Team size: Four

How can general counsel foster a corporate culture that supports ESG principles and compliance across all levels of the organisation?

As Legal Director, I believe that businesses, in general, must adopt ESG principles as an integral part of their organisational culture. From the legal department, we must drive this adoption through clear policies that reflect our commitment to ethics, transparency, and social responsibility, ensuring that these values are embedded in the DNA of our employees, suppliers, strategic partners, and those acting on behalf of the company.

ESG principles can be fostered through the integration of institutional and corporate values, embedding them within the legal strategy, which must be promoted with a sustainability-focused vision and treated as a strategic consideration in decision-making.

It is also essential to establish effective communication and reporting mechanisms that allow employees to raise concerns, report irregularities, and participate actively in improving internal processes. The implementation of ethical channels and robust compliance systems, overseen by the legal department, strengthens both internal and external trust and ensures the organisation acts in accordance with the highest standards of integrity.

As lawyers, we must lead by example within our companies. This means acting consistently with our ethical standards, promoting responsible and transparent corporate behaviour, and seeking to generate a positive impact on society. At the same time, our legal advice must be comprehensive, ensuring that the analyses we conduct daily align business and financial objectives with the company’s social and environmental commitments.

How does your team contribute to the overall business strategy of the company? Can you share an example of a recent legal-led initiative that had a significant impact?

The legal department plays a strategic role in the company’s business through the advice it provides, which is aligned not only with regulatory compliance, but also with the application of best practices and the principles of good corporate governance.

Our role is not limited to legal compliance through the literal reading of laws and regulations; it extends to risk identification, contingency prevention, and value creation through proactive legal advice, enabling the company to operate with both legal and reputational security within a complex regulatory environment.

We actively contribute to the definition and implementation of corporate policies that strengthen business sustainability, particularly in areas such as underwriting, compliance, and data protection. In addition, we participate in the structuring of new products and services, ensuring that their design and commercialisation comply with local regulations and group policies, allowing the company to innovate without compromising its integrity.

One example is the initiative led by the legal department in which we validated and improved the terms and conditions of our insurance products. This not only strengthened our internal controls but also enhanced our relationships with policyholders. By producing clear policies and documentation free of overly technical language, customers can fully understand the products they are purchasing.

Actions of this kind demonstrate how the legal department can act as a strategic business partner, anticipating regulatory challenges and contributing to informed, ethical, and sustainable decision-making.