ESG, Compliance and Risk Management
Our team specialises in ESG, compliance, and risk management, offering unique expertise in preventing, detecting and handling any breaches of legislation or other compliance and integrity breaches and issues, both in Norway and internationally.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) management has become crucial to long-term financial gain, including to reduce risk exposure while still attracting the most desirable talent, business partners and investors. We assist our clients in achieving their ESG objectives by helping companies manage risks and opportunities related to sustainability and ethical practices.
Our work in the areas of ESG and compliance involves risk management and compliance with regulatory requirements and ethical norms, including anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, sanctions/export controls, human rights and environmental/climate law. As regulatory requirements continue to evolve and become increasingly wide-ranging, we help our clients stay ahead by advising on requirements and best practice in compliance and risk management.
We offer
- Risk assessments, gap-analysis and strategic advice
- Developing and implementing compliance programmes, including risk-based policies and procedures, setting up compliance functions and reporting lines, whistle-blowing and follow-up on reported concerns, internal control, monitoring, and training in various regulatory areas, particularly:
- Anti-corruption
- Anti-money laundering
- International sanctions and trade controls
- Responsible business practices and human rights
- Sustainability, climate and environment
- Assessing existing compliance programmes in light of best practice
- Designing systems for third party management, including procedures and systems for Integrity due diligence (IDD)) and compliance advice, including in relation to mergers and acquisitions
- Conducting screening and IDD of third parties
ESG Alerts
Our ESG Alerts provide you with updates on material developments relating to environment, social and governance topics, primarily (although not exclusively) focusing on such developments in the EU and Norway.
See our other Compliance areas
Read our articles on ESG, Compliance and Risk Management
WR ESG Alert: Norway commits to implement CBAM, while the first penalty under the Transparency Act is imposed
In this month's ESG alert, we highlight the first infringement penalty imposed under the Transparency Act, the implementation of the EU CSRD into Norwegian law, the Norwegian government's decision to implement CBAM into Norwegian law, EU restrictions on a sub-group of PFAS chemicals, and the latest decision from the Borgarting Court of Appeal regarding an injunction appeal from two environmental organisations.
First infringement penalty for failing to comply with the Transparency Act – and it bites!
The Norwegian Consumer Authority has on 25 September 2024 issued what appears to be the first infringement penalty for a failure to comply with the Norwegian Transparency Act. For not responding to two information requests on time, the Authority has imposed a penalty on a retail company of 450,000 NOK.
WR ESG Alert: An autumn of public consultations to further sustainability
In this month's ESG alert we describe three recently published public consultations in Norway, relating to (i) a revised CO2 compensation scheme, (ii) amendments to sustainability reporting in auditor and accounting regulations and (iii) the EU's recent Regulation on reduction of methane emissions in the energy sector.
