Governance and strategy
Responsible business is driven from the highest levels of the Firm. Our Advisory Council owns and oversees the development of our ESG strategy, supported by two dedicated sub-committees: the ESG Steering Committee (ESG SteerCo) and the Future Firm Group (which focuses on DEI)
The ESG Steering Committee is chaired by the Firm’s former non-Executive Director Larissa Joy, and its membership includes our Managing Partner, Simon Ridpath, our COO, Lesley O’Leary and our dedicated Responsible Business Partner, Kerry Stares, whose mandate is to focus exclusively on responsible business. They are supported by a range of partners from across different practice areas, senior leaders in Business Services and specialists such as our dedicated Head of Environmental Sustainability, Helen Clark.
The operational delivery of ESG strategy is also led by members of the Firm’s senior Operational Committee (OpCom). Our Managing Partner, Simon Ridpath, owns and is accountable for the delivery of our ESG strategy overall, supported by Kerry Stares.
In 2024 our ESG Steering Committee set out to drive the development of a holistic and comprehensive ESG strategy for the Firm, to be fully integrated with our general Firmwide strategy.
To provide a robust and evidence-based foundation for our strategy, in the second half of 2024 the ESG SteerCo carried out a double materiality assessment. The assessment was designed to help us identify and prioritise those ESG issues which are most material for our business and involved engaging with a diverse cross-section of our clients and our people to understand their needs and expectations of us. We surveyed approximately one third of our people, held focus groups representing all levels and practices within the Firm, and took feedback from a diverse group of clients and intermediaries.
As a result of this assessment, our new ESG Strategy 2025-2028, to be finalised later this year, will address the Firm’s direct impact as a growing international business and the ways in which we support our clients to achieve their ESG objectives.
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