ESG and Corporate Sustainability

ESG and Corporate Sustainability

Sustainability and ESG regulations concern companies of all sizes – either directly or indirectly.

Sustainability is the true success factor of modern business. It ensures continuity of operations and transcends a company’s strategy, value chains and business practices. The regulatory framework of corporate sustainability is taking shape at a rapid pace, and evolving regulations concern companies of all sizes – either directly or indirectly.

The ESG and corporate sustainability service at Castrén & Snellman is the leading ESG practice among Finnish law firms. Our clients include a wide range of companies from family-owned businesses to listed companies. Our particular focus in ESG advice includes mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiations, and investigations.

Comprehensive and strategic ESG advisory

We conduct ESG due diligence reviews and provide analysis of the reviewed company’s ESG practices and risk management. We monitor the latest developments in ESG regulation for our clients and provide training in the legal aspects of corporate sustainability that is under continuous change.

As a member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance, we are committed to support our clients with extensive legal services they need in their transition to net zero.

We integrate our ESG knowhow across all services in our firm. Our experts can assist you in various areas:

  • ESG, compliance, corporate governance and management liability

  • Supply chain due diligence

  • ESG-related investigations
  • ESG in commercial contracts
  • Sustainable transactions and ESG due diligence
  • Sustainable finance
  • Green and just transition projects
  • Regulation and litigation on green and sustainability claims
  • Environment, Infrastructure & Natural Resources
  • Sustainability-linked competition law analysis and procurement
  • Advice on EU taxonomy

Latest references

We advised Nokian Brewery Plc in its listing on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland. Investor demand in the IPO, which consisted of a public and institutional offering, was very strong and the IPO was oversubscribed. Nokian Brewery raised gross proceeds of approximately EUR 10 million from the IPO. In the IPO subscriptions were received from more than 2,900 investors and as a result of IPO the number of shareholders in the company increased to more than 4,700 shareholders. The IPO gives us a strong platform for the next years of growth. We are grateful to investors for their confidence and excited about what we can achieve together. This is the beginning of a new chapter in the Nokian Brewery story.  – Janne Paavola, CEO Trading in Nokian Brewery’s shares began on First North on 3 April 2025 with trading symbol BEER. Nokian Brewery is Finland’s second largest microbrewery and fifth largest brewery in terms of turnover in 2023. Nokian Brewery is particularly known for its Keisari beers. Nokian Panimo manufactures all its products at its production facility in Nokia, and in 2024 its sales volume totalled more than 8.3 million litres and turnover was EUR 11.9 million. Domesticity, responsibility and sustainable practices are at the heart of Nokian Brewery.
Case published 3.4.2025
We advised Huhtamäki on the EU sustainability legislation and its impacts on Huhtamäki’s ESG strategy.  Our team focused on compliance with the ESG regulation and the actions required to further Huhtamäki’s ESG targets.
Case published 1.4.2025
We advised Huhtamaki Oyj in relation to a EUR 450 million sustainability-linked syndicated multi-currency revolving credit facility loan agreement (“RCF”) with a maturity of five years. The RCF refinances an existing EUR 400 million sustainability-linked syndicated revolving credit facility signed in January 2021 and will be used for general corporate purposes of the Group. The RCF has two one-year extension options at the discretion of the lenders. The Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners of the RCF are Citi, Nordea Bank Abp, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), BNP Paribas, Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft, Danske Bank A/S, DBS Bank Ltd., London Branch, J.P. Morgan SE, Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale, OP Corporate Bank plc, Raiffeisen Bank International AG and Standard Chartered Bank AG.
Case published 28.11.2024
We advised A. Ahlström in establishing a corporate sustainability due diligence process plan which incorporates best practices and tailored solutions based on our expertise within relevant business sectors. Our comprehensive ESG offering also included tailored training for members of the investment team and management team and the board of directors of several portfolio companies. ‘The ESG team at Castrén & Snellman provided us with legal and practical advice around the ESG regulatory tsunami that we need to incorporate in our ESG work,’ comments Camilla Sågbom, Director, Sustainability and Communications, at A. Ahlström Oy. A. Ahlström is a family-owned industrial company, developing leading global specialist positions in Forest & Fiber and Environmental technology sectors.
Case published 5.9.2024

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