“Working with local authorities and anchor institutions, we can improve our procurement processes and allow social value to become a universally applied currency within our city region that is embedded at the outset, rather than being an afterthought. A successful ESG strategy cannot happen without leadership and accountability at all levels and now is the time for us all to collectively raise the bar.” Paul Cherpeau, CEO, Liverpool Chamber
Liverpool Chamber of Commerce was delighted to be part of an event hosted by DTM Legal and MHA Moore and Smalley which was attended by over 200 members of the local business community. You can read a review of the event and next steps by DTM Legal below.
Richard Harris, Partner, DTM Legal, who chaired the event concluded that, ‘ESG is certainly the right thing to do, and it also now makes sense from a hard-headed business perspective’.
‘Whatever business you are in, your clients are now looking at things more widely. Yes, price is still important, but they are looking at other things as well. They will ask if you are sustainable, and do you have consideration beyond just profit?’
‘Ultimately, without strong ESG ethos, you are not getting the customers and not getting the work in. It really is that simple’.
Kate Roberts, Partner, DTM Legal, explained that ‘Just talking about your charity of the year is not enough anymore. It is a much bigger challenge for businesses than CSR ever was. You actually have to implement it into your strategies and then provide evidence of what you are doing.’
‘When contemplating ESG initiatives, companies tend to focus primarily on implementing environmental or social policies. However, the absence of effective governance structures can lead to the stagnation and ultimate ineffectiveness of these ESG policies, preventing them from generating a meaningful positive impact.’
‘In the context of the Liverpool City Region, embracing social mobility presents businesses with a unique chance to not only make a positive contribution to their local community but also to foster the growth and retention of valuable talent.’
Paul Spencer partner and ESG lead at MHA Moore and Smalley, said: “We were delighted to see such appetite and level of interest in this inaugural ESG focused event.
“It was inspiring to see so many people attend and engage with the discussions on the day around the three strands of ESG, environmental, societal and governance; and how they each need to play a vital role in every business, no matter how big or small.
“As co-producers of this event we hope that this will act as a launch pad for future events and help to put Liverpool under the global spotlight as a leading ESG business friendly city”
WHAT IS BUSINESS NOT AS USUAL?
Hosted by DTM Legal and MHA Moore and Smalley, Business Not as Usual was an opportunity to champion ESG in Liverpool. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policy is often dismissed as a tick-box exercise but not for the business leaders that joined us for this event. The evening included an introduction from Paul Cherpeau, Chief Executive Officer at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce which was followed by a powerful speech from Professor Jo Meehan, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Business. Following on from the speakers our panel discussed trending topics in ESG before taking questions from the audience.
Paul Cherpeau ended his speech by saying ‘It is time for Liverpool, both public and private sectors, to raise the bar and I very much hope today’s event provides the catalyst to do just that’. This ended up being a reoccurring theme for the evening with the good number of attendees being a positive sign for Liverpool’s ability act as a leader in the topics surrounding ESG.
OUR ESG EXPERT PANEL
The expert panel for the evening included speakers from MHA Moore and Smalley, DTM Legal LLP, Liverpool One, Liverpool Chamber, National Museums Liverpool, Carbon Happy World, and the University of Liverpool. With contributors from a range of businesses, the panel covered a number of real world benefits they have seen as a result of good governance. Importantly the panel demonstrated that successful ESG policy requires involvement from all levels of an organisation and an intermingling of all three aspects of ESG. In contrast, businesses that have struggled to implement good environmental or social policies might have the best intentions but in the cases discussed failed to develop a holistic strategy leading to stagnation of delivery.
We are very grateful to have been joined by such experienced and well informed local experts and look forward to partnering with Paul Spencer (MHA Moore and Smalley), Professor Jo Meehan (University of Liverpool), Paul Cherpeau (Liverpool Chamber), Donna Howitt (Liverpool ONE) and David Watson (National Museums Liverpool) again. We are confident that they will all continue to be driving forces for ESG excellence.
WHAT COMES AFTER BUSINESS NOT AS USUAL
We left the event feeling a great sense of enthusiasm for the future of ESG but also an awareness that action is required to ensure momentum is not lost. The DTM Legal and Moore and Smalley will be planning more ESG events for the future and we recommend following our quarterly newsletter to keep informed of future event announcements.
We also recommend following the speakers from Business Not as Usual so that you don’t miss any of their updates.
ESG CONSULTANCY FROM DTM LEGAL
ESG legal considerations are not covered by any singular law but instead span an array of services. This is why we draw from a team of experienced solicitors when considering ESG policy. Often concerns for ESG can start with topics as simple as reviewing your company handbook or taking steps to cover Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). Contact Richard Harris and Kate Roberts, by calling 0151 3210000 or email richard.harris@dtmlegal.com/kate.roberts@dtmlegal.com to discuss your ESG governance.