ESG: Governance

Now more than ever before, companies are facing mounting public pressure to address their ESG-related risks in a meaningful way. Accountability for businesses and boards now comes from within an organization as well as from the general public. McInnes Cooper’s lawyers are here to guide you on how best to manage risks, engage with stakeholders and make the right choices around governance and reporting. We’ll help your organization implement a governance framework that is compliant, effective and sustainable. Our expertise in this area includes:

• Developing and implementing a governance framework including updating by-laws, establishing new or revamped committees and developing timely and focused policies
• Advising on continuous disclosure obligations for reporting issuers and public companies
• Conducting thorough M&A due diligence to understand how a target’s business fits within your ESG standards
• How to comply with lobbying legislation and get registered
• Designing and delivering executive team and board evaluations
• Assisting with developing and delivering board and management education sessions
• Engagement with provincial securities commissions and regulators, including responding to enforcement actions
• Managing and responding to shareholder activism
• Shareholder and member relations, including annual and special meeting
• Board dispute resolution
• Developing and implementing various tools to improve governance including using board skills matrix for recruiting and identifying educational opportunities, board self-assessments, risk management framework, including key legal risks for directors and officers, strategic planning and developing an ESG strategy