Global businesses are increasingly looking to embed people-related ESG initiatives. Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements is a minimum standard, but expectations from a variety of stakeholders, including the workforce itself, place pressure on companies to take actions beyond what is required as a matter of law. As companies survey and refine their workforce initiatives, there are a number of key areas that have emerged. This briefing covers the following ESG and people themes:
1. Corporate culture and engaging with the workforce
2. Implementing robust whistleblowing systems and dealing appropriately with allegations of workplace misconduct
3. An increased focus on diversity and pay transparency reporting, disclosure and explanation
4. Sustainable and environmentally friendly HR policies and incorporating ESG metrics into variable remuneration structures
5. An increase in formal and informal employee activism and group workforce litigation
6. Increased oversight of global supply chains and labour laws and their link to the workforce
7. The growth of new AI technologies and changing regulatory approaches
8. A focus on workforce wellbeing and dealing with new working arrangements
9. Developments in the platform economy and other new ways of working to meet businesses’ globalisation needs
10. Aligning money with values through climate-conscious pension scheme investing
For more information, please feel free to reach out to your usual Freshfields contacts.
