A leading lawyer from Travers Smith LLP has contributed to a new report from PRI, Sustainability in Supply Chains: A guide for private markets investors.
The guide sets out the business case and provides practical guidance for private markets investors to assess and manage sustainability risks in the supply chains of investee companies, both before investment and during the holding period. It can be used by investors and portfolio companies to inform, review and benchmark supply chain due diligence and management practices.
A team led by Director Sarah-Jane Denton and supported by Senior Consultant, Simon Witney, undertook a comprehensive review of supply chain regulations worldwide, with a focus on regulations imposing active behavioural obligations for supply chain due diligence. In addition to contributing to the guide, a key output of the exercise was a tracking tool summarising the nature of the law, its scope, and the degree of alignment with international frameworks. In combination, the project provides investors with tools to navigate this fast-moving area of law.
Sarah-Jane Denton said: "We are delighted to have worked with PRI on this project. It combines two key areas of interest for our clients (many of whom are PRI signatories), namely understanding what they must do to comply with the growing body of supply chain regulations, and simply keeping on top of the ever-evolving international regulatory landscape."
Aditya Vikram, Head of Private Equity at the PRI, said: “Our new guidance and regulatory tracker are designed to equip private markets investors with the tools they need to identify hidden exposures, safeguard value, and build resilience in portfolio company supply chains. We were delighted to collaborate with Travers Smith, whose expertise was invaluable in shaping our insights and developing the Supply Chain Due Diligence Regulatory Landscape Tracker. We believe this will be a highly practical resource for our signatories as they navigate an increasingly complex global landscape.”
John Buttanshaw, Co-Head of ESG & Impact at Travers Smith added: "I'm so proud of the fantastic work done here by Sarah-Jane Denton, Simon Witney, and the rest of our market- leading ESG team who worked on this project. Helping businesses navigate the fast-emerging laws around the world that will have major impacts on their supply chains, and working with industry-leaders in this space such as the PRI, is just the sort of work we want to do and are set-up to do. The project is going to be a great support for private market investors, and I'm excited to see both it, and our wider work in that market, continue to go from strength to strength "
You can access the full report, and the tracker, on PRI's website here.
