ESG
We are legal experts in ESG in Africa. We integrate environmental, social and governance considerations into all our advice as we journey with our clients towards sustainability and mitigating the risks of climate change.
ESG has undergone a dramatic shift from the periphery to centre stage in Africa, but the challenge is that requirements differ vastly from country to country.
Are you an investor wanting to better understand your risk, an investee looking to attract sustainable finance, or a corporate seeking to adapt to the new global zeitgeist by creating a strategy that aligns with ESG best practice, taxonomies and disclosure regulations? It is crucial to seek guidance from experts who are based in Africa and who are knowledgeable, not only about the law, but also the socio-economic contexts and nuances of each unique jurisdiction on the continent.
We have a proven track record in handling large, complex, high profile work in the rapidly evolving environmental, social and governance space across Africa, and we are entrusted by major local and international clients to service their requirements, including identifying and remedying risks.
We partner with our clients on environmental aspects by addressing risk and liability as a result of breaches of key legislation, pre-emptively mitigating and managing these risks, and representing borrower and lenders in respect of green finance products and instruments. In particular, we are honoured to be a key player in facilitating renewable energy investments across Africa.
Our involvement in the social sphere of ESG includes working alongside our clients to further community development projects, as well as acting for impact investors and investees, and advising on occupational health and safety considerations. Our deep expertise in this area is a result of our firm’s longstanding involvement in CSI and our pro bono project with offices in impoverished communities, as well as partnerships with numerous local organisations in a diverse array of initiatives to uplift vulnerable people, promote enterprise development and protect the environment.
Our governance expertise includes advising on ESG policy and strategy for listed companies and stewards of capital, advising in respect of mineral regulation, and lobbying and engaging with regulators.
With deep expertise at the dynamic nexus of the environment, sustainability and commerce, we help our clients to weave ESG into every aspect of their business through bespoke legal solutions that are innovative, commercially savvy and inspired by the greater good of our planet and society.
Our approach is always to gather together the best possible team of experts for your unique circumstances and requirements, drawing from our formidable line-up of lawyers across Africa who have deep specialisation in areas such as environmental law, finance, renewable energy, infrastructure, tax, employment, mining, corporate commercial, regulatory and governance.
In addition, by staying on top of the latest developments in ESG internationally, we are able to proactively help you manage risk and prepare for how global changes will impact your business in Africa, thereby protecting you from potential financial harm.
Multi-jurisdictional businesses face significant risks, as well as the challenge of complying with vastly different laws and regulations.
We are Africa’s largest law firm, with offices in Eastern, Southern and Western Africa. With more than 600 specialist practitioners, we have deep expertise and the capacity to solve all your legal, tax, forensics and IP requirements, and help you navigate regulatory hurdles, no matter where in Africa you do business.
Because we have had many years of practical experience working on the ground throughout the continent, we have developed a proven track record and a solid understanding of local cultural, commercial and geopolitical contexts, as well as long-standing partnerships with trusted firms with whom we work.
As a result, we are able to undertake a multifaceted array of environmental and regulatory work across the entire African continent, where legislation and regulation are becoming increasingly stringent.
Because each of our experts is deeply specialised in their own jurisdiction, we can deliver detailed, country-specific ESG-related services that meet the requirements of investees and investors, and we can handle and co-ordinate even the most complex in-country, cross-border and multi-jurisdictional ESG work quickly, efficiently and with excellence.
