Team size: 14 

What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?  

We have led the legal work associated with the move of our UK Corporate headquarters which currently houses around 1,000 employees from Gatwick to Crawley. The move involved a very lengthy negotiation of a property lease and associated documents and is due to happen in October 2023. In addition, we are currently negotiating a lease for a central London hub. 

We have also been involved in numerous significant corporate transaction projects and health and safety prosecution work 

What do you see as an opportunity or risk over the next six months?  

UK food prices have been rising at the fastest rate in over 40 years. Higher food and drink prices may lead to some households substituting with cheaper products, reducing consumption of other goods and services or cutting back on food and drink altogether. This creates both opportunities and threats to food and beverage companies. 

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?  

There is an increasing realisation that, unless we all change the way we do things, the planet faces an existential threat. In-house legal teams will find themselves increasingly involved in ESG initiatives.  Nestle believes that it can only be successful in the long term by creating value for both shareholders and society as a whole. We aim to be a force for good by focusing on three interconnected impact areas: individuals and families who place their trust in our products and brands; the communities where we operate; and the planet where we strive for zero environmental impact in our operations. Nestle has announced that we will halve our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 even as our company grows. To achieve this, we are tackling emissions across our business and supply chain. We are supporting farmers and suppliers to advance regenerative agriculture, planting 20 million trees every year for the next ten years and completing our transition to 100% renewable electricity by 2025. Additionally, we are increasing the number of carbon-neutral brands. The legal team has been involved in a number of initiatives in the UK and Ireland, including:  

A joint venture called PODBACK, which is aimed at providing consumers with solutions to easily recycle used Nespresso and Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee pods. The legal team was heavily involved in the creation of the joint venture which brings the entire coffee industry together including retailers and local authorities and other recycling service partners; 

Entering into electricity supply partnerships with windfarms which mean that 100% of Nestle’s electricity needs come from wind power.