Description

In today’s context of great environmental, social and economic challenges, companies and sustainable investments play a crucial role in structuring new business models thar are way more connected to the environment in which they are intended, more respectful and aligned with well-being, diversity, inclusion and transparency to achieve a fairer and more equitable society.

We are the first law firm in Colombia with an industry team, whose proposal and expertise provides a broad portfolio of services offered by an interdisciplinary group of professionals, experts in the main topics associated with the ESG and Impact Investment agenda, among which the following are:

  • Sustainable Business.
  • Green financing.
  • Governance, Compliance and Crisis Management.
  • Human rights and business.
  • Energy transition.
  • Impact investment.
  • Climate Change and Carbon Neutrality.
  • B and BIC companies.

Our main goal is to help companies in the transition towards a new business model, supporting them in their efforts to align policies with the new standard of environmental, social and governance responsibility.

Our partners:

 

ASG1ASG2

ASG3ASG4
 

SERVICES PORTFOLIO
B and BIC Companies
  • Advice on the implementation of equity standards in compensation plans, and coordination of salary conditions and extra-legal benefits.
  • Advice on reports and deliverables to the Ministry of Labor, and others on wage equity standards.
  • Advice on the creation of extra-legal benefit plans and compensation schemes.
  • Design and implementation of benefits and training plans; training and professional habilitation for workers; and grants and forgivable loan programs.
  • Assistance in termination processes with workers, and inclusion of non-economic benefits such as professional reorientation programs.
  • Design of plans for participation for workers in society.
  • Formulation of health and wellness plans and policies aligned with SG-SST standards.
  • Design of nutritional, mental and physical health strategies, as part of the SG-SST Annual Plan and epidemiological surveillance programs.
  • Accompaniment in the management of cases of workplace harassment and preventive and corrective measures.
  • Implementation of home-office schemes, as well as flexible and compensable days.
  • Assistance in internal audit processes.

Corporate and Commercial Affairs

  • Advice and training for the implementation and development of the legal and regulatory requirements set for B companies or for Benefit and Collective Interest companies (BIC). This includes, among others, the corporate obligations of companies and, in the case of BICs, the implications of being incorporated as such.
  • Assistance in establishment of BIC companies.
  • In the case of a previously established company, we will provide assistance regarding the bylaws reform process in order to modify the company's name and corporate purpose.
  • Assistance in the process of modifying the composition of the governing bodies within companies to guarantee the inclusion required in the laws for BIC companies.
  • Assistance in the fulfillment of the annual obligations of the company, including among others, the preparation of the management report that the legal representative must submit in relation to the company regarding activities of benefit of collective interest.
  • Draft and/or verification of the contracts, leases and/or agreements that the company enters into by virtue of the development of its corporate purpose as a BIC or B company.
Green Businesses and Sustainable Companies

Sustainability, Green Business and Circular Economy

  • Advice for the establishment and consolidation of b companies and bic companies.
  • Advice on sustainability standards or reports: gri standards, certified b corporations, iso26000, sdg compass, accountability (aa1000) * (green portfolio).
  • Advice on the implementation of business sustainability strategies (ecotourism, sustainable fashion, department stores, cinemas, cannabis, renewable energy, among others).
  • Formulation of the business sustainability plan.
  • Training on business sustainability.
  • Advice on the analysis of esg criteria.
  • Analysis of compliance gaps with international standards on sustainability (for example: ods) * (isi, portfolio).
Climate Change and Carbon-Neutrality
  • Environmental legal assistance and advice on climate change and carbon-neutrality (REDD + and PES projects, among others).
  • Audits of projects to reduce certifiable CO2 emissions.
Circular Economy
  • Advice on the Implementation of the Zero Waste Management System, in order to obtain ICONTEC certification.
  • Audits to the Zero Waste Management System.
  • Training on waste management (Containers and packaging, product life cycle, SGBC).
  • Advice on the analysis of the product life cycle (ISO14040, ISO 14044).
  • Legal technical advice in the analysis and implementation of circular economy strategies (Green Portfolio).
Impact Investment
  • Private equity impact funds.
  • Contracts for results.
  • Blended finance.
  • Structuring of social impact projects.
  • Impact collective investment funds.
  • Green bonds.
  • Sustainable bonds.
  • Social bonuses.
  • Mixed bonds.
  • Structuring of autonomous assets for impact projects.
  • Structuring and constitution of non-profit entities for the development of impact projects.
  • Corporate Governance of the investment vehicle.
Human Rights and Busines
  • Support in the drafting of policies and certifications for diversity, gender equity and inclusion.
  • Accompaniment in the establishment of performance objectives in the field of human rights, development of performance monitoring systems, and advice on submission of reports and corporate communications.
  • Accompaniment in compliance with human rights standards for financing of Infrastructure Projects or other financing.
  • Supply chain management and control.
  • Internal audit in human rights and management of contractors, suppliers, and stakeholders.
  • Advice on compliance with labor, OSH, and standards of specialized industries (e.g., energy mining, aeronautics, port and maritime, Agro-industrial, etc).
  • Advice on the design and implementation of Green Jobs Programs.
  • Diagnosis, design, and implementation of compliance programs for the prevention of crimes associated with the violation of human rights.

Prevention:

  • Due diligences and investigations in the field prior conducting business, to avoid reputational damage or legal risks.
  • Drafting and implementation of protocols for the prevention of behaviors that might constitute violation human rights.
  • Advice on criminal matters regarding decision-making that may affect human rights.
  • Business risk analysis regarding human rights.
  • Training on human rights.
  • Advice on Agreements with the Law Enforcement Agencies. 
  • Design and execution of this type of agreement.
  • Advising on Agreements with government agencies.

Response:

  • Legal representation and defense before authorities, either criminal or special jurisdictions (JEP), for issues related to human rights.
  • Reputational crisis management due to breaches in compliance with regulations set for the prevention of human rights violations.
  • Investigations in the field to gather the necessary evidence for the “case theory” or defense in cases of human rights violations.
Sustainable Finance

Structured Finance and Financing of Projects with Social and Environmental Impact

  • Transportation systems that contribute to carbon neutrality.
  • Renewable energy sources that contribute to energy transformation.
  • Sustainable infrastructure (climate resilience).

Structuring of Financing Schemes Aligned with Objectives and Sustainable Projects

  • National Government.
  • International Organizations and Multilateral Banking.
  • Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL for its acronym in Spanish).

Financial Environmental Risk

  • ESG reports and financial statements.
  • Due diligence.
  • Structuring of credit portfolios.
  • Central Banks and Supervisors Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS).
Governance and Reporting

Corporate and Social Governance Affairs

  • Accompaniment in the process of implementation or review of Corporate Governance schemes.
  • Development and implementation of programs to guarantee the participation of employees within the company, to strengthen communication channels and seek the protection of human rights and other issues related to workplace, such as sexual harassment, discrimination, etc.
  • Advice for the implementation of programs that are required to guarantee the mental and physical health of workers, as well as the balance of their work and personal life.
  • Analysis of existing Corporate Governance structures for the inclusion and verification of compliance with ESG policies.

Compliance 

  • Reputational due diligence.
  • Design and implementation of the Compliance program (Fraud, AML / CFT, anti-bribery and anti-corruption).
  • Compliance and review of internal affairs and audits.
  • Independent Business Review.
  • Corporate Investigations.
  • E-discovery.
  • Legal advice on prevention of criminal offenses.
  • Litigation in corporate criminal law cases - Environmental crimes.
  • Regulatory defense.
  • Investigations of sexual misconduct.

OUR TEAM

NEWS OF INTEREST

ESG & Impact Investing
16 of August
ESG & Impact Investing
01 of August

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