Team size: Seven  

Can you discuss your or your company’s efforts relating to renewability, sustainability, or other environmentally friendly activities? 

At Grupo Rotoplas, we are committed to understanding and reducing our environmental footprint across all our operations. Our sustainability strategy is an integral part of the Rotoplas style, shaping our operations around three pillars: profit, people, and planet. In this regard, we have implemented several key initiatives in terms of environmental action. 

We issued the first sustainable bond in Latin America under two emissions: AGUA 17-X and AGUA 17-2X, with resources used to finance infrastructure for clean water access, sanitation, and wastewater treatment facilities. 

We are actively working towards adopting renewable energy sources in our operations. We have signed a renewable PPA with a supplier in Mexico, and we have implemented solar panels across several manufacturing facilities in Mexico and Central America. 

We have a public commitment to be a carbon net-zero company by 2050 across all scopes. We measure and disclose our full GHG inventory every year, and in December 2023 we submitted our near-term and net-zero emission reduction targets to the Science Based Targets initiative. 

Through innovative solutions, we aim to harness and reuse residual water within our operations, employing recirculation systems (that provide 13% of our total water consumption), and wastewater treatment plants. 

Embracing a circular economy mindset, we have incorporated over 20% of recycled materials into our products, minimising reliance on virgin materials. We also recycle over 40% of the waste generated in our facilities. 

In our supply chain, we evaluate critical suppliers using ESG criteria. By 2023, we have evaluated over 50% of our suppliers. 

We have successfully transitioned from physical to digital contracts, eliminating the need for paper and enhancing efficiency. We have implemented a hybrid work scheme that reduces staff commuting, contributing to a significant reduction in our corporate carbon footprint. 

Finally, we have been actively incorporating life cycle analysis methodology into decision-making for the development of new products and services, aiming to quantify their impact throughout their lifespan. This information is publicly available on our website and in our integrated annual report. 

Why are in-house lawyers well-placed to drive change in their organisations? 

In-house lawyers are pivotal in spearheading organisational change, particularly concerning sustainability practice and efforts towards ESG goals, for several reasons. Their adeptness in legal frameworks related to environmental regulations, coupled with their direct access to decision-makers, enables them to advocate for integrating green initiatives into corporate strategies. Moreover, our expertise in risk management facilitates the identification and mitigation of legal and reputational risks associated with sustainability. Their negotiation skills are instrumental in incorporating sustainability requirements into business contracts, and our oversight of corporate governance ensures environmental considerations are embedded into organisational frameworks. Additionally, in-house lawyers play a crucial role in stakeholder engagement and can collaborate cross-functionally to strategically implement green ESG objectives. Thus, our multifaceted competencies uniquely position us to drive sustainable change within our companies. 

It can be challenging to measure a company’s track record in environmentally friendly behaviour. What, in your opinion, has mostly been missed in discussions about how green a company is? 

Assessing scope three emissions and actively engaging with the supply chain are integral aspects of evaluating a company’s environmental impact, and an area that is often missed in discussions about how green a company is. Calculating emissions throughout the value chain is an intricate task, demanding meticulous analysis of a company’s operational and financial boundaries. Often overlooked, these emissions constitute a substantial portion of a company’s carbon footprint. Companies should transparently disclose these emissions and consistently collaborate with their supply chain partners to promote sustainable practices. This effort is crucial for implementing a robust and comprehensive sustainability strategy that addresses the full spectrum of a company’s environmental footprint.