ESG-in-Law Series Features Due Diligence and Stakeholder Grievance Mechanisms

December 2023

By Patrick Miller

ESG-in-Law

California Lawyers Association’s Environmental, Social and Governance Interest Group released two new episodes of our ESG-in-Law video series. The episodes featured discussions with Pepijn van Haren and Lisa LaPlante.

You can find these conversations at the YouTube playlist link for the ESG Committee. 

Pepijn van Haren is a human rights and environmental investigation expert at Wallbrook, which recently became a part of Anthesis. The company provides a broad suite of investigative and advisory services in ESG areas. 

With Pepijn, we discussed his work investigating companies’ potential exposure to business risk arising from human rights and environmental issues. This is particularly useful prior to a merger or purchase. It is also frequently required by project investors and other financial institutions as a condition of financing.  

Professor Lisa LaPlante is a Professor of Law at New England Law. Her academic work focuses on business & human rights issues, particularly operational-level grievance mechanisms. 

With Lisa, we discussed her academic research involving operational-level grievance mechanisms. These are key aspects of the business and human rights Pillar III, which requires providing stakeholders access to adequate remedy. Properly functioning grievance systems allow stakeholders to report human rights abuses when they occur and allow for the issue to be remedied efficiently and effectively. 

Patrick Miller is a member of California Lawyers Association’s ESG Interest Group. He is the founding attorney at Impact Advocates APC, a Los Angeles-based law firm that focuses on commercial litigation and international arbitration, as well as ESG advisory services such as implementing responsible supply chain frameworks.