Conference programme

Ubuntu is a collection of African values focused on environmental management systems, community and morality. A unique philosophy recognised and integrated in a significant part of African communities, who often feel marginalised by Western concepts and are forced to learn new ones such as ESG. There are several similarities between the principles of responsible investment and Ubuntu. However, one is well developed and understood emanating from the Global North, and the other is not. If the shared goal is fostering the responsible stewardship of our resources, business and people does it really matter whether this is developed under the umbrella of Ubuntu or ESG from an African perspective?

Following diminished investor support for ESG initiatives, conservative pushback against DEI policies and the retreat from multilateralism in the US, this session will examine the impact of these trends on North American companies and steps they can take to protect their trading and investment prospects within North America and globally by adapting their ESG and DEI policies and practices in response.

This keynote will examine how the right to a healthy environment is rapidly emerging as a constitutional principle and reshaping climate litigation. Courts are increasingly using constitutional guarantees to evaluate government action on climate change and to expand standing—especially for young people—challenging policies that disregard broader climate impacts. Recent cases in Montana, Wisconsin, and Hawaii illustrate the growing influence of state constitutions in this area.

Beyond the United States, a wider global shift is underway as jurisdictions recognise environmental well-being as a fundamental right and, in some instances, extend legal protections to natural features and ecosystems. These developments are transforming how environmental responsibilities are defined and enforced, signalling a pivotal evolution in climate governance and future legal strategy.

This session will examine how France’s advanced ESG framework influences the attractiveness and competitiveness of French companies in an increasingly globalised marketplace. With pioneering legislation on diversity, executive remuneration, and supply-chain vigilance, France has established some of the most ambitious corporate responsibility standards in Europe. These rules impose meaningful obligations and heightened scrutiny, but they also create opportunities for companies to differentiate themselves through strong governance, credible reporting, and robust risk management.

The discussion will explore how businesses can adapt their internal structures and compliance systems to meet evolving expectations, manage litigation and enforcement exposure, and translate mandatory ESG practices into strategic value. Panellists will consider whether France’s proactive regulatory environment can serve as a competitive advantage for internationally active companies and how these standards may shape investor confidence, market positioning, and long-term corporate resilience.

Risks linked to organisations’ dependencies and impacts on nature – from climate change, biodiversity loss and water scarcity to land degradation and disease – are increasingly recognised as material legal and financial risks. This keynote highlights these trends, future directions, and how the IBA’s new Nature-Intelligent Legal Services Toolkit helps lawyers to understand their clients’ exposure to nature-related risks and build nature considerations into their legal services.