This seminar has two objectives: first, to clarify the key ideas on ESG (“Environmental, Social and Governance”), second, to emphasize the relation between these six fundamental concepts of corporate and contractual law:

     a) Sustainability;
     b) Corporate Governance;
     c) Corporate due diligence and compliance;
     d) Responsible contracting;
     e) Civil liability;
     f) Corporate reporting and transparency.

The main subjects to be discussed are the following:

1. Background on ESG (Class 1);
2. The future EU framework on ESG: the proposed “Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive” (“CSDDD”) (Class 1), the “Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive” (“CSRD”) and further examples of regulating corporate conduct towards greater sustainability (eg. Conflict Mineral Regulation);
3. Corporate governance and sustainability: how are stake holder interests reflected within the existing and evolving frameworks, what can be the rules for responsible business conduct and what is the underlying tension, e.g. with fiduciary duties (Class 2);
4. Corporate due diligence obligations and directors’ duties (Class 2);
5. Responsible contracting (“ethic clauses” or “moral clauses”) (Class 3);
6. Adverse impacts and civil liability (Class 3).