Essential ESG
Essential ESG is presented by Corrs Chambers Westgarth, an Australian law firm. The podcast breaks down topical issues affecting the rapidly evolving environmental, social and governance landscape in Australia and beyond. Each episode provides expert analysis and discussion on ESG topics relevant to businesses and investors. The series aims to offer insights into legal, regulatory and strategic considerations in the ESG space.
Episodes
Essential ESG: Episode 32 – ESG litigation trends and what they mean for Australian businesses
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG Podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope is joined by Mark Wilks and Kate Gill-Herdman to discuss ESG litigation, one of the fastest evolving areas of legal risk for Australian businesses.
The ESG disputes landscape has developed significantly in recent years, with strategic climate litigants finding new claims and targets, regulators intensifying their focus on gree
ESSENTIAL ESG – SPECIAL EDITION The hidden infrastructure of AI: navigating ESG risk in Australia’s data centre boom
As Australia’s data centre market accelerates, the infrastructure underpinning AI is rapidly becoming one of the most complex ESG challenges facing businesses today.
In this special episode of Essential ESG, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Louise Camenzuli explore the intersection of energy demand, water constraints, planning frameworks and social licence – and what it means for organisations investing in, o
Essential ESG: Episode 30 – Navigating Australia’s Mandatory Climate Reporting Regime
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Sophie Parr is joined by partners Anna White and Kate Gill-Herdman to discuss Australia’s mandatory climate reporting regime and unpack the lessons learned following the first cycle of reporting.
Sophie, Anna and Kate explore the practical challenges faced by Group 1 reporters, including the significant uplift in climate literacy, the need for
Essential ESG: Episode 29 – Inside Australia’s new Scams Prevention Framework
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn‑Pope is joined by Caroline Marshall to explore Australia’s new Scams Prevention Framework and its implications across the financial services, telecommunications and digital platform sectors.
Phoebe and Caroline discuss why scams have become a pervasive and systemic issue in Australia, and why the Government has adopted a new “whole
Essential ESG: Episode 28 – In conversation with Dr James Cockayne, NSW Anti Slavery Commissioner
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Dr Phoebe Wynn‑Pope is joined by Dr James Cockayne, NSW Anti‑Slavery Commissioner, for a timely discussion on the State’s evolving approach to modern slavery risk management.
Phoebe and James explore the origins and mandate of the Commissioner’s role and unpack how NSW is operationalising mandatory modern slavery due diligence across more tha
Essential ESG: Episode 27 – Unpacking the ACCC’s guidance on modern slavery and sustainability collaborations
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Lara Hall and Kate Gill‑Herdman discuss the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) updated guidance on sustainability collaborations.
They explore how the refreshed guidance – which includes newly developed modern slavery case studies – is designed to help businesses collaborate responsibly while navigating Australia’s compet
Essential ESG: Episode 26 – Insights from the 2025 UN Forum on Business and Human Rights
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Dr Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Kate Gill-Herdman share insights from the 2025 United Nations Business and Human Rights Forum in Geneva.
This year’s forum theme ‘Accelerating action on business and human rights amidst crises and transformations’ sparked discussions on how businesses can scale up implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Busines
Essential ESG: Episode 25 – Operating responsibly in conflict-affected areas: the role of grievance mechanisms
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Dr Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Kate Gill-Herdman discuss the role of operational-level grievance mechanisms in ensuring responsible and sustainable business conduct when operating in conflict-affected and high-risk areas.
Essential ESG: Episode 24 – In conversation with Professor Robert McCorquodale
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Dr Phoebe Wynn-Pope is joined by Professor Robert McCorquodale to explore the evolving global landscape of business and human rights. This episode is a recording of a live event.
ESSENTIAL ESG SPECIAL EDITION - Responsible AI governance: emerging legal risks and regulatory trends
In this special episode of Essential ESG, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and James North discuss the fast-evolving landscape of responsible artificial intelligence (AI) governance.
As AI technologies continue to transform industries, the legal and regulatory frameworks surrounding them are shifting just as rapidly. With AI regulation in flux globally, Phoebe and James explore why proactive AI governance is cri
Episode 22 – The evolving role of the Chief Sustainability Officer
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and sustainability executive Susan Mizrahi discuss how sustainability practices, in particular the role of the Chief Sustainability Officer, are evolving within the private sector.
Episode 21 – The rise of blended finance
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Jo Dodd, Chloe Delahunt-Devlin, Emmanuel Georgouras and Patrick Magee discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by blended finance.
Episode 20 – Unpacking the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Kate Gill-Herdman unpack the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and consider the likely impacts on Australian businesses.
Episode 19 – Emerging drivers of change in business and human rights
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and special guest Professor Justine Nolan (Director, Australian Human Rights Institute and Professor in the Faculty of Law and Justice, University of New South Wales) discuss emerging drivers of change in business and human rights.
Phoebe and Justine consider a number of key drivers of change and discuss several transformatio
Episode 18 – Responsible business in conflict-affected and high-risk areas
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Eloise O’Brien and special guest Dr Jonathan Kolieb of RMIT University discuss responsible business conduct in the context of armed conflict and the Global Reporting Initiative’s new sustainability standard for the mining sector.
Episode 17 – Reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Louise Camenzuli and Georgia Smith discuss likely upcoming reforms to Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act).
Episode 16 – Human rights, climate change and decarbonisation
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Eloise O’Brien discuss what the recognition of this right means for the business community, and the impact of the net zero transition on human rights more broadly.
Episode 15 – Statutory Charters of Rights
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Joshua Aird discuss the increasing relevance of statutory charters of rights for business.
Episode 14 – Macro trends in sustainable finance
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Alison Morris and Emmanuel Georgouras discuss macro trends in sustainable finance.
Episode 13 – An introduction to FPIC
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Joshua Aird discuss the international human rights principle of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC).
Episode 12 – Emerging trends in sustainable finance
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Adam Stapledon, Alison Morris and Emmanuel Georgouras discuss emerging trends in sustainable finance for 2023 and beyond.
Episode 10 – The growing role of ESG in M&A
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Sandy Mak discuss the growing role of ESG in M&A, as a driver of both deal activity and increased transaction scrutiny by regulators and shareholders.
Episode 9 – The ‘S’ in ESG
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Heidi Roberts discuss the ‘S’ or social pillar of ESG, which requires companies to consider the people and communities that are impacted by their business activities.
Episode 8 – Takeaways from the 11th annual United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Eloise O’Brien discuss the key takeaways from the 11th annual United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights, held recently in Geneva.
Episode 7 – The human rights impacts of mega sporting events
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Eloise O’Brien discuss the human rights impacts of mega sporting events.
Episode 6 – The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Joshua Aird discuss the key principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Episode 5 – The ‘E’ in ESG
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Louise Camenzuli focus on the ‘E’ in ESG, and discuss some of the big issues organisations currently face in relation to the environment, climate change and sustainability.
Episode 4 – Gender and modern slavery
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Heidi Roberts discuss the key considerations for organisations in relation to gender and modern slavery, including the identification of risks in their supply chains and operations.
Episode 3 – The Australian Modern Slavery Act and reporting requirements
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Heidi Roberts discuss what organisations need to be thinking about in relation to modern slavery, including the Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act and reporting requirements.
Episode 2 – A just transition to a net zero economy
In the latest episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Eloise O’Brien discuss the concept of a just transition to a net zero global economy.
Episode 1 – The meteoric rise of ESG
In the first episode of Corrs’ Essential ESG podcast, Phoebe Wynn-Pope and Kate Gill-Herdman set the scene for the series by discussing the perfect storm of social, economic and political developments that have contributed to a meteoric rise of ESG.
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