Key Insights

1. Sustainability Is Now a Governance Function — Not Marketing

Christine explains that sustainability started as a PR activity but has evolved into a core governance issue.
GCs are uniquely positioned to lead because sustainability requires:

• cross-functional coordination,
• regulatory awareness,
• risk management,
• and ethical judgment.
  Legal is one of the few teams that can bring all those pieces together.
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2. ESG Pressure Is Coming from All Directions

Stakeholders driving sustainability expectations include:

• customers,
• investors,
• employees,
• regulators,
• and supply-chain partners.
  GCs must help the business navigate this complexity while avoiding greenwashing or unsubstantiated claims.
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3. You Can Start Sustainability Without a Big Budget or Dedicated Team

Christine shares a simple starting framework:

1. Inventory what the business already does (often more than people realize).
2. Identify the top environmental risks (energy, waste, water, procurement).
3. Set realistic, measurable goals.
4. Build a cross-functional group — ops, HR, legal, finance, facilities.
5. Publish simple, honest reporting.
   Sustainability grows through iteration, not perfection.

4. The Biggest Risk in ESG Is Overpromising

Companies often announce ambitious environmental goals but fail to prepare execution systems.
GCs must ensure ESG claims are:

• legally compliant,
• operationally feasible,
• and backed by real data.
  Misleading sustainability marketing now creates litigation and regulatory exposure.
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5. Sustainability Builds Culture and Trust — Not Just Compliance

Younger employees increasingly expect environmental responsibility.
Christine notes that companies with strong sustainability efforts:

• attract better talent,
• improve retention,
• increase engagement,
• and strengthen brand trust.
  This isn’t virtue-signaling — it’s competitive advantage.
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6. Climate Risk Must Enter Board-Level Conversations

GCs should translate climate topics into business terms:

• operational disruption,
• supply-chain volatility,
• insurance increases,
• energy cost spikes,
• changing customer expectations.
  Boards respond to risk, and climate is a risk like cybersecurity or data privacy.
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7. The GC Is the Natural Integrator of Sustainability Work

Sustainability spans contracts, procurement, operations, HR, compliance, and finance.
Legal often ends up stitching these functions together because:

• the GC owns risk,
• legal understands disclosure obligations,
• and the GC can influence executive alignment.
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8. Closing Insight:

GCs who embrace sustainability become strategic leaders far beyond legal.
Christine’s approach shows that the path forward is simple: start small, be transparent, and build systems the business can trust.