Isabella Kelly fires up the crystal ball and invites Tim Stutt and Mel Debenham to share their ESG predictions for 2024. Mel discusses the timing tightrope for decarbonisation projects, Commonwealth environmental legislative reform and a very different approach to regulation. Tim queries if there is an elastic start date for mandatory climate reporting, whilst the required corporate uplift crystallises. Shifting landscapes emerge for Australia’s Sustainable Finance Strategy, post-Voice referendum pathways, the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and Australia’s Modern Slavery ..read more

Olga Klimczak, Natalie Gaspar and Shiv Jhinku take the wheel to explore HSF’s latest Future of Work report. They unpack the key ESG related findings including cost of living, pay and benefit inequalities as a potential trigger for activism, as well as a significant rise in demand for workplace health and wellbeing support. With Australia on the cusp of profound legislative change, and a raft of new sustainability reporting standards increasing business scrutiny, we discuss the new opportunities this provides to proactively and meaningfully engage with employees, particularly in light of Genera ..read more

Melanie Debenham and Timothy Stutt wrap up their reflections on this year’s Climate Governance Forum, hosted by the AICD and the Climate Governance Initiative Australia. Kicking off with a keynote from Mike Cannon-Brookes and followed by sessions on mandatory reporting, transition planning, greenwashing risks and an address by Senator Jenny McAllister (Assistant Minister for Climate Change), the day was rounded out with discussions on understanding stakeholder expectations and the role for boards in addressing biodiversity and nature. Speakers underlined not only the urgency of the issues but ..read more

Melanie Debenham is joined by Gemma McKinnon and Bianca Janovic from our Pro Bono and Responsible Business teams to take us through the Regional Dialogue process that led to the Uluru Statement from the Heart and how it relates to the Voice referendum proposal. They discuss the proposed constitutional amendment and principles of the Voice to Parliament. They address some of the more “lawyerly” considerations and practicalities of implementing a Voice to Parliament – as well as its accountability to the community and recognition of 65,000 years of continued care for country by First Nations peo ..read more

Jacqueline Wootton, Hannah Cassidy and Antony Crockett take the wheel to explore trust in banking, as the sector faces a number of stress tests, including carving out credible positions on social and climate issues, creating new carbon offset markets which operate with integrity and transparency and other challenges explored in HSF’s latest edition of the annual Global Bank Review. They discuss how embracing calls for greater diligence, disclosure, reporting and transparency around ESG issues across the wider business sector might just help banks to balance the competing demands - meeting shar ..read more

Lewis McDonald, Carolyn Pugsley and Tim Stutt set the scene ahead of COP28 in Dubai with a stocktake of past COPs and sign-posts to the way forward, including new "regulatory technology" and continued investment to support innovation across the energy transition. They also discuss the ‘trilemma’ of energy security, affordability and sustainability. Check out the biodiversity questionnaire: https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/insights/2023-09/the-biodiversity-questionnaire-%E2%80%93-are-you-ready For more COP28 insights, visit our hub: https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/insights/key-topi ..read more

Lucy McCullagh, Alice Molan and Anna Coroneo return to “the wheel” to discuss Australia’s Sustainable Finance Strategy, recently released by Treasury and including a range of measures to underpin sustainable finance markets as the country transitions to net zero. They unpack the strategy’s three core pillars, being improved transparency through credible and accurate information, financial system capabilities, government commitments and leadership on aligning to global frameworks ..read more

Tim Stutt and Mel Debenham are joined by Silke Goldberg to debrief COP28 through the lens of four paradigm shifts – (1) climate finance, (2) fast tracking the energy transition and emissions reduction, (3) nature and people, and (4) the “just transition”. They close with reflections on the vital role of lawyers and the legal industry in bridging gaps and fostering agreement. For more, check out our COP28 hub: https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/insights/key-topics/esg/COP28 ..read more

Who will be caught by the incoming regime and how will it be phased in?  Visit https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/latest-thinking/reporting-for-duties-%E2%80%93-esg-reporting-in-australia?utm_source=buzz-esg&utm_medium=podcast for more details ..read more

How can companies get comfortable with disclosing predicted company performance based on unsettled variables and uncertain transition trajectories? Visit https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/latest-thinking/reporting-for-duties-%E2%80%93-esg-reporting-in-australia?utm_source=buzz-esg&utm_medium=podcast for more details ..read more