Khalifah Al Yaqout

Al Yaqout and Al Fouzan Legal Group recognizes that it has a key societal and economic obligation toward contributing to sustainable development that extends beyond professional regulations and ethics.

How does Al Yaqout and Al Fouzan Legal Group apply the SDGs in terms of building a sustainable practice?

In 2015, the United Nations introduced the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which provides a roadmap for eradicating poverty, disease, and inequality, and increasing peace and prosperity for people globally. In addition, it also includes addressing environmental sustainability goals to address climate crises and increase the use of sustainable and clean energy resources.
Primarily, in order to contribute towards sustainable development of the community, employing sustainable development measures must first be done internally. Initially, it is our responsibility to ensure that its environment is healthy and safe to allow its employees to work in an environment where they can excel based on merit. We recognize that the work of both our legal professionals and support staff mainly depends on mental effort. Accordingly, in order to maximize their potential, which would in turn mean maximizing the value give to clients, this requires implementing measures that give effect to the UN SDG (3) Good Health and Well-Being, which covers both mental and physical health well-being. This is achieved by leveling the playing field—by promoting diversity, inclusion and gender equality in accordance with SDG (5) Gender Equality—providing access to learning opportunities, and including measures that promote employees’ physical and mental health such as flexible work schemes that allows for a work-personal life balance. Furthermore, SDG (8) provides for Decent Work and Economic Growth. As studies suggest, decent work does not only entail financial reward, but also moral reward, in which an employee feels the value of their work and that they are making a difference. Finally, we have partnered with LexisNexis with the aim of advancing the rule of law in line with the LexisNexis objectives—in line with SDG (17) Partnerships for the Goals. To put simply, this entails building awareness of laws and regulations through training programs and seminars, providing legal technology solutions, and engaging in partnerships with government entities, nonprofits, and intergovernmental organizations for legal research projects and continuing educational programs for legal professionals.

How does Al Yaqout and Al Fouzan Legal Group contribute toward achieving the SDGs?

One of the means of achieving sustainability is through legislation, which regulates sustainability and sustainable development, and address long-term issues. Legislators and policymakers are now introducing laws and regulations that promote sustainability (for example, requiring companies to comply with human rights or environmental protection laws), which are updated frequently to take into account any issues based on the outcome of litigation and recommendations made by the law society in the respective jurisdiction. Al Yaqout and Al Fouzan Legal Group recognizes that we have a societal and economic obligation toward contributing to sustainable development, which extends beyond professional regulations and ethics. The obvious sustainable goal is ensuring access to justice in accordance with UN SDG (16) Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, which we achieve through an ethical practice of the law through value creation and moving away from a traditional practice involving only the application of the law without taking into consideration the impact of such action. However, our lawyers play a more critical role in terms of furthering the SDG agenda. Several SDGs go hand-in-hand, which means working towards one goal would also achieve at least one other. Through our legal advisory and advocacy, our lawyers work towards creating solutions to complex legal and regulatory issues, balancing different stakeholder interests, and creating value in their jurisdiction. For example, at YFLG, we adopt a stakeholder capitalism approach in corporate law advisory works, with lawyers assisting in meeting UN SDG (8) Decent Work and Economic Growth as more job opportunities are created. Also, YFLG also includes a project advisory practice, in which our lawyers advise on infrastructure projects—hence meeting SDG (9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure—and renewable energy projects—SDG (7) Affordable and Clean Energy—which collectively leads to meeting SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities.