Strategy
Environmental Aspects
The action of companies is essential to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and to ensuring the survival of our planet. Regardless of regulation, companies will be increasingly pressured to manage their environmental risks and to contribute to environmental sustainability, under penalty of losing competitiveness and no longer attracting investment.
Environmental Topics
- Climate change
- Emissions trading and the carbon market
- Environmental criminal and misdemeanour law
- Green taxation
- Environmental regulation
- Waste regulation
- Energy transition and decarbonisation
- Biodiversity and ecosystems services
Social Aspects
Companies play a decisive role in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and maintaining their licence to operate. As such, how value chains are managed and the social impact of that management are now major challenges.
Social Topics
- Business & Human Rights
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Employee engagement
- Social innovation
Governance Aspects
There are increasing demands from various stakeholders for companies to guide their action based on the principles of business ethics, increase the diversity of their management bodies, adequately deal with risks, including reputational risks, define their purpose, and transparently report on their main business indicators.
Governance Topics
- Ethics & Artificial Intelligence
- Cybersecurity
- Responsible taxation
- Prevention of money laundering and corruption
- Privacy
I believe that our culture is our true competitive advantage. Culture is the backbone of internal alignment and thus plays a crucial role in mobilising everyone towards the achievement of our strategic aims.
Our Responsible Business strategy is directly based on our Purpose. What sets our approach apart is our commitment to living up to the legacy of Trust, Citizenship and Decency. These principles inspire our practice across all areas. Our contribution is renewed each day in the Excellence of our Team and Service, and our role is reinvented by the Resilience that we seek to bring to our Environment and our Society.
Our Strategy is based on two commitments
Achieving excellence in the team and the service provided
A leading team
Promoting competence in a diverse, inclusive, and challenging environment.
Innovative service
Offering an innovative service inspired by change and able to anticipate the needs of our Clients.
Contributing to society's social and environmental resilience
Sustainable environment
Actively contributing to a more sustainable world and a better use of resources.
Inclusive society
Actively contributing to a more inclusive and informed community and to a fairer and more prosperous society.
Transparency, advocacy, activism, knowledge, and culture constitute the foundations of this strategy, which is guided by the 2030 Agenda.
Stakeholders
We use various tools of communication, dialogue and co-construction to promote proximity, transparency and cooperation with both internal and external stakeholders, as well as with Clients, partners and other organisations.
Key results of stakeholder consultation:
- VdA is perceived as having a strong identity and a clear stance on social challenges, in terms of its participation, commitment and dedication, that goes far beyond the services it provides;
- Internally, issues related to human capital and the promotion of a culture of sustainability represent priority areas;
- Externally, the greatest expectation lies in the role that a law firm like VdA can play as a social enabler and promoter of the highest levels of governance and transparency;
- Engagement with the community and the management of environmental concerns are two areas where stakeholders recognise VdA’s pioneering action;
- Both internally and externally, the launch of VdA’s integrated ESG services platform represented another step in strengthening the organisation’s consistency, with growing responsibility in terms of exemplarity.