Sustainability allies: sparking new ideas and insight to help clients navigate ESG 

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Alongside pursuing our own ESG strategy, goals and priorities, we are working to support clients on the material issues for their business. Our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) legal services team works with organisations from all sectors to support them in understanding their responsibilities, horizon-scanning, reporting and disclosure, and identifying and responding to potential areas of risk and opportunity.

To help challenge and guide our work with clients in this area and respond to developing ESG trends and opportunities, we created an ESG working group. They are a diverse, cross-firm team, comprising  people at all levels within the business that are passionate about ESG. They work together to integrate ESG-related advice, create room for ideas, share insight and grow knowledge – ultimately helping clients to stay one step ahead.

In this latest blog in our ‘sustainability allies’ series, Trainee Solicitors Sarah Millington and Katie Dunnaker give their insight into the firm’s ESG working group, its areas of focus and highlights from their involvement in supporting its activities.

To find out more about our ESG initiatives, take a look at our Sustainability report 2024.

Your names and roles at Gowling WLG:

Sarah: Sarah Millington, 2^nd year Trainee Solicitor and ESG sector trainee.

Katie: Katie Dunnaker, 1^st year Trainee Solicitor and ESG sector trainee.

Tell us about your involvement in ESG at Gowling WLG…

Sarah: My involvement with ESG at the firm initially began in the second seat of my training contract. During my time in the Planning and Environmental team I was able to work on a range of environmentally-focussed work – this included projects addressing regulatory and reporting inquiries, advising on incoming and new legislation, and Biodiversity Net Gain initiatives for clients.

Later in my training contract, I became an ESG sector trainee. In this role, I have been involved in several working groups, including one relating to ESG more broadly and our also one focused on our internal PLANET+ policy. Through the introductions made at these groups, I have met several members of the firm working on exciting initiatives and ESG-related goals. One such group, headed up by Environment and ESG Advisor Richard Cooper, is the Nature Positive Working Group – a small, focussed group of individuals striving to achieve the aim of Gowling WLG not just being zero carbon, but nature positive.

I am also involved with the Legal Charter 1.5 pro bono initiative led by Responsible Business Manager Georgina Houghton. This is a collaborative initiative with other firms, as part of our involvement in the Legal Charter 1.5, to collectively discuss and engage with environmental pro bono initiatives.

Katie: I am involved with ESG through my role as an ESG sector trainee. This is something that really sets Gowling WLG apart in terms of ESG and the exposure trainees have. By allowing trainees to become involved in the work of our ESG legal services team during our training contracts, it highlights the firm’s pro-active approach and willingness for individual sectors to grow.

Through my role as sector trainee, I have been immersed into various ESG work stream and projects, providing diverse experience across the firm’s legal teams. I am involved in our ESG working group, which regularly brings together individuals with a focus on and passion for all things ESG-related to discuss topics and developments relevant to the firm’s objectives. The conversations had in this group have significantly broadened my understanding of ESG principles and sustainability and I look forward to continuing to learn and contribute to the firm’s work in this area.

How did the ESG working group come about and what are its main priorities?

Sarah: All these working groups and initiatives have arisen from a collective desire to improve and advance the objectives set out in the firm’s ESG strategy, as well as the work its ESG legal services team is doing to support clients in managing their own ESG risks and opportunities.

The ESG working group is a fantastic example of people throughout the firm in each team coming together to educate and engage on important ESG themes and issues. One of the ideas developed out of this group is an internal educational series we run each month to share knowledge on topical ESG themes that are important to both us and our clients. These are well-attended, internal webinars with guest speakers that cover topics as broad as greenwashing and human rights to managing ESG litigation and supporting the work of Legal Charter 1.5.

This series of webinars has recently been described in an internal survey as, “excellent” and “showcasing how our diverse expertise across the ESG agenda can help clients solve their ESG challenges”, while also “highlighting our own internal sustainability efforts”.

Much of the same can be said of the other working groups that meet in support of different elements of the firm’s ESG strategy – people with shared interests and priorities in their work and home life have naturally come together. We all want to push for further education and spark new ideas on how to get people talking and engaging others on these topics and, ultimately, doing good.

Katie: The ESG working group came about and has grown over time by people simply expressing an interest in ESG. Its main priority is to make as much progress as possible in terms of ESG by all coming together with a collective goal. I have noticed the group creates a great space for new ideas to come about, while also providing an open dialogue for people to raise any questions or constructive feedback.

The working group is something we’ve all opted into and draws together people from all levels within the firm (from trainees/apprentices to partners) and all areas (with some people having lots of day-to-day ESG exposure within their teams, and others having next to none). So, it’s a great way to hear different perspectives and also meet new people. Within our monthly meetings, we discuss any advances the firm has made, provide an opportunity to discuss new initiatives and ideas, and highlight any upcoming opportunities.

What activities have you been involved in as part of the group?

Sarah: During my time in the ESG sector, I have undertaken a variety of activities. I, along with my sector colleagues, have authored articles, provided insights and helped raise awareness within the firm, and the broader community, on a range of ESG topics.

I have chaired one of the ESG working group meetings, facilitating discussions and collaborations among colleagues. I have also got involved in delivering presentations on ESG-related subjects, where I have shared knowledge and best practices to a shortlisted number of our annual ESG Essay Competition entrants.

Katie: Sarah and I have written articles on COP29 (the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)), which the firm attended and reported on this year, helping share insight on discussions, events and developments taking place. We have also been involved in the running of initiatives such as the firm’s ESG essay competition for students, whereby the winner is offered a week-long work experience opportunity at Gowling WLG. The essay question this year was: “ESG: What drives our clients to make a difference? (with focus on one or more of our sectors)” and generated a wide range of entries and discussion from the perspective of the sectors many of the firm’s clients are operating in.

The competition is not only an excellent way to encourage younger generations to research into ESG, but it also allows us to understand how the firm’s approach to ESG is understood externally and the topics and sectors that are of most interest. There have also been multiple instances where we have presented to groups of students to help them learn more about different roles within the firm and topics of interest. For example, I presented on ESG and the role of sustainability in sports.

Where is the working group making the biggest difference?

Sarah: To me, the biggest difference that the working groups are making is to firm-wide education and involvement. They are designed to be representative of all different parts of the business, allowing a firm-wide look at how we can all better work towards meeting the ESG objectives we have set. This enhances meetings by bringing perspectives from all sides, as well as creating more discussion afterwards in individual team meetings.

Katie: Currently, I would say the group is making the most progress and placing the most emphasis internally in terms of the E limb of the ESG, for example through Carbon Literacy training and the firm’s efforts to go more plant-based – for example, through creating a meet free menu in our office restaurants on a weekly basis and the firm’s Sustainable events challenge, which engages our people to deliver meetings/events in a more sustainable way. This focus on the E is something that the group is aware of, and we regularly have open discussions around this, while also seeking to make just as much impact on both the S and the G areas to really help the firm reach its sustainability objectives. Over time, by having more internal legal professionals and business service providers with sustainability and ESG at the forefront of their minds, the external impact of our collective efforts will come naturally.

Tell us about some of your highlights from being involved in this area of work…

Sarah: A real highlight for me has been the people I have met within this area of work. Everyone is enthusiastic and driven when it comes to ESG issues and it shows in the broad steps we are taking in moving firmwide initiatives forward. This is an extremely fulfilling and exciting group of people to be involved with, particularly in the beginning of my career. Without these working groups I may never have met many of my colleagues that I now work closely with and learn so much from, and for that I am grateful.

Additionally, the focus on education as a group is a highlight for me. A great example of this in action is the Carbon Literacy training that I attended at the beginning of February. As a pilot, those chosen to do the training did so at their own request. The result was fantastic, with interesting points of view and a wealth of firm-wide knowledge brought together.

Katie: ESG and sustainability is an extremely rewarding and valuable area to become involved with. Similar to Sarah, taking part in the carbon literacy training has been a particular highlight. This training brought home the individual role we all can play in helping become more sustainable and environmentally-friendly in our everyday lives. Additionally, being part of a network like this emphasises the importance of pro-bono work and social sustainability – something I have been involved with throughout my time at the firm. Both pro-bono work and the carbon literacy training are initiatives I would encourage people, both internally and externally, to consider.

What are the takeaways you feel you’ve gained most from your involvement in ESG?

Sarah:

• How wide the network of people from across the business is that have similar priorities and goals. My work in this area has helped me to build relationships with colleagues and industry professionals working on exciting ESG initiatives and goals.
• I have really broadened my knowledge in a number of areas, branching from the topics of articles like COP29 and its goals, to the firm’s carbon footprint and our science based targets.
• I’ve had a lot of fun in the process.

Katie:

• A better understanding of the firm’s approach to ESG and sustainability and what is being done.
• ESG/Sustainability are both now subconscious thoughts when I’m doing work/in my personal life.
• Highlighted how many people within the firm are interested in and willing to get involved with sustainability and ESG initiatives.
• Developed my general understanding around ESG  – expanding my knowledge about topics that I was previously unaware of.

What three words sum up your experience from getting involved in the firm’s ESG activities?

Sarah: Exciting, enlightening and educational.

Katie: Ambitious, academic, progressive.