Businesses across a range of industries—from startup, to stand-out—are increasingly turning to Troutman Pepper for advice on the myriad of business and legal implications connected with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). Troutman Pepper attorneys closely track Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and Federal Trade Commission regulations and policies relating to ESG to better advise clients on reporting requirements and their implications. We also understand that ESG is not just driven by regulatory requirements, but also by the demands of client's stakeholders, including shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, and communities. We understand these drivers and can help develop strategies for enacting policies and programs to implement ESG strategies.
We help these businesses grow by bringing our experience to every aspect of their ESG initiatives, including environmental management; alternative energy development; project siting and development; fund formation and private equity portfolio management counseling and related reporting; climate adaptation infrastructure; responses to social justice initiatives and environmental justice concerns; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives; board diversity; work force management; employee, customer and stakeholder engagement; and carbon and other emission and waste reduction initiatives. We also understand the increasing importance of ESG in obtaining financing for company initiatives.
Whether procuring renewable power or emission offsets, enhancing compliance and reporting policies, delivering emission or waste reduction projects, reviewing supply chain risks, or investing in new products or strategies, clients rely on Troutman Pepper attorneys to help achieve their sustainability goals. While the goals are often similar, specific ESG and sustainability strategies vary greatly among our clients, and we leverage the diversity of knowledge in the firm across the range of our corporate, finance, tax, energy, capital projects, environmental, project development, real estate, and employment practices to prepare tailored support for each client's needs.
See here for more detail on our capabilities:
Environmental
Social
Governance
Troutman Pepper is at the forefront of the rapidly evolving renewable energy industry. Our award-winning Renewable Energy Transactional team has a track record for innovation and has handled many of the industry's largest and transformative transactions. In the past 18 months, we closed more than 10 gigawatts (GW) of installed renewable energy (solar, wind, storage, biomass, geothermal, and hydro) with a value exceeding $10 billion. We actively counsel clients on projects and transactions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Our team is at the cutting edge of the tax-equity market, working through the latest issues affecting tax-equity financings for our clients, who range from seasoned buyers in the renewable energy market to first-time offtakers. Our practice has been recognized as a "National Top-Tier" Energy Practice for eight consecutive years and received the 2020 "Law Firm of the Year" distinction for Energy Law in U.S. News - Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" edition. Our renewable energy practice won nationwide recognition in the 2016 - 2020 Chambers USA guides, and in the 2019, 2022-2024 The Legal 500.
Troutman Pepper attorneys help guide clients on best practices related to corporate social responsibility and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) issues to ensure that clients comply with all relevant disclosure requirements and best practices. For example, we have developed new ESG disclosures as part of the annual proxy statement process for our corporate clients. We advise clients with respect to ESG policies generally, and we also have assisted with SEC comment letters and other communications to the SEC. Human capital and social responsibility often start with the companies and corporations that employ them. We advise our clients on everything from labor and employment issues and workplace safety standards to consumer law compliance and consumer reporting.
Building on Troutman Pepper's long-standing commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability across our transactional practices, we help sponsors, investors, lenders, and portfolio companies develop and implement ESG principles in their growth strategies. We bring these forward-thinking entities state-of-the-market insights into regulatory and contractual obligations, fundraisings, impact investing initiatives, environmental compliance, employment, and ongoing business operations.
Our full-service environmental and natural resources team helps clients assess environmental risk, whether at the initial siting of a project, during the permitting of a project, or during operation. Our attorneys support clients through environmental auditing to develop strategies for making improvements, and in the development of programs to minimize the environmental footprint of their operations. We also advise clients on strategies for understanding and addressing environmental justice (EJ) issues and sustainability. Our nationally recognized environmental and natural resources practice supports a diverse client base on a range of cutting-edge environmental issues throughout the United States.
Firm News
01.31.24
Troutman Pepper Partner Dave Meyers Named a 2024 Fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation
Environmental Law and Policy Monitor
10.16.23
California Adopts Landmark GHG Emissions and Climate Risk Reporting Laws
Articles + Publications
10.13.23
California Adopts Landmark GHG Emissions and Climate Risk Reporting Laws, Eclipsing Anticipated Federal Requirements
Speaking Engagements
10.03.23
Philadelphia Bar Association CLE - ESG Considerations for Law Firms and Corporations – Live Webcast
Firm Events
08.02.23
2023 Proxy Season CLE Presentation
Speaking Engagements
02.28.23
An Investment In Climate - How The SEC Climate Disclosure Could Accelerate Decarbonization