Agenda

9.45am Registration

10.30am Opening remarks

    • John Buttanshaw, partner, operational risk and environment | co-head of ESG & impact, Travers Smith

10.40am ESG in 2025: Still Relevant, More Critical
An exploration of why ESG remains a business-critical priority in 2025. From investor expectations to regulatory pressures and reputational risk, discussions will unpack the evolving drivers of ESG and how legal teams remain pivotal in integrating sustainable practices into corporate strategies.

    • Oliver Wright, sustainability manager, Clyde & Co (moderator)
    • Mark Maurice-Jones, general counsel & compliance officer, UK & Ireland, Nestlé
    • Varnika Chawla, director, legal, Climate Asset Management
    • Stephen Townley, chair of the advisory board, Global Sustainable Sport
    • Punam Mehta,  general counsel, Longevity Partners

11.30am The Future of ESG Regulations and Governance

This panel will explore the evolving landscape of ESG regulation, focusing on the central question: Where are we heading, and has the fizz gone out of ESG regulation? Industry experts will discuss recent trends, regulatory shifts, and the current momentum behind ESG initiatives. Attendees will gain insights into whether ESG remains a driving force in corporate strategy and compliance, or if enthusiasm is waning amid changing priorities and market pressures. Join us for a candid conversation about the future direction of ESG regulation and its impact on businesses.

    • Matthew Townsend, partner,  A&O Shearman
    • Danae Wheeler, senior associate, A&O Shearman
    • Efthalia Sarri, counsel | ESG, financial regulation & governance 

12.10pm Lunch

1.00pm The Rise of ESG Litigation: What Every GC Should Know
As the regulatory landscape shifts and arguably pulls back, and as the world is increasingly polarised and uncertain, the focus on a company’s sustainability record is not abating. Litigation and regulatory mechanisms to hold businesses to account may come even more to the fore in this environment, as ESG activism and a focus on value and sustainability remain top of the agenda. This panel explores how novel ESG litigation risk is evolving and what GCs need to do to be prepared for it.

    • Heather Gagen, head of dispute resolution | co-head of ESG & impact, Travers Smith (panel host)
    • Nadir Koudsi, senior associate, Houthoff
    • Adam Heppinstall KC, barrister, Henderson Chambers
    • Simon Pugh, partner, Portland Communications

1.50pm Regulation, Risk and Reality: Managing Supply Chain Due Diligence Across Industries
With regulatory expectations tightening and stakeholder scrutiny intensifying, supply chain due diligence is no longer optional – it’s a legal and strategic imperative. From the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive to modern slavery laws and sector-specific frameworks, companies must navigate fragmented rules and rising risk. This panel brings together cross-industry voices to discuss how legal teams are building resilient governance models, addressing human rights and environmental harm, and managing escalating compliance, reputational, and litigation risk in today’s complex global supply chains.

    • Clare Connellan, partner, White & Case
    • Eline Tukker, legal counsel supply chain & sustainability, Diageo Nederland B.V.
    • Harriet Naylor, head of global legal, Inchcape Shipping Services

2.40pm Coffee Break

3.00pm  Avoiding Greenwashing
General Counsel and heads of legal teams/legal heads are on the frontline of protecting corporate reputation and ensuring legal compliance in ESG reporting and when making green claims. This session will explore how to identify and manage the legal risks associated with greenwashing, navigate evolving disclosure obligations, and advise internal stakeholders on making clear, credible, and defensible ESG claims.
    • Christopher Wenn, senior associate, Burges Salmon
    • Jessica Eilts, managing legal counsel, NatWest
    • Clint Wilson, co-head of legal, GuarantCo
    • Holly Browne, associate director, Anthesis Group
    • Laura Halstead, head of funds and sustainability, Octopus Energy Generation

3.50pm Fireside Chat – Nature matters: key considerations for in-house counsel in integrating nature into business strategy and reporting

Nature and biodiversity has never been more topical on company board agendas – particularly given the focus of discussions at the COP16 Convention on Biological Diversity, regulatory developments such as the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain rules in England for developers, and growing interest in investing in nature markets. It’s increasingly important for businesses to integrate nature into their business strategies and consider their approach over the long term. This informal discussion highlights key considerations in understanding your nature dependencies and impacts, structuring your approach and the frameworks and guidance available for support. It also explores why investing in nature projects not only shows a powerful commitment to climate to stakeholders but, importantly, contributes towards a more nature-positive future that brings benefits for business and nature combined.

    • Ben Stansfield, Sustainability Partner at Gowling WLG (UK) LLP
    • Tom Mason, biodiversity lead, Nature Positive

4.20pm  The P in ESG – Positivity

Whilst it has undoubtedly been a turbulent period for ESG, the last 12 months have seen a raft of positive developments encompassing each of the E, S and G. In this session, our expert panel will share their reflections on some of the standout legal, regulatory, policy and case law developments that have continued to drive progress across the spectrum of ESG topics over the last year, and look ahead to some of the exciting developments and the opportunities coming from them which are likely to characterise ESG in the months ahead.

    • John Buttanshaw, partner, operational risk & environment | co-head of ESG & impact, Travers Smith
    • Joshua Domb, founder, Gen-R Law
    • Stephen Shergold, Partner, White & Case
    • Ella Stolwerk, real estate associate, Addleshaw Goddard
    • Anna Bauböck (moderator), senior editor, Legal 500

5.00pm Closing remarks

  • Heather Gagen, head of dispute resolution | co-head of ESG & impact, Travers Smith

5.10pm Drinks and Canapes

6.00pm Event Concludes