In agriculture, sustainability is not a preference – it is a sign of vitality. Food manufacturers, farmers, and land investors across the globe who understand that have already begun to reap the benefits.
As in other industries that have prioritized environmental social governance, companies that ethically source the resources to develop and produce crops and livestock see substantial financial benefits and boost their long-term productivity and longevity. For reasons that differ across continents, consumers and regulators alike have placed enormous value on sustainable farming and land maintenance, and companies and investors that fail to meet the standards they set are being excluded in the market.
Responsible farming involves a litany of issues, all of which come with legal and financial hurdles that differ country to country and region to region. Our team of lawyers assists clients in navigating regulations around pesticide usage, sourcing clean water, ethical labor practices, environmental protection, and effects on wildlife, among countless others.
Standards also differ among private clients and trade groups. We serve as counsel in discussions and disputes across the supply chain, from farmers themselves, to distributors, to the companies that deliver the product to the consumer. With lawyers around the globe who are intimately familiar with the standards of their region, our team is uniquely positioned to help guide clients looking to create policies and audit procedures across a variety of sustainability metrics.
More than any other time, businesses, investors, and consumers alike have the responsibility to promote, sponsor, and consume ethically sourced and sustainable agriculture. Our team has spent years helping clients meet that responsibility and build value while doing so. We can help to ensure that you will, too.
On 13 January 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued two rulings on the challenges to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) (OSHA Ruling) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Interim Final Rule with Comment (CMS IFR) (CMS Ruling) (discussed here).
A first of its kind, The H2 Handbook provides a comprehensive summary of the regulatory, commercial, and policy issues that hydrogen may face on its path to becoming a global commodity and a significant part of the energy mix. The handbook covers hydrogen-related issues in a number of jurisdictions across the globe, including Australia, the European Union, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Check back regularly as new region handbooks are published.
On 22 December 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted amendments (the final rule) to Rule 206(4)-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the Advisers Act) to modernize the regulation of investment adviser advertising and solicitation practices.
We’ve heard a lot over the past year about Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) regulatory developments affecting asset managers in the European Union, which is regarded as leading the way on ESG regulation.
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