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

I was fortunate to have been at the United Nations advising at the inception of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Principles for Responsible Banking during my 10-year career in New York. As in-house lawyers, our roles have never been more important or challenging. Serving as the legal conscience of the organisation, in-house lawyers bring a unique perspective to the table, with a comprehensive view across the entire organisation and early visibility of any changes. This vantage point not only allows in-house lawyers to ensure that their organisation is complying with relevant legislation, but also provides them with the opportunity to advise on how their organisation can go above and beyond to demonstrate its commitment to ethical and legal business practices. Additionally, in-house lawyers play a critical role in establishing and maintaining robust governance structures that promote transparent decision-making, accountability, control, and ethical behaviour.

It can be difficult to truly measure a company’s track record and accomplishments in terms of their environmentally friendly behaviour. What do you think has, until now, been mostly missed when discussing how green a company is?

There is an abundance of green terminology, standards, metrics, and estimates in recent years making it easy to lose sight of their purpose. Ultimately, these measures were created to ensure that a company’s business grows in a way that is economically sustainable and environmentally responsible, while also earning the support of society at large. “Being green” is not a stand-alone concept. Rather, it is part of a larger effort to create a positive corporate culture that values the care of employees, reliable and legally compliant supply chains and business partners, and a productive dialogue with regulators.

In addition, a social license is not a one-off static permit. The continued trust of consumers, employees, investors, regulators, and other stakeholders is not based solely on prior actions of a company but requires ongoing maintenance. By upholding high standards and prioritising responsible business practices, companies can build a strong foundation of trust and support that will enable them to grow and thrive in a sustainable, socially responsible manner for decades to come.