Executive Strategy: How many lawyers does it take to change? by Kevin Sweeney - 7.5.06
For sustainability advocates working inside companies, the legal department is often viewed as a place where progress stops. The legal staff is often willing and able to say no in a confident tone and with clear reasoning.
Here’s a real example of how this plays out. An apparel company’s environmental strategies director wants the company’s chief executive to talk directly about the environmental and human health impacts of dyes commonly used in their industry. He believes a frank statement will grab the attention of employees and prove that management is serious about changing how the company works with dye houses. The marketing director says a strong statement will generate visibility and show the company is a leader. Both senior managers are pushing for a bold declaration.
The company’s legal counsel, however, has a different perspective. She argues that anything from the company admitting to the harmful effects of dyestuffs could set up the company as the target of a lawsuit. She removes the direct statements from the speech, and she substitutes language that is honest, but vague. “We can’t say that,” she says of the initial draft. “We’ll get sued.”
