24 April 2024
Is your recyclable claim ocean bound or court bound? ACCC’s first greenwashing case against CloroxRead moreMichele LaidlawMei GongMarc Vermeulen
Regulators, investors and other stakeholders are closely focused on the impact of business on climate and the energy transition, nature and the environment and humans and human societies. New laws are driving greater transparency and accountability across all three domains.
Our integrated and pragmatic approach to ESG law enables our clients to manage sustainability risks and opportunities in their strategy, investments, operations, stakeholder engagements and across value chains.
We provide regulatory, transactional, governance & disclosure advice and due diligence on ESG issues and we handle complex ESG disputes and enforcement proceedings.
Climate and the energy transition
Consider the impact of investment decisions and corporate actions on land, water and biodiversity, and stay across the emerging nature-positive policy agenda and new developments in voluntary nature-related financial disclosure.
Nature and the environment
Navigate Australia’s changing transition and reporting obligations aligned to the 2050 climate neutrality objective of the Paris Agreement, including under the NGER Act, the safeguard mechanism, mandatory climate-related financial disclosure and enhanced regulatory and stakeholder focus on greenwashing.
Humans and societies
Integrate considerations of human rights, employment and labour rights, the rights of First Nations communities and the rule of law in decision-making. Meet compliance and reporting expectations on equity and diversity, tax governance, whistleblower protections, anti-bribery and corruption measures and global sustainable development goals.
13 December 2023
Commonwealth Nature Repair Bill passes: offsets are off the menuRead moreSamantha DalyHeather Pym
12 March 2024
Combatting commercial crime – Australia’s new foreign bribery reformsRead moreRobert WyldPatrick CunananAda Wu
13 February 2024
Russian sanctions: supervening illegality and impact on contracts with Russian interestsRead moreMellissa LaiRobert WyldPatrick Cunanan
Work highlights
Confidential client
Carbon Credit (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 (Cth) regime, including the generation of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) through eligible offset projects, including requirements for registration as a project proponent and entitlement to ACCUs.
A multi-national FMCG company
Preparing matrix of environmental claims and associated “greenwashing” risk analysis.
Numerous large Australian and international companies
Modern slavery reporting requirements, supply chain fraud, bribery and corruption, potential money laundering investigations (with a focus in business across the Asia Pacific region and into Africa), due diligence, and development and/or updating of internal modern slavery processes and procedures.
Iberdrola
Audit of the Australian group company’s ESG framework.
Datadog Inc and Freshworks Inc
Cross border issues arising from modern slavery legislative compliance requirements. Regular legal and compliance training on ethical business conduct, anti-corruption, whistleblower, gifts and hospitality, sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination and operational business policies/procedures.
ESG disclosure
Advised directors and senior executives on personal liability issues in connection with corporate ESG disclosure.