Category

Sustainability

Category

A spotlight on enforcement and litigation risks In brief ESG is increasingly of prioritised concern to companies and organisations due to a growing number of legislations and regulations as well as awareness of ESG issues. Across jurisdictions, we see a rising trend towards more active ESG enforcement and litigation. In our The Year Ahead: Global Disputes Forecast 2024,[1] nearly three-quarters (73%) of the respondents said that environmental, social and governance (ESG) disputes presented as the…

For nearly a decade, plaintiffs have been filing lawsuits over the alleged environmental and health consequences associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — sometimes called forever chemicals. Initially, these lawsuits were largely against early manufacturers of Teflon and other common household products. But this landscape is rapidly changing. Recently, the range of lawsuits and companies targeted has expanded to include not only manufacturers but also other companies in the chain of commerce — including those…

In brief With the rapid rise of environmental consciousness in Australia and abroad, consumer-facing businesses are increasingly making claims about the environmental qualities of their products, services and business operations. While the ACCC has had guidance on the practice of “greenwashing” for some time (link here), policing of environmental and sustainability claims has been a core area of focus for the ACCC in the last 12 months. In October 2022, the ACCC launched an internet sweep…