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

One of our main pillars is social and environmental sustainability, based on our sustainability policy and norms, and two principles: (i) as a global company, we adhere to the UN’s Global Compact, and therefore are guided by its 10 Principles addressing environment, labor, human rights, and the fight against corruption, as well as the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); (ii) we base our sustainability strategy on best practices, ESG legal compliance, and international standards, with materiality as its starting point. ALEATICA and its business units conduct materiality analyses updated every two or three years. Based on their findings, we address material issues through programs, projects, and actions, with implementation thoroughly monitored and impact evaluated through social and economic assessments. 

Building upon both principles—the global sustainability agenda and materiality—we address major issues such as climate change through mitigation and adaptation. This involves identifying primary sources of emissions and energy consumption, and conducting vulnerability assessments for climate effects. As a company, we have set a target to reduce scopes 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. We have also identified primary scope 3 sources and implemented actions to reduce them, including initiatives such as EcoTag, Arena of the Future, and EV charging stations. 

Regarding adaptation, we closely collaborate with the risk corporate office to identify physical and transitional risks in each business unit, developing resilience action plans to prevent and mitigate climate-related risks. 

Finally, based on a diagnosis of waste in our business units, we have developed a circular economy guide that will be shared with the global sustainability team to achieve our current quarterly target of 20% solid waste valorization, and 35% by 2028. Additionally, we track progress in reducing water consumption and increasing the use of treated water. 

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

In-house lawyers are uniquely positioned to drive change within their organisations due to their comprehensive understanding of legal frameworks, coupled with full access and knowledge of the company’s operations and culture. Either through training, investigations, monitoring, compliance reviews or risk assessments, this combination enables them to become a key business partner and implement strategic initiatives that align with compliance requirements while fostering positive organisational growth. 

What, in your opinion, has mostly been missed in discussions about how green a company is?  

We should focus on addressing the issues that are material to our sector and operations. Decisions about which actions to implement and where to allocate economic, technical, and human resources to address environmental and social issues should be based on materiality and where the most impact can be generated. Practically every environmental aspect involves communities, neighbors, collaborators, and other stakeholders, so projects should prioritize participation, communication, and shared responsibility. 

As a company, we should not merely focus on labeling ourselves as ‘green.’ Instead, we should avoid misleading labels that may lead to greenwashing or put us at risk. Our focus should be on material issues and indicators that allow us to monitor our environmental and social performance, emphasizing the impact and how it contributes to the sustainability of our business.