“My interest in the complex new ESG area was aroused during my studies. I therefore chose to write my thesis on the subject. It’s highly motivating that I can use my knowledge from my studies in a practical context, and help establish ESG as a new business area at Horten. I also feel privileged and inspired about working closely with talented attorneys and partners, with extensive knowledge and many years of experience from their respective fields. I’m also very pleased to have the opportunity to further specialise in ESG regulation. This field will not only be of great importance to many companies, but also to the goal of creating a sustainable future,” says Stephanie Pitzner, one of the two young attorneys on the ESG team, who is also attached to Horten’s M&A department as a attorneyassistant attorney.
Mads Herdichek Langfeldt is the other young attorney on the ESG team. He is a newly appointed attorney who, in addition to ESG, works on regulatory issues and commercial contracts in the energy sector. His legal specialisation already has a clear focus on companies’ green transition and sustainability. The work with ESG is therefore meaningful on several levels.
“As a legal area, ESG is about identifying how companies can meet the many new demands, and find paths to good solutions – often completely new paths. I will always find it very motivating to work in this manner. It may sound lofty, but for me, having the opportunity to help develop ESG as a business area in a company like Horten also means becoming a small part of a much larger agenda that can help make the world a better place. So it’s more than just a professional privilege to be on the ESG team.”
Rapid changes
ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance. It focuses on how companies’ products and services contribute to sustainable development in environmental, social and governance terms. It also looks at how companies manage their activities to minimise the negative impacts on our planet.
The European Parliament adopted a CSRD Directive in 2022. This obligates listed companies with over 500 employees to report on their sustainability efforts and performance from 1 January 2024. In 2025, this requirement will be extended to other large companies with more than 250 employees and, from 2026, to listed SMEs.
“The legal aspects concerning much of sustainable development have been quite loosely based for many years, with very little concrete foundation. But things are really changing now, and the CSRD Directive is a good example of that. This doesn’t mean that we have a final European ESG regulatory framework yet, but we are starting to get a clearer picture of the future regulation and what will be required of companies. Companies are currently facing a decision on how they will handle the ESG task and their position in the future market. It forces us to be forward-looking. That makes the work very complex, but also very exciting to be a part of,” says Mads Herdichek Langfeldt.
First-hand experience with dynamic consultancy
When a field develops as rapidly as ESG is doing, it not only places new demands on companies that they have to adapt to. It also places demands on legal consultants, who have to stay abreast of developments and be constantly ready to explore various legal options.
“I have always found Horten to be a company that emphasises finding solutions, even if the law does not provide clear answers. You can particularly see this in the ESG area. We may well be beginning to see the contours of the legal framework that companies will have to navigate, but there is a lack of legal practice on how to interpret and implement the rules. The result is a more open playing field, where the consultancy also needs to draw on new perspectives from younger players like myself, to supplement the partners’ solid experience from other legal areas. This also makes it very dynamic work,” says Mads Herdichek Langfeldt.
A career opportunity
The dynamic and exploratory element in helping to develop a new business area for Horten also means that both Mads Herdichek Langfeldt and Stephanie Pitzner are being assigned interesting and challenging tasks which would normally be reserved for more experienced colleagues. This is because nobody has definitive answers yet.
“It’s clear that everyone on the team is driven by inquisitiveness. We hold regular meetings where we share knowledge and keep each other up to date with the latest ESG regulation and insights we have gained, and the practical solutions we are developing together with our clients. It’s a whole new area. Many are on unfamiliar ground, and there is brisk demand for ESG specialists in the market. ESG is no passing fad, but rather a key new area that is very much here to stay, and it is a huge advantage to be involved from the outset. We also encourage our clients to do so,” says Stephanie Pitzner.