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In May’s session for in-house senior counsel, former Senior Vice President Legal and General Counsel (GC) International

Operations at FedEx Express, Roel Staes shared insightful perspectives on why GCs are uniquely positioned to lead and

support sustainability efforts within their companies. Staes also discussed effective strategies for securing buy-in from

different departments and senior leaders to propel these initiatives forward.

Staes outlined six reasons why GCs are perfectly positioned to drive sustainability.

• Legal teams engage with a wide array of stakeholders, from employees and customers to suppliers, regulators, and shareholders. This broad engagement gives GCs a real-time understanding of diverse expectations, allowing them to align sustainability initiatives closely with stakeholder priorities.

• Unlike many executives who concentrate on specific business areas, GCs have a distinctive, organisation-wide perspective. They engage with senior leaders from various departments, allowing them to promote sustainability with wide-reaching influence and to sway key decision-makers. In contrast, many other departments tend to focus narrowly on their own functions or interact with a limited set of colleagues. For example, those in commercial roles mostly connect with others in commercial teams, while operational staff primarily focus on operations. Staes highlights that legal touches nearly every part of the business, from finance to marketing, making the GC well connected internally with a strong network. They also have direct access to senior management, especially the CEO. In a well-structured company, the GC reports directly to the CEO, positioning them effectively to drive sustainability initiatives.

• While many C-suite executives are pressured to achieve immediate financial results, GCs are used to considering long-term risks and evolving regulatory landscapes. This perspective allows them to treat sustainability as a lasting strategic priority rather than a temporary initiative. GCs typically adopt a long-term, disciplined outlook. They have this advantage because, unlike CFOs who are often focused on quarterly or annual financial targets, GCs naturally focus on future challenges and opportunities. Since sustainability inherently involves a longer timeframe, it fits well with the GC’s forward-looking approach.

• Sustainability often requires managing a complicated network of legal regulations, compliance standards, and governance challenges—areas where lawyers naturally excel. Their skill in analysing complex problems and crafting practical solutions makes GCs essential in guiding sustainability initiatives. GCs are trained to handle intricate issues by carefully reviewing facts, determining what’s relevant, and then proposing options and recommendations to move forward. This ability to cut through complexity and focus on key details positions GCs perfectly to address sustainability, which is a multifaceted issue affecting every part of the organisation.

• GCs have a talent for identifying emerging risks early. As sustainability regulations and public expectations change quickly, legal leaders help organisations stay proactive by predicting upcoming shifts and addressing risks before they become serious problems. A key part of a GC’s role is to focus on risks that haven’t fully materialised yet but are on the horizon. Sustainability is a prime example of such a future challenge—not immediate, but steadily approaching—making it an ideal area for GCs or chief legal officers to manage.

• Top-tier GCs combine sharp intellectual skills with high emotional intelligence. They can ‘read the room,’ sensing organisational moods and dynamics, which is crucial for navigating complex stakeholder landscapes and maintaining a steady course toward sustainable goals.

• Regulatory and Compliance Teams: Stress the importance of staying ahead of evolving regulations like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive to avoid risks.

• CFO and Finance Teams: Highlight cost-saving opportunities such as reducing energy use or optimising supply chains.

• CEO and Investor Relations: Focus on how sustainability builds investor confidence, reduces regulatory risks, and strengthens the company’s industry leadership.

• Sales and Marketing: Emphasise growing customer demand for sustainable products and the competitive edge sustainability offers.

• Human Resources: Demonstrate how sustainability initiatives attract and retain top talent, especially younger professionals who value corporate responsibility.