Shifting from compliance to performance
Sustainability, Environment, Social and Governance is no longer a corporate box ticking or report writing exercise. Your organization’s social license depends on meeting stakeholder ESG expectations and driving performance through a well-articulated strategy and associated actions. In ESG, as elsewhere, there are many more good plans than good performers.
Our integrated team supports clients with ESG from ambition to strategy to implementation, avoiding the frustration clients often experience with traditional multi-provider models. Among others, our key services include ESG strategy and implementation, materiality assessments, strategic ESG transaction due diligence, sustainable procurement, modern slavery, greenwashing mitigation and driving diversity and inclusion.
“Sustainability, Environment, Social and Governance is no longer a corporate box ticking or report writing exercise.”
How we operate
Our integrated team of lawyers and advisors supports clients with ESG from ambition to strategy to implementation, avoiding the frustration clients often experience with traditional multi-provider models. Our focus is on helping clients navigate the interrelated considerations for any meaningful ESG response.
- Single point of accountability
- Support from a senior, experienced team
- Highly collaborative approach
- Genuine desire to make you better
- In it together for the long run
Key ESG services
We offer an integrated legal and business advisory solution across environment, social and governance factors to design and implement sustainability strategies that mitigate risks and create sustainable value for clients. We advise across a wide range of ESG services including, but not confined to:
- Regulatory response
Advising on regulatory and reposting requirements such as Modern Slavery, CSRD, CSDDD and EU Taxonomy - Modern Slavery / Human Rights risk mitigation
Helping organisations to address their Modern Slavery/Humas Rights obligations and meet the expectations of their stakeholders - ESG in M&A
Assisting organisations to understand and prepare for the ESG implications of engaging in M&A (including EU reporting readiness) - Respect at Work
Supporting organisations discharge their positive duty to provide enhanced safety in their workplaces under imminent Respect at Work legislation
If you’d like to hear more about any of these services, please let us know.
Awards and recognition
Case studies
A world leading industrial and defence equipment manufacturer required support on its end-to-end journey from sustainability compliance to performance across the EU regulatory landscape.
Following a legal review of the client’s regulatory obligations, DLA Piper Business Advisory helped the client navigate the requirements of various EU regulations, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) and EU Taxonomy disclosure by creating a digestible compliance program framework consolidating the requirements across the regulations. Our advisors also assessed which subsidiaries met the criteria for disclosure under these regulations and established what the obligations and timelines were for each.
The engagement resulted in:
- A clear view of the requirements of the CSRD, CS3D and EU Taxonomy and potential overlaps with other regulations.
- Co-definition of an initial project plan with impacted stakeholders that reflects the company’s compliance program strategy.
- A co-designed program to address gaps in processes, policies, data collection and reporting practices.
- Development of a detailed roadmap, and creation of governance and accountability structures.
A US real estate investment manager sought to expand its footprint in the European Union (EU) with a renewable energy infrastructure fund. To establish a strong presence and attract investors within the EU, adherence to the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) Article 9 was required.
DLA Piper Business Advisory provided a legal policy compliant with SFDR and then co-designed with the client a conceptual compliance model and framework, to put the Legal advice into practice. We then operationalised the framework, allowing the client to seek EU investment.
The engagement was highly successful and resulted in:
- The client's fund successfully securing more investors and differentiated itself in the US and EU by meeting SFDR regulations and EU investor expectations.
- Full understanding for the client of ESG impacts and investor expectations, knowing the hard and soft needs for each fund and its major contractors from an SFDR and investor perspective
- Internal stakeholders' participation, understanding, and accountability for SFDR Article 9 requirements increased, as did their commitment to the policy and playbook for execution.
- Access to essential compliance tools, such as standardised due diligence documentation, as well as complementary resources like technological tools and an external playbook, facilitating compliance processes.
A retail and trade hardware group required support in effectively managing the increasingly complex landscape of ESG legislation, regulations, and industry standards.
DLA Piper Business Advisory supported the client on a comprehensive ESG horizon scanning process, designed to anticipate and identify the forthcoming changes, encompassing new regulations, legislation, and standards. This process involved diligent tracking of emerging global trends, enabling the client to proactively prepare, prioritise, and respond with relevant policies and processes of stakeholder communication and engagement strategies.
The engagement resulted in:
- A bespoke ESG framework for future horizon scanning, facilitating the identification and categorisation of ESG issues across their entire operation and supply chain.
- The client’s improved confidence in crafting vital sustainability policies, processes, and stakeholder communications.
- The client being positioned for sustained success in navigating the dynamic landscape of ESG legislation and standards.
A multinational organisation operating in the construction sector required support to conduct a review of their Modern Slavery Statement, as part of a broader sustainable procurement review.
DLA Piper Business Advisory was engaged to assess their compliance against the criteria outlined in the Modern Slavery Act 2018, providing comprehensive feedback on each reporting criterion.
This feedback served as the foundation for recommendations aimed at enhancing modern slavery practices across the organisation. The review also highlighted the need for additional information and clarity to meet both compliance requirements and the additional expectations of stakeholders.
The engagement resulted in:
- An increased internal understanding of the client’s obligations under the Modern Slavery Act and a clear view of the current state of modern slavery risk management across the business.
- A fostering of the active engagement and alignment among stakeholders to champion the client’s modern slavery risk management and reporting approach.
- A clear and endorsed path forward to take the necessary actions to manage high risk suppliers.
- Fulfilment of the client's public commitment to implement a robust modern slavery framework.
