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 service is built around a multi-disciplinary approach that brings together legal expertise across all three pillars of ESG – environmental, social and governance – to deliver integrated advice. 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 Suominen Corporation in connection with its rights issue. The offering was oversubscribed, and the company raised gross proceeds of approximately EUR 28 million. We also advised Suominen in connection with the renegotiation of the terms of the company’s three-year EUR 100 million syndicated credit facility, under which the maturity was extended and headroom was added to the financial covenants. “I would like to thank our shareholders for their support and confidence in Suominen’s future. The completion of the Offering will enable us to accelerate the implementation of our Full Potential Program while strengthening our capital structure. Our transformation particularly focuses on enhancing the reliability and efficiency of our production and supply, and on reinforcing our commercial capabilities, allowing us to better meet the expectations of our customers and shareholders”, comments Charles Héaulmé, President and CEO of Suominen. Suominen is a nonwovens manufacturer operating in global markets. Suominen creates value by taking fiber raw materials and turning them into nonwovens that the company’s customers convert into both consumer and professional end products. Suominen’s vision is to be the frontrunner for nonwovens innovation and sustainability. Suominen’s net sales in 2025 were EUR 412.4 million and the company has almost 700 professionals working in Europe and in the Americas. Suominen’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
Case published 6.7.2026
We acted as joint legal advisor for Nordea Bank Abp and Avain Yhtiöt in an approximately EUR 48 million financing arrangement which included facilities for refinancing of an existing real estate portfolio and also for acquisition and property development purposes. The financing arrangement strengthens Avain Yhtiöt’s objective to build and maintain a functional, safe and environmentally friendly living environment, as well as to develop the overall quality of housing and construction. Avain Yhtiöt is a Finnish group specialising in housing and housing-related services, construction contracting and new construction. Its goal is to build 1,000 new apartments per year in key growth areas in Finland.
Case published 2.7.2026
We advised the shareholders of Suomen Autohuolto Oy in connection with the sale of the company’s entire share capital, to SAKA Finland Group Oy. Suomen Autohuolto Group is one of Finland’s largest companies specializing in brand-specific automotive maintenance and has locations in Oulu, Tampere, and from July, also in Järvenpää. The transaction is subject to final approval by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (KKV).
Case published 26.6.2026
AI training
We delivered two tailor-made AI workshops for the lawyers at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). We discussed the AI revolution and its impact on lawyers’ ways of thinking and working, and left the participants with practical solutions for enhancing and streamlining their work with Legora. Our AI-specialist lawyers prepared use cases tailored to Luke and the needs of public administration, which Luke received for its own use following the workshops. These use cases covered topics such as: utilising legal sources and the organisation’s own data to maximise AI results building and leveraging AI workflows AI-enhanced contract drafting based on a large volume of documents. The workshops sparked wide-ranging discussion on the role and benefits of AI in legal work. Participants appreciated how clearly and comprehensively our experts were able to present the nature and benefits of AI specifically within a legal context. ‘The workshops provided excellent support for Luke’s goal of leveraging AI responsibly and gave us concrete and ready-to-use practical takeaways,’ says Hannu Laitinen, Luke’s Senior Vice President, Administrative Affairs.
Case published 26.6.2026