With businesses facing mounting pressure to meet ESG targets, general counsel are increasingly tasked with identifying and mitigating risks across supply chains, aligning compliance approaches with global standards, and establishing new corporate governance frameworks.

As the GC Powerlist series expands, we aim to spotlight individuals excelling in previously unexplored areas. With the looming threat of climate change and recent interviews emphasising the pivotal role of in-house lawyers in driving organisational change, the creation of a Green GC Powerlist presented a natural progression. The Legal 500’s Green Powerlist highlights prominent general counsel, heads of legal, and sustainability officers in Mexico, showcasing those leading sustainability efforts and guiding their organisations towards a greener future.

Our interviews were enlightening, not only because our research team had the opportunity to interview not just lawyers, but also sustainability officers collaborating closely with legal and business departments to enact change. Our findings reveal a shared sentiment beyond meeting environmental standards, emphasising the importance of instilling a commitment to green initiatives amongst employees. Abraham Sosa-Robles, general counsel at Grupo Herdez, raises an intriguing question about employee commitment to green activities beyond the workplace: ‘In other words, how do we determine whether the values and culture of a company are influencing the lives of its employees and their families? Beyond theoretical knowledge, companies should make their best efforts to provide training to their employees on how to conserve energy in their households, implement recycling programs, reduce water usage, and provide them with information on sustainable transportation options. A true green culture should extend beyond the four walls of a corporation’.

There is a growing trend in responses suggesting companies need to consider the broader spectrum of their sustainability efforts rather than just surface-level or widely publicised activities. Rodrigo Méndez Solís, senior legal manager at Mercado Libre, states: ‘At Mercado Libre, we actively engage in social initiatives to benefit our community, concurrently recognising the interconnectedness of our business impact on both society and the environment. Our green initiatives extend beyond legal obligations, using sustainable materials to minimise our ecological footprint. We believe these efforts not only fulfil regulatory requirements but also align with our commitment to environmental stewardship. Specifically, our initiatives foster community engagement, promoting environmental awareness, and inspiring a sense of responsibility’.

Furthermore, there is a trend suggesting in-house lawyers are best positioned to drive ESG goals within their organisations, balancing environmental regulations with innovation for business success and sustainability. Karina Ojeda Valle, legal director at Capital Indigo, suggests: ‘We can also lead efforts that can go beyond what is legally or regulatory mandated to our organisations and push forward to create innovative and one-step-ahead processes and self-regulation that may be differentiators among other organisations like ours’.

We encourage readers to explore this publication to learn more about these individuals driving sustainable change. Many thanks to the inspiring general counsel, in-house lawyers, and sustainability officers who shared their insights with us, and congratulations on being selected to join this elite group working towards a greener world for all.

Sara Maggi — Deputy Editor GC Powerlist Series

Jugroop Singh — Research Analyst

Galicia

Galicia is no stranger to setting the standard for legal excellence in Mexico, and it is our honor to sponsor The Legal 500´s Green GC Powerlist this year, recognizing the most influential and gifted green counsels of Mexico.

Our participation is a testament of Galicia´s ability to offer a unique legal service that strategically considers ESG criteria. As the Mexican-leading firm and pioneer in establishing new frameworks for conducting legal business, Galicia takes the title for being the first to create a practice of ESG experts that resolve matters through a sustainable lens, modeling this for other firms since its inception in 2021.

As trailblazers ourselves, we understand the curiosity, perseverance and courage it takes to innovate, to disrupt, to be the first. Galicia applauds every person on this list and consciously recognizes the individual effort it takes to mitigate risk and adhere to global regulations when leading an organization´s transition into sustainability.

Galicia prides itself in its talent, creating the space and providing the tools for the over 200 lawyers across our 25 practice areas to take the multidisciplinary approach necessary to achieve comprehensive solutions. Those on this Green Powerlist exemplify exactly that – the action of taking a multidisciplinary approach, which includes an ESG perspective, to yield panoptic solutions.

A special thank you goes to The Legal 500 for allowing us to host this event and properly honor Mexico´s ESG leaders. We express immense gratitude to those driving sustainable business in our nation and give our support to those making a positive change in Mexico´s legal panorama.

Contact our ESG Team: ESG@galicia.com.mx