Environmental, Social & Governance

Everyone’s talking about ESG.

A successful approach to Environmental, Social and Governance is becoming crucial to businesses of all sizes – and their clients.

Most organisations are also waking up to the risks of getting ESG wrong.

At Acuity Law, we will help you manage that risk. But we also want to help you harness the potential that flows from getting it right. ESG is far more than a compliance tick box exercise – it’s an opportunity for organisations to attract business, talent and prospects. As society demands more sustainability, fair practices and accountability, businesses must be ahead of the curve.

We understand ESG inside out. And we want to make sure you do too.

Acuity offers expertise in ESG issues as they impact every corner of the commercial world. Please contact one of our Key Contact partners to direct your query to the right specialist.

How Do You Define ESG?

Environmental

E refers to a company’s environmental impact. Our services include:

  • Net Zero
  • Effective waste management
  • Regulatory compliance and best practice
  • Planning and construction
  • Renewables
  • Supply chain management
  • Green Finance
  • Reputation management and enforcement
  • Habitat Assessments
  • Environmental Impact Assessments
  • Green Lease Clauses
  • Climate Change Governance & Reporting

Social

S refers to a company’s relations with its employees and society at large. Our services include:

  • Employee well-being, rewards and benefits
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Health and Safety
  • Fair labour practices and human rights
  • Data protection and privacy
  • Supply chain management and Modern Slavery
  • Cultural change and risk management

Governance

G refers to all things Governance, which helps your organisation function correctly, providing a framework for good decision-making and the correct use of information. Our Services include:

  • Corporate structuring and constitution
  • Data Protection
  • Regulatory compliance and best practice
  • Board effectiveness reviews
  • Tax, pensions and share schemes
  • Competition
  • Anti-bribery and corruption

Environmental, Social & Governance

Key Contacts

Paul Lowe, Partner at Acuity Law
Partner

How We Can Help

WHY ESG IS IMPORTANT TO YOU
HOW ESG AFFECTS YOUR BUSINESS
HOW WE CAN HELP
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
CONSEQUENCES OF NON-COMPLIANCE
RECENT ESG WORK

Over the past decade, ESG issues have rocketed up the company agenda. ESG’s impact is everywhere, for example:

Organisations reporting on their compliance with ESG standards

Workforce talent choosing their employer based on ESG commitment

Lenders assessing borrowers’ ESG credentials when granting access to finance

Sustainability is not only being required by law, but its mounting importance is felt by all of us as individuals – as citizens, as consumers, as workers and as people.

ESG risks lie in every industry, and in every organisation. Through the impact of your manufacturing processes, the welfare of your employees, the scrutiny of your supply chain, the efficiency of your energy and resource consumption – the list goes on. Get ESG right and you’re likely to be a long way towards having a successful organisation, a happy workforce and positive profile.

Whether you’re in the private or public sector, ESG materially matters.

By understanding, identifying and managing the risks, ESG compliance can become a tool to strengthen your business.

Our lawyers can help you put in place an ESG Policy and identify areas for improvement. From there, you can isolate and assess individual aspects of your organisation in greater detail, leading to informed and targeted improvements. Please contact any of our Key Contacts for further support.

First, understand where you’re starting from and then identify what you want to achieve. A great starting point is an audit to identity your organisation’s current standards and engagement with ESG issues. You can do this by using Acuity Law’s ESG Checklist.

 

The consequences of non-compliance range from the directly quantifiable to the unquantifiable – but all impact the bottom line.

Inadequate, or insincere commitment to ESG can erode employee engagement and customer satisfaction.

Breaches of laws and relations can lead to fines and other penalties, as well as reputational damage and other adverse impacts.

Environmental

  • Defending major retailer and agricultural business following a pollution incident
  • Advising client on statutory nuisance investigation
  • Providing environmental legislation health check for construction company
  • Defending client on wildlife legislation police investigation
  • Chairing Chamber of Commerce round table on waste law changes
  • Advice and legal and risk register for ISO14001
  • Advising construction company on the legal requirements on recycling and Waste Materials Management Planning (MMP)
  • Advising numerous waste, industrial, and major construction infrastructure projects and on environmental law senior management liability
  • Defending high-profile prosecutions
  • Environmental management review and change implementation for a construction company
  • Contingency management and planning

Social

  • Undertaking a full pay review and benchmarking exercise for a governmentfunded organisation to mitigate the risk of inequalities and ensure market competitiveness
  • Equality (equity?), Diversity and Inclusion training to a wide range of clients (from SMEs, Plcs to governmentfunded organisations)
  • Advising a national business on its engagement of self-employed dentists and the impact of IR35
  • Designing and implementing a long-term incentive plan for a national care provider
  • Supporting clients with implementing their well-being strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath
  • Advising numerous waste, industrial and major construction infrastructure project and on health and safety senior management liability
  • Defending high-profile prosecutions including workplace fatalities
  • Health and safety management review and change implementation for two major construction companies
  • Contingency management and planning
  • Advice and legal and risk register for ISO45001

Governance

  • Undertaking a Board Effectiveness Audit for a Housing Association and training its members of their responsibilities
  • Advising a national client on its FCA obligations in respect of its people strategies and policies.
  • Providing outsourced Company Secretary support for clients
  • Delivering competition and anti-bribery and corruption training to an international business and tier-1 construction company
Skip to content