Key team members: Kristian Nico Calugay Acosta (General counsel and head of legal and compliance department)

Can you sum up the team culture or ethos, and give us a breakdown of what makes your legal team function so well?

Our legal and compliance department’s ethos is aligned with the core principles of the Guess fashion brand, which prioritises personal and professional enrichment through a culture of open communication, teamwork, trust, and respect. These values guide the team to function at their best in corporate governance, litigation management, legal risk management, government relations, and public affairs.

Most importantly, these core values motivate the team to proactively support and champion the Guess fashion brand’s causes and commitments in the areas of climate reporting, climate transition, diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as in matters related to ESG and sustainability, social responsibility, and sustainability reporting.

Our team verily understands that one of the best ways for an in-house legal team to drive positive changes within its organisation, in the post pandemic era, is by implementing a systematic ESG strategy and by adopting sustainable practices. We rigorously advocate for our fellow in-house legal teams to recognise that a systematic ESG strategy can help businesses promote not only their commercial and legal interests but also build customer loyalty, improve corporate financial performance, establish sustainable business operations, and gain a competitive advantage.

Notably, the Guess fashion brand has received the ESG Investing Award for “Best Company for Sustainability Reporting” at the 2023 Cooperated ESG Awards. Furthermore, the brand was selected as a finalist in three additional categories – “Best Company for Climate Transition,” “Best Company for ESG & Sustainability,” and “Best Company for Social Responsibility.”