Second Annual Private Environmental Governance, Sustainability, and ESG Legal Scholarship Workshop Held by the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

On September 12, 2024, the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University Environmental Law Program held the second annual private environmental governance, sustainability, and ESG legal scholarship workshop. The half-day lightning workshop included an impressive gathering of environmentally focused scholars who spent the day workshopping new scholarship. This year’s workshop was developed by Haub Law Professor Josh Galperin, who also moderated the event.

“This year’s sustainable business focused workshop included presentations by eight scholars in the field,” said Professor Galperin. “All participants were engaged, provided thoughtful comments, and left with new inspiration for future impactful work. Sustainable business practices are vital to the future of our environment and gathering individuals in a workshop setting who are dedicated to that goal moves us closer to achieving it.”

This year’s workshop was held the day before the 'Profit & Purpose' Sustainable Business Conference, which each year, Haub Law partners with the Westchester County Association (WCA) to host. The ‘Profit & Purpose’ Conference is attended by business, nonprofit, and government leaders, focused on new opportunities in sustainable investing and real estate, navigating an evolving regulatory landscape, and the connection between sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion. Numerous sustainable business workshop attendees also attended the Conference held the following day, capitalizing on the momentum of sustainability forward thought-sharing.

“Through all of our sustainable business focused activities we are providing a space for business, environmental, and legal professionals to gather and advance practical sustainable business practices, not just in Westchester County, but nationally and internationally,” said Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law, Associate Dean of Environmental Law Programs and Strategic Initiatives, and Faculty Director, Sustainable Business Law Hub, Jason Czarnezki. “Whether it is at our workshops, conferences, or lectures where we showcase top scholars in the field or through our Sustainable Business Law Hub, which is supported by law students and scholars, we are focused on sustainable business practices as one of the keys to a healthy environmental future. Haub Law’s Sustainable Business Law Hub helps put theory into practice, this workshop serves to bolster that goal.”

The first annual private environmental governance, sustainability, and ESG legal scholarship workshop was held in spring 2023 in partnership with Vanderbilt Law School. The workshop has historically been and continues to be funded through the Sustainable Business Law Hub and the Haub Innovation Fund. Haub Law’s Sustainable Business Law Hub serves as an incubator space, student-training program, research endeavor, and think tank devoted to addressing global sustainability challenges through policy and research projects, relationships with the business community, and capacity building in private environmental governance. The Haub Innovation Fund is part of the generous naming gift to the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, which was made by the Haub Family, tireless environmental advocates and philanthropists.