General counsel | SustainCERT
Maria Pawelek
General counsel | SustainCERT
Team size: Three
First, can you please give us an idea of the sort of work your team has done recently?
In 2023, the SustainCERT legal team had an exciting year closing a $37m Series B fundraising. This involved drafting, negotiations and introducing new investors to SustainCERT. Since then, our team has been focused on operational excellence and supporting the business in achieving their goals. SustainCERT is taking great leaps with digital verification in carbon markets by using climate tech to streamline the verification process.
What particular industry trends are you seeing in the legal sector in Luxembourg?
There is a strong focus on ESG, particularly sustainability, with the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) reporting requirements. There continues to be a growth in stakeholder interest in understanding the impact that organisations have on our world – environment, employees and communities which is also driving sustainability trends and focus on not only what to report but quality of data and reporting.
What is a cause, business related or otherwise, that you care about, and why?
I am passionate about sustainability and helping drive alignment between company ESG agenda and the decisions being made in the board room to achieve ESG targets. In challenging economic times, like now, there is greater risk that companies will lose focus of critical net zero and SDG (sustainable development goals) targets and focus on short term profit – this is a huge risk for us as a society and as a planet. In my work and professional endeavours, I am focused on ensuring that ESG goals remain at the forefront of corporate agendas. Afterall, there is no Planet B.