are taking measures to demonstrate our commitment to a green transition, and sustainability. 

We help our clients, especially the ones in the oil and gas sectors, to understand their obligations towards environmental compliance requirements – from emissions standards to accurate and transparent climate-related disclosures. 

We incorporate climate clauses by enabling businesses to take the lead in transitioning to net-zero operations. Besides structuring sustainable deals, we aim to assist clients who are working towards decarbonisation and increased sustainability. We try to make sure that these companies don’t keep operating in a way that is harmful to the environment, but rather assist them in their transition to greener technologies. 

Finally, it is important that we aim to promote awareness around environmental laws and regulations to clients and the public. This can include the hosting of seminars, webinars, workshops, and other events as well as the dissemination of their expertise through publications or even at law schools.