The GC's Role in Creating a Purposeful Company Culture
GCs are expected to lead by example and help establish an ethical culture that is deeply embedded and embraced throughout the company.
March 25, 2021 at 05:59 PM
6 minute read
Each week, the Law.com Barometer newsletter, powered by the ALM Global Newsroom and Legalweek(year) 2021, brings you the trends, disruptions and shifts our reporters and editors are tracking through coverage spanning every beat and region across the ALM Global Newsroom. The micro-topic coverage will not only help you navigate the changing legal landscape, but also prepare you to discuss these shifts with thousands of legal leaders at our next virtual Legalweek(year) conference, happening on April 13. The upcoming sessions will cover a host of topics including legal automation, practice management, legal operations and more. Click here to learn more and register for the most important virtual legal event of the year!
The Shift: The GC's Role in Creating a Purposeful Company Culture
General Counsel have been tasked as change makers within their organization. As part of this, they are expected to lead by example and help establish an ethical company culture that is deeply embedded and embraced throughout the company. Part of why this is a natural fit for legal department leaders is that their prime directive is to always act in the best interest of the company and to look out for internal and external stakeholders, whether they are employees, regulators, investors, customers, suppliers, the community or the environment. Thus, many GCs will have a natural touchpoint to many of the areas needed to develop a truly purpose-led organization. In addition, by taking on this leadership role, it also helps generate legal function value and creates an opportunity to incorporate things like ESG initiatives within the larger company messaging.
The Conversation
Maaike de Bie, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of EasyJet, creates value for her and her team by asking the right questions. "Every function within the company has to explain for itself how they are helping to support the wider purpose of the company. As an in-house leader, I am very focused on starting with the "why." Why do we show up? Why are we here? You can then ask how your role fits within the wider purpose of the company. I believe that it is important to have a clear purpose, and to create a vision and mission, and then a strategy on how to achieve those," says de Bie.
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Law Firms Mentioned
Trending Stories
- 1The Law Firm Disrupted: For Big Law Names, Shorter is Sweeter
- 2Wine, Dine and Grind (Through the Weekend): Summer Associates Thirst For Experience in 'Real Matters'
- 3'That's Disappointing': Only 11% of MDL Appointments Went to Attorneys of Color in 2023
- 4What We Know About the Kentucky Judge Killed in His Chambers
- 5'I'm Staying Everything': Texas Bankruptcy Judge Halts Talc Trials Against J&J
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250