header-logo header-logo

NLJ this week: How to avoid greenwashing & the significance of copyright in ESG

13 October 2023
Issue: 8044 / Categories: Legal News , ESG , Intellectual property
printer mail-detail
142543
‘Every time I see this focus on sustainability regulations, I want to scream,’ General Counsel Andrew Magowan, from law firm The Legal Director, writes in this week’s NLJ. ‘At best, it’s a wasted opportunity. But at worst, it’s a dereliction of our duties as lawyers’

ESG is the subject of two NLJ articles this week. Magowan advises how to make the most of the environmental aspects of ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance), and Colin Hulme, head of IP at Burness Paull, looks at copyright and making sure no business misappropriates the work of authors and artists.

First, Magowan advises that lawyers think about how they can make the biggest difference and focus on that. Rather than the lawyerly tendency to focus on the complex detail of reporting obligations in a variety of jurisdictions, he suggests lawyers prioritise, ask questions and communicate openly and honestly when evaluating anything from the perspective of sustainability.

Once they have ascertained what needs to be focused on to genuinely tackle the biggest impacts and make the biggest difference, Magowan advises that lawyers talk about these and only these, making sure they don’t get distracted.

Secondly, Colin Hulme, head of IP at Burness Paull, in an extract from a bigger article published on the Copyright Licensing Agency’s website, considers why businesses breach copyright and notes the importance of ESG for businesses pitching for work.

He highlights that: ‘As ESG policies require companies to have consideration for the communities and markets within which they operate, paying for content which will incentivise those engaged in the creative industries seems obvious.’ 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gilson Gray—Linda Pope

Gilson Gray—Linda Pope

Partner joins family law team inLondon

Jackson Lees Group—five promotions

Jackson Lees Group—five promotions

Private client division announces five new partners

Taylor Wessing—Max Millington

Taylor Wessing—Max Millington

Banking and finance team welcomes partner in London

NEWS
The landmark Supreme Court’s decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd—along with Rukhadze v Recovery Partners—redefine fiduciary duties in commercial fraud. Writing in NLJ this week, Mary Young of Kingsley Napley analyses the implications of the rulings
Barristers Ben Keith of 5 St Andrew’s Hill and Rhys Davies of Temple Garden Chambers use the arrest of Simon Leviev—the so-called Tinder Swindler—to explore the realities of Interpol red notices, in this week's NLJ
Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys [2025] has upended assumptions about who may conduct litigation, warn Kevin Latham and Fraser Barnstaple of Kings Chambers in this week's NLJ. But is it as catastrophic as first feared?
Lord Sales has been appointed to become the Deputy President of the Supreme Court after Lord Hodge retires at the end of the year
Limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are reportedly in the firing line in Chancellor Rachel Reeves upcoming Autumn budget
back-to-top-scroll