eprivateclient profiles Kerry Stares, Partner & Director of Responsible Business and Pro Bono
In this profiling feature, eprivateclient delves into the career and perspectives of Partner & Director of Responsible Business and Pro Bono, Kerry Stares.
Her career began as a disputes lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills, followed by a role at ActionAid International focusing on human rights and women's empowerment. She later led the Banks Alliance against Human Trafficking at the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Since joining Charles Russell Speechlys in 2019, she has developed our pro bono practice and now leads our ESG strategy, advising clients on sustainability and human rights issues.
Kerry specialises in this field to combine her legal expertise with insights from NGOs, aiming to help clients understand their business impacts and set meaningful sustainability goals. She notes key trends in sustainability, including constant change, increasing complexity, and politicisation, with businesses facing new regulations and shifting expectations. The regulatory landscape varies significantly between regions, complicating international sustainability strategies.
Looking ahead, Kerry predicts continued regulatory change and suggests businesses adopt a holistic approach to sustainability, focusing on long-term objectives to mitigate risks like greenwashing and reputational damage.
Outside of work, her go-to karaoke song is "Bette Davis Eyes," she has a terrier named Archie.
Read the full piece in eprivateclient here.
