For in-house counsel, providing straightforward advice on a company’s compliance with the law is no longer enough. So-called stakeholder capitalism means companies are under pressure on all sides — from investors to clients, consumers and campaigners — to carry out business with integrity and transparency.
And it is senior in-house lawyers that are increasingly tasked with satisfying these demands, as a business’s voice of conscience.
General counsel are increasingly taking on responsibility for environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies, which encompass areas such as climate change, human rights and diversity and inclusion.