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Course Details

Course Information
  • smart_display Format

    On-Demand

  • signal_cellular_alt Difficulty Level

  • work Practice Area

    Environmental

Date & Time
  • event Date

    Tuesday, February 14, 2023

  • schedule Time

    1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT

  • timer Program Length

    90 minutes

Credit Information

  • This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.

$297.00
CLE
ALL

This CLE course will advise environmental attorneys on how to work with corporate counsel and other stakeholders to establish measurements and standards when addressing the environmental practices that can impact a company's performance by mitigating risk, creating market differentiation, and providing a competitive advantage while complying with ESG guidance.

Faculty

Amanda Petzinger
Associate Vice President, Product Management & Marketing
Benchmark Digital Partners, LLC

Ms. Petzinger focuses on facilitating cross-customer engagement. She also has 13+ years of expertise implementing, configuring, designing and supporting web-based applications, as well as extensive experience supporting customers in their quest for Environmental, Health and Safety operational excellence.

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Robert S. Schuda
Partner
Dentons Law Firm

Mr. Schuda has practiced environmental law for nearly 30 years. He enhances his clients’ performance as stewards of the environment by providing legal advice in the areas of due diligence in real estate transactions; M&A; pandemic response; identifying, safely manufacturing, registering and safely using chemicals and pesticide products; hazardous waste generation, minimization and cleanup; growing clean and healthy food crops while preserving natural resources; providing warnings related to ingredients in consumer products; drafting and publishing climate-related disclosures; and avoiding greenwashing claims. Mr. Schuda's work extends to the courtroom, before environmental agencies, and negotiating with citizen enforcers. He is also the California environmental partner on Dentons US’ ESG Advisory Team.

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Erin Grisby
Attorney
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP

As part of the firm’s environmental practice group, Ms. Grisby advises clients on regulatory and compliance issues arising under various environmental laws. She previously served as an enforcement attorney with the U.S. EPA where she gained in-depth experience in administrative law and judicial litigation. Ms. Grisby’s experience involves complex Clean Air Act mobile source and stationary source matters, including Title V permitting and New Source Review, and matters related to new source performance standards. Under the Clean Water Act, Ms. Grisby has provided advice and counsel related to municipal and NPDES wastewater and stormwater permitting. In addition, she assists with regulatory and compliance matters involving NEPA and hazardous waste management under RCRA. She also counsels on the integration of environmental justice into environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) strategies.

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Description

Over the past year, concern for the well-being of the environment has correlated directly to corporate viability. Ignoring environmental risk can directly impact long-term financial resilience by affecting access and cost of capital to corporations. Mismanagement of environmental problems can likewise impact corporations' access to talent. The link between the "E" and business value has not always been immediately clear. A core tenet of success is integrating environmental factors into a company's established risk analysis and setting targets, as well as monitoring progress against them.

Environmental counsel should work with the corporate board and counsel to consider how organizations can address a business and societal imperative without undermining their relationships with stakeholders and their ability to create value. The transition is not about eliminating risk but rather managing it, taking on new opportunities as appropriate and mitigating threats to the business.

There are many strategies to increase the value of the environmental commitment to ESG and measure outcomes. Counsel and management should consider policies that positively impact the environment and train and educate employees on the scope and aims of those policies.

To the extent possible, counsel should direct programs that minimize energy usage, utilize a supply chain from low carbon generating sources, and replace current suppliers with carbon offset programs. Another strategy is to continually assess the progress of environmental strategy through target setting and data collection. Counsel has to take an active role in educating the board on sustainability and environmental risk to make decisions for the company's future.

Listen as our expert panel advises how environmental counsel can participate in directing corporate activities and provide measurable proof of compliance with the ESG directives that boards have established. The panel will discuss best practices and how policies and procedures can improve corporate governance while addressing a company's environmental legal liability.

Outline

  1. History of ESG
  2. Matrix of environmental impact
  3. Strategies to improve the business' impact on the environment
    1. Review and install new policies
    2. Optimize operations
    3. Proactive with data
    4. Enhance education of the board
    5. Drive new business strategy
    6. Engage stakeholders and communicate

Benefits

The panel will review these and other important topics:

  • How can environmental counsel effectively work with corporate counsel and boards to establish the "E" portion of a business' ESG profile?
  • What are best practices for measuring the environmental impacts of a company and establishing a robust ESG profile?
  • What are the risks to companies relating to how they evaluate and disclose ESG?