An ESG practice may include advising corporations and other organizations for disclosure, policy formulation, and/or litigation regarding risks, opportunities, and legal/regulatory obligations that fall broadly under Environmental (energy usage and sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions, water and waste management, biodiversity), Social (diversity, equity, & inclusion, health & safety, human rights, community impact) & Governance (board composition, executive compensation, transparency, corruption, cybersecurity) categories. This can include advising boards regarding shareholder activism. In addition to advisory work, ESG practitioners may also help to structure deals that include ESG components or considerations. In Canada, corporate relations with First Nations, Métis and Inuit governments, communities, and individuals—as land and resource rights holders, project partners, corporate leaders, and employees—are significant areas of focus that touch on many aspects of ESG. Corporate ESG initiatives may mitigate risk and improve social licence to operate, act on demands by institutional sources of investment/capital, and/or be required by legislation and regulators such as the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and the Toronto Stock Exchange.
