About ESG Roundtable: From Siloed Topics to Integrated Strategy

ESG is evolving rapidly, with increasing regulatory requirements and growing expectations from stakeholders. At the same time, many organisations still approach ESG topics in isolation – while in practice, legal and compliance challenges increasingly intersect.

This upcoming ESG roundtable will take a more holistic and practical perspective. The session will explore how developments across the ‘S’, ‘E’ and ‘G’ pillars interact – and what this means for in-house legal teams in practice.

This will be an interactive session, centred on open discussion and peer exchange. Using the topics below as a starting point, the discussion will focus on how ESG challenges play out in practice – including where priorities across legal, HR and sustainability intersect, and how legal teams can support balanced, defensible decisions.

The session will focus on two key topics:

Pay transparency
Marieke Koster will address the upcoming Dutch pay transparency legislation (expected implementation by 1 January 2027), including practical implications for organisations. Marieke will also reflect on how pay transparency fits within the broader ESG and HR strategy.

Discussion points may include:

• What should organisations already be doing now to prepare?
• What are the key requirements and considerations under the Dutch framework?
• How can pay transparency be aligned with wider ESG and governance objectives?

Green claims versus substance - a conversation with B Lab
The new legislation on green claims poses a tight framework around communicating about your sustainability achievements and commitments. A sustainability label that is run under the criteria of the new legislation, can help consumers in making more sustainable choices. But how does this work in practice? How do you ensure the consumer understands the challenges, the achievements and the scope of the commitments that are certified under the sustainability label while held to strict limitations? The B Corp Movement was founded 20 years ago and has over 12.000 B Corps certified globally under the ever evolving standards. How do they attribute to a more sustainable world, where pay is fair, human rights are held to account and the business impact lasts. 

Thera Adams will be joined by a guest speaker from B Lab, who will shed a light on the challenges and ambitions of the B Corp Movement.

Discussion points may include:

• What is the Theory of Change?
• How have the B Lab Standards evolved?
• How can engagement with B Corps evolve from mere certification into active participation in the movement?

Speakers:
- Thera Adam (Eversheds Sutherland Netherlands)
- Marieke Koster (Eversheds Sutherland Netherlands)
- B lab