Speakers:
Andrew McGinty, Partner, Hogan Lovells
Antonia Croke, Partner, Hogan Lovells
Mark Lin, Partner, Hogan Lovells
Stephanie Tsui, Senior Associate, Hogan Lovells
The Dangers of Giving it a Green Sheen
A discussion comparing and contrasting the risks and legal tools available for regulators and the public to target greenwashing claims in Mainland China, United Kingdom, and Hong Kong
The question on everyone’s lips when it comes to making environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments and statements is: “are they likely to be challenged as greenwashing”? And while the expression is constantly being bandied around, what exactly constitutes “greenwashing”?
Currently, there is no specific legislation in Mainland China, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong specifically focusing on greenwashing, although there are plans in some of these jurisdictions to rein in greenwashing. This does not mean that there are no existing provisions which could be used by regulators, investors, consumers and environmental activists to seek redress against companies giving things a green sheen.
Join us for an afternoon discussion on the priorities of regulators in the context of ESG and what tools and weapons Mainland China, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong regulators have at their disposal to combat greenwashing. We will also explore the types of actions that investors, consumers and environmental activists are seeking to bring to challenge alleged greenwashing. In doing so, the panel will cover topics such as reputational risk, stakeholder actions, increased scrutiny from regulators, complaints and litigation in each of the abovementioned jurisdictions.
About the speakers
Andrew McGinty is a corporate and M&A partner in our Hong Kong office and a driving force behind the Asia Pacific region's Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practice at Hogan Lovells. He has spent over 30 years in Mainland China and Hong Kong, is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, and is able to draw on his experience to bring insight to bear where it matters. Andrew is at his happiest when in the thick of a deal or a project. He covers a wide waterfront of foreign direct investment, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances as well as regulatory advice in the toughest, most highly regulated sectors, with a focus on the TMT, venture capital, real estate, financial institutions, life sciences, and insurance sectors, but has handled just about everything in between.
Antonia Croke is a disputes partner in our Hong Kong office. Antonia routinely advises multinational companies and financial institutions on internal investigations, regulatory enforcement matters and associated litigation. Antonia is a “go to” lawyer for companies and banks who are looking to create and implement effective compliance programmes. Antonia has also been recognised as a “Key Lawyer” for Litigation in Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide 2022. Antonia writes and speaks regularly on ESG issues and in her role on the steering committee of our Corporate and Shareholder Litigation group and our ESG Litigation group, she holds a particular interest in shareholder activism.
He is not your ordinary litigator. Mark Lin has mastered the art of asking the right questions to find the right solutions. He has been using this solution-driven approach to help clients, since the 1990s. Mark is highly experienced dealing with courts, tribunals, and regulators in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Asia Pacific. He is effective at handling cross-border crises and multi-jurisdictional investigations. He is a seasoned advocate who has advocated for clients in international arbitrations in most major cities. Mark is recognized by leading legal directories including Chambers (Leading Lawyer, Dispute Resolution) and Legal 500 (Hall of Fame, Regulatory). Mark has been a partner at Hogan Lovells since 2003 and is a fellow of the Hong Kong Securities Institute.
Keeping up with the ever-tightening regulatory landscape can be challenging. When clients find themselves tangled in commercial litigation, financial services, regulatory matters, or other Government investigations, they turn to Stephanie Tsui for her proven record of getting the job done. Stephanie has worked on complex investigations involving multimillion dollar exposures across various jurisdictions. Stephanie's practice also includes advising on a range of contentious and non-contentious matters in the employment, data privacy, white collar crime and fraud, and anti-bribery space. Separately, she is a member of the firm's Antitrust, Competition and Economic Regulation team, having worked in our Beijing office on MOFCOM merger filings and competition complaints.
Pricing
- Member: HK$140
- Non-Member: HK$250
Terms & Conditions
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