University Chancellor discusses corporate compliance to sustainability legislation with Centre for Sustainable Business Director
University Chancellor and alumna, Judge Wendy Beetlestone, met with Management School’s Centre for Sustainable Business (CSB) Director, Professor Jo Meehan, for an insightful talk on how corporate operations have evolved in line with legislation to tackle the climate emergency and social justice issues.
Sustainability legislation and its impact on business operations
During a special event organised by the Alumni Team on Friday 24 May in London, Wendy offered her expert view as US Federal Judge (Pennsylvania) on the way regulatory changes have impacted governmental and organisational approaches to sustainability.
Wendy outlined seminal cases that have reshaped companies’ sustainability strategies and outputs, with an emphasis on how changes in legal standings are raising the accountability bar for businesses, states and governments for harming people and the environment.
Wendy and Jo discussed the legal implications of research undertaken by CSB experts on the intersections of human rights and climate change, which sheds light on corporate responses to modern slavery in supply chains.
“It was fascinating to delve into the history of US litigation and explore how it’s shaping corporate responses to climate change and human rights around the world”, said Jo.
“The alumni audience asked some great questions for a wide-ranging discussion on disclosures, climate futures and the legal responsibilities of governments, states and businesses.”
How our global University community is fostering a sustainable world
Following a lively audience debate, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Suzie Thompson, presented the University’s Strategic Sustainability Framework which outlines the current and future steps to drive environmental and social equity through education, research and operations.
This included details on key focus areas within the Sustainability Research Theme, such as net-zero materials, clean air and decarbonisation of supply chains, as well as children’s rights and women’s equality.
At the end of the event, attendees had the opportunity to partake in an informal networking session for University of Liverpool alumni.
About the Centre for Sustainable Business
The CSB is one of six Management School Research Centres and serves as a hub of actionable research insights, supporting businesses and policymakers in finding solutions to the climate emergency and social justice issues.
The Centre focuses on bridging the gap between academics and organisations, by translating research into accessible guidance and collaborating with businesses on research projects to help achieve their sustainability goals.
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