Louth business owners invited to join free Law Society course on ESG

The Law Society is inviting business owners in Louth to register for its upcoming, free online course on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards and reporting obligations.

Following the introduction of a new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) by the EU, large companies are required to report on their ESG standards. It is also increasingly an area of focus for businesses of all sizes in terms of business strategy and planning.

As part of its public legal education programme the Law Society runs a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) every year providing access to free legal education for the public. This year’s course is focused on ESG and runs for five weeks from 11 June - 31 July, with new materials for the weekly modules released every Tuesday. Participants are encouraged to dedicate at least one hour per week to watch the videos, and to engage and learn at their own pace.

Expert speakers, lawyers and academics will examine many topics, including developing an ESG strategy for businesses, ESG reporting obligations, biodiversity and ecosystems, climate change and decarbonisation, diversity and inclusion, and ESG corporate governance issues.

Guest speakers include:

• Ossian Smyth, Green Party TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy.
• Brian MacSharry, Head of Group, Nature and Biodiversity, European Environment Agency
• Nessa Joyce, Partner, William Fry
• Cliona Kimber SC, Chair of the Climate Bar Association
• Jonathan Moore, Partner, Fieldfisher
• Eamon O’ Connor, Senior Tax Manager, PwC
• Julie Hutton, Head of Operations, Irish Centre for Diversity

Since 2014, the Law Society’s free online courses have attracted 27,000 participants from over 85 countries, with 64% of participants based in Ireland and 36% internationally in countries as far afield as Aruba and Botswana.

Claire O’Mahony, Head of the Diploma Centre at the Law Society, said, “ESG is an important and evolving area that impacts all sectors. There is a growing interest in the area due to increased reporting obligations for businesses, but an effective ESG strategy can also reap many benefits.

"Our free online course is open to everyone and provides a solid grounding and understanding in all things ESG. To this end, our course will be particularly helpful for business owners, so they know what regulations are coming down the line.” 

Jonathan Moore, Partner, Fieldfisher and guest lecturer on the course, said, “One of the biggest obstacles businesses face in terms of ESG is the amount of EU regulations that are on the horizon.

"In many cases, companies are unaware and unprepared for the requirements that will be imposed on them, such as carbon reduction programmes and more. This course will therefore help businesses understand what is expected of them and how to prepare for the upcoming changes.

"While big companies will have dedicated staff to address these issues, smaller companies often lack such resources. This course is a valuable resource for Louth business owners to help them prepare for what is to come.”