Team size: 9

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

Our company is deeply committed to sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices, not only because these align with our corporate values, but also because it they are an integral part of ensuring long-term business success while fulfilling our obligations under environmental laws and regulations.

From a legal perspective, our sustainability efforts are primarily driven by the need to comply with an evolving regulatory environment. This includes adhering to both national and international environmental standards and laws, such as those related to carbon emissions, waste management, and energy consumption. We are continuously monitoring legal changes in environmental regulations to ensure compliance and minimise any legal risks.

In addition to compliance, our company has taken proactive steps to reduce our environmental footprint. We have integrated renewable energy sources into our operations, committed to reducing waste through recycling programs, and are actively working to lower our carbon emissions in line with our sustainability goals. These efforts are tracked through environmental impact reports, which we publish annually to ensure transparency with our stakeholders.

On the supply chain front, we prioritise working with suppliers who also meet our sustainability standards, ensuring that our products and services are environmentally responsible throughout their lifecycle.

We also engage with environmental advocacy groups and industry coalitions to stay ahead of trends in sustainability and participate in initiatives that go beyond regulatory compliance. These actions help reinforce our reputation as a responsible corporate entity, reduce potential liabilities, and contribute to broader global sustainability efforts.

Overall, our commitment to sustainability is not just a legal obligation but a strategic priority that supports our long-term growth, fosters goodwill with our stakeholders, and contributes to the protection of our environment for future generations.

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

As in-house counsel, we are uniquely positioned to drive change within our organisations for several key reasons. Our role extends beyond just legal compliance to a more strategic, cross-functional capacity, giving us the ability to influence key decisions and initiatives.

In-house lawyers are uniquely positioned to drive organisational change due to their comprehensive understanding of the business, trusted advisor status, and expertise in risk and compliance. By being deeply embedded in daily operations, in-house counsel can propose and implement changes that align with business goals, while also guiding the company through legal and regulatory complexities. Their role as mediators between departments and external stakeholders allows them to facilitate communication and resolve conflicts, ensuring that changes are understood and supported across the organisation.

In-house lawyers also maintain ethical integrity by ensuring proposed changes comply with legal and ethical standards, which is crucial for protecting the company’s reputation. They contribute to innovation and strategy by shaping business development efforts in line with legal requirements, balancing innovation with legal safeguards. Their long-term perspective ensures sustainable changes that support the company’s future success, and their involvement in change management efforts helps navigate complex legal issues, particularly during mergers, acquisitions, or restructuring.

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

In discussions about a company’s environmental impact, there are several critical aspects that are often overlooked or underemphasiaed, making it difficult to get a complete and accurate picture of how “green” or environmentally friendly a company truly is. As in-house counsel, I believe these areas are important for both legal and strategic reasons.

Many discussions focus primarily on carbon emissions or energy consumption, but this narrow focus can miss a broader, more nuanced view of environmental impact. Companies also often highlight short-term, high-visibility efforts (like switching to LED lights or paper recycling) that might look good on paper but fail to create substantial, lasting change. While these actions are positive, they can distract from more substantial, long-term efforts that may be harder to measure but have a greater positive impact — such as the development of new, eco-friendly product lines, a shift to renewable energy in manufacturing processes, or the implementation of circular economy models.

The risk here is that companies may engage in “greenwashing” — marketing superficial, low-impact environmental initiatives to appear eco-friendly, without committing to significant, systemic changes. Transparent reporting and third-party audits are essential to distinguishing between genuine, impactful efforts and those made for public relations purposes.

As in-house counsel, we emphasise the importance of adopting comprehensive, credible, and holistic approaches to both measuring and communicating environmental efforts, ensuring that our company’s sustainability initiatives are genuine and aligned with its long-term goals.