Legal Primer on Climate Change: Directors’ Duties and Disclosure Obligations

Climate change has evolved from an environmental issue to a critical consideration in board oversight of risk, strategy and corporate disclosure. However, many directors are unaware of how this intersects with their legal duties and disclosure obligations, often assuming that the pursuit of a net-zero business strategy means they must forgo profitable opportunities.

The legal landscape has evolved considerably in recent years, and continues to do so as new regulations, laws and litigation around the world redefine what directors should do. Considering this very fluid context, how should directors interpret their legal obligations? 

• Do these duties vary significantly across jurisdictions?
• Is a high standard of transparency enough?
• How is the concept of the ‘responsible director’ being redefined in a world where the scientific and financial communities increasingly regard climate change as the single-greatest systemic risk facing the global economy?
• How do these trends impact the standard of care implicit in directors’ duty of care, and what are the consequences of inaction?

We partnered with the Climate Governance Initiative and the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative to provide directors with clear answers to these questions via a global Primer on directors’ duties and obligations as they relate to climate change. The Primer addresses common trends across 20 key jurisdictions, plus the EU27.

Please join us for a webinar on July 15^th at 2:00 PM EDT as we launch the Primer in North America. A panel of legal experts, directors and investors will share insights on the climate-related risks and duties that boards must understand and act upon to steer their organizations to resilience and commercial success in a net-zero world.