The Burges Salmon Pensions team has launched a new Pension Schemes ESG Tool, making environmental, social, and governance (ESG) simpler for pension scheme trustees and sponsoring employers.
Knowing that pension scheme trustees and employers are increasingly required to consider ESG factors, whether in relation to investments or the employer covenant, the team has developed an interactive guide that aims to help improve clients’ understanding of current ESG requirements for UK pension schemes. It provides direction on how to meet them, while also helping users reflect on any potential knowledge gaps. The guide also enables the user to seamlessly navigate the law and guidance surrounding ESG and identify which issues may require further consideration.
Request a copy of the Burges Salmon Pension Schemes ESG Tool for free here.
Kate Granville Smith, senior associate in the Pensions team at Burges Salmon, says: “We’re excited to launch our interactive and user-friendly Pensions Schemes ESG Tool and to make it freely available to employers and pensions trustees via the Burges Salmon website by request. ESG is not a ‘nice-to-have’ anymore, it makes good business sense and it has to be at the heart of any successful business. We are pleased to launch this innovative new tool in line with our firm-wide commitment to being a responsible business.”
The firm’s widely-respected Pensions team, which is one of the largest in the UK and has been advising clients for over 30 years, also launched a Pensions Schemes Act Triage Tool in September 2021, to support employers and trustees with navigating the Pensions Regulator’s powers. The tool, which the firm’s Pensions Regulatory team has made free to access online by request, provides an interactive summary guide for the business community and trustees to understand more about the new regulatory powers, the key defences and the practical steps to consider for certain business events.
ESG is not just a trend that Burges Salmon is following – it sits at the heart of the firm’s business philosophy. The firm was one of the first legal firms to set up a dedicated environment team, more than 25 years ago. Since then, Burges Salmon has broadened and deepened its ESG expertise, moving way beyond transactional support to provide advisory and forward-thinking advice. ESG is core to our purpose and our long-standing commitment to being a responsible business – caring for its clients, its people, and the communities in which we live.