Insight - 1Q:3A

One question. Three answers.
Supply chains sit at the center of sustainability and risk. With experience in law, manufacturing, and operations, we unpack how law, business, and sustainability intersect.

Lightbulb that says sustainability versus ESG, Sustainability is in a lightbulb and ESG is an informational label.

Q. What is the difference between Sustainability and ESG?

1.  Sustainability

Sustainability is often used as shorthand for "sustainable development," which the United Nations (UN) defines as "meeting the needs of the present without as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

Whack-a-mole game with sustainability theme, showing different emerging sustainability law issues: forced labor, packaging regulations, animal welfare, carbon emissions, biodiversity, forever chemicals, deforestation, plastic pollution and sustainability reporting.

 Q. Why are there so many sustainability laws now?

Sustainability laws, referring to laws that curb degenerative human activity, are not new. Rather, recent regulations have broadened the scope of conduct subject to scrutiny. These regulations fall into three overlapping categories:

A pop up for a software update instead suggesting to adopt a new sustainability standard.

Q. Sustainable supply chain, where to start?

Implementation requires more than a list of desired achievements. While a policy demonstrates focus, and can include long term planning, practical interventions are required to move the needle.

Emissions drawing showing a factory being captured in a butterfly net showing carbon capture, and the same factory in a glass mason jar showing carbon storage.

Q. How are international laws responding to climate change relevant to supply chain?

1.  Domestic law: International laws combatting climate change include binding obligations which states implement via changes to domestic law. These new domestic laws will be applied to organizations operating directly or indirectly in that country like any other domestic law.