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Lunch Session: Simplified, Not Weakened: Why EU Sustainability Legislation Still Matters for Global Supply Chains
With Dr. Adolf Peter โ Professor of International Arbitration, ESG & EU Law
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Join us for an insightful lunch session with Prof. Adolf Peter, author of EU Sustainability Legislation and International Supply Chains (Routledge London, October 2025), for a deep dive into the rapidly evolving landscape of ESG and sustainability regulation.
During this session, Prof. Peter will explore the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and show that the 'simplified' version after the adoption of the 'Omnibus' remains the worldwide strictest sustainability due diligence legislation having (i) a major direct and indirect impact on both EU and non-EU entities such as Chinese and US companies as well as (ii) triggering an increased liability for their corporate directors.
The discussion will place EU developments in a broader context by comparing ESG and sustainability legislation, as well as stock exchange rules, in the EU, the United States, and China.
Drawing on case studies from major multinationals including BYD, Aldi, Shell, RWE, Borealis, BMW, Volkswagen, and L'Orรฉal, Dr. Peter will highlight that companies are well-advised to install an effective sustainability due diligence mechanism even without the respective EU sustainability legislation, in particular the CSDDD.
The session will address how international commercial arbitration can serve as an effective mechanism for resolving ESG, climate, and CSDDD-related disputes (in particular in connection with the implementation of corrective action and remediation plans) between multiple parties. Prof. Peter's research compares the arbitration frameworks of 11 leading institutions, focusing on consolidation and joinder mechanisms for complex multi-party disputes.
In addition, the book introduces practical contractual tools, including more than 20 model clauses designed to help companies to implement contractual cascading requirements throughout international supply chains.
Although climate transition plans were removed from the CSDDD, Prof. Peter will explain why contractual climate clauses to reduce GHG emissions throughout international supply chains are still necessary.
This session will provide valuable insights for legal professionals, sustainability officers, compliance teams, and business leaders navigating the growing impact of ESG regulation on global operations.
Bio Speaker:
Dr. iur. Dr. phil. Adolf PETER, LL.M., MA, CSE is full Professor at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law (SHUPL) and Consultant at the international law firm Fieldfisher focusing on international commercial arbitration, the enforcement of ESG standards in international supply chains and EU law, including the EU AI Act. He served for more than two years as the Co-Chair of the Legal & Compliance Committee of the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai organizing numerous legal events.
A selection panel established by the European Commission found Prof. Peter suitable for appointment for the position of Arbitrator and Trade and Sustainable Development Expert in bilateral disputes under the EU's trade agreements with third countries.
In his capacity as Certified Supervisory Expert (CSE) recognised by the Austrian Economic Chambers (WKO) he held specialised one-day seminars for the WKO in Vienna directed at supervisory board members of stock exchange-listed companies.
Prof. Peter is the author of numerous arbitration- and ESG-related publications in leading international law journals and the book "EU Sustainability Legislation and International Supply Chains. Enforcement and Impact on Chinese and US Companies" (Routledge, London 2025, ISBN: 9781032563626).
He is listed as arbitrator in ten international arbitration institutions, including the Shanghai International Arbitration Center (SHIAC), the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC), the China Maritime Arbitration Commission (CMAC), the Shanghai Arbitration Commission (SHAC), the Singapore International Arbitration Center (SIAC Reserve Panel), the Thailand Arbitration Center (THAC), etc.
Furthermore, Prof. Peter is Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb) and a Senior Fellow of the Austrian-Chinese Legal Society (Vienna). Moreover, he is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and the European Chinese Arbitrators Association (ECAA).
He holds two PhD and two master degrees in Law and Religious Science as well as a master degree in Applied (Business) Ethics and an LL.M. degree in South East European Law and European Integration (Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Austria).
