Join Gowling WLG and BMO Canadian Commercial Banking as they discuss emerging trends in ESG, sustainable finance, and green lending in Canada.

Learn more about how ESG factors and risks can become opportunities for your business. You'll also hear from financial and legal experts about current and emerging ESG issues in Canada and expectations and opportunities for:

  • Disclosure documentation
  • Presentation and positioning in the market
  • ESG linked terms in debt transactions

Introduction

This presentation on environmental, social, and corporate governance issues and green loans covers some highlights, current considerations, and legal matters for ESG, as well as the potential opportunities that contemporary considerations of these issues afford.

Many current discussions of ESG frame this group of issues, perhaps with a note of caution, or perhaps as one more item that companies or boards of directors or senior management need to take into consideration and the opportunities that are now emerging in the marketplace.

Concrete opportunities, including those that may have a positive impact on the bottom line of your company or your client's companies so that we see ESG as not just another duty, or another obligation, but welcome addition to the corporate marketplace.

Panelists

John Uhren is the Head, Sustainable Finance, Products and Strategy at Bank of Montreal. He leads product development and strategic initiatives across the enterprise, including raising capital and providing sustainable finance opportunities to clients. John is also a member of this ESAs groups Transition and Sustainable Finance Technical Committee.

Prior to joining the sustainable finance team, John was senior counsel and director in capital markets legal at BMO. In 2017 he was one of Lexpert Rising Stars award winners as a top lawyer under 40.

Paulina Kursa is a Senior Director in corporate finance at Bank of Montreal and works with a number of mid to large private unpublic companies to provide integrated sustainable solutions. She has over 12 years of extensive corporate and commercial banking lending experience which spans various industries and including executing single bank underwritten as well as syndicated loans transactions. She's viewed as being a key relationship partner for clients by providing trusted guidance and expertise to help guide businesses.

Stephen Pike is a Business Law and ESG Partner at Gowling WLG and is a Senior Advisor to global and Canadian businesses. He advises on corporate law and corporate governance, sustainability, and ESG issues as well as risk management on product distribution issues.

He's a frequent writer and speaker on ESG issues including on an ongoing series entitled 'Insights for Canadian CEOs and Directors on Addressing Modern Slavery in their Businesses and ...'. He's Vice-Chair of the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee of the American Bar Association Business Law section and is co-editor of the upcoming book 'Governance Needs Sustainability: a Guide Book for Directors', which will be published in October by the American Bar Association.

Christopher Alam is the National Head of Gowling WLG's lending practice in Canada.