In-House Counsel ESG Series | Ontario Bar Association

ESG and Best Practices for Climate-Related Disclosure Requirements

The rise of ESG is changing the business world as stakeholders increasingly expect businesses to make their operations more sustainable and to report on these sustainability initiatives. Hear recent developments and insights on how in-house counsel can play a critical role in keeping their businesses ahead of the ESG and climate change regulatory curve by identifying priorities and opportunities, as well as managing and reducing risks.

Register for Session 1
Governance: Practical Tips on Drafting and Implementing ESG Policies

In-house counsel plays a critical role in guiding corporations through the current evolving ESG landscape, including the development and implementation of corporate governance documents. Hear from our panel of experts on the latest developments and best practices in preparing ESG-centric policies, including what constitutes as good corporate governance that investors would want to know about.

Register for Session 2
Integrating Privacy and Data Governance into an ESG Framework

The rise of ESG is changing the business world as stakeholders increasingly expect businesses to include privacy and data governance metrics, disclosure and accountability as a part of their reporting. Failure to properly identify and assess potential and regulatory exposures, or to not live up to the company’s promoted ESG standards, could result in financial or reputational damage. Join us to hear the latest developments, as well as how to manage and reduce risks.

Register for Session 3
ESG, Greenwashing and Legal Obligations Under Competition Law

In the era where consumers are increasingly environmentally conscientious of their purchases and willing to pay more for products that align with their values, businesses are seeking ways to capture the market and remain competitive. However, the Competition Act prohibits deceptive marketing and businesses have been warned against exaggerating environmental benefits. Hear the latest developments in greenwash litigation and how in-house counsel can play a critical role in developing appropriate ESG processes, as well as effectively manage and reduce the litigation risks.

Register for Session 4
Putting “S” in ESG: Supplier Contracts and Compliance

As a result of globalization and the outsourcing of labour, businesses are increasingly expected to manage risks and provide transparency into their supplier’s activities (e.g. labour rights, human rights, corruption practices). Hear helpful insights on how in-house counsel can establishing a monitoring framework to assess compliance and reporting, as well as how to provide advice and support when there is a breach.

Register for Session 5