Maria Figueiredo says ESG is evolving, not dead, in new sustainability phase

Maria Figueiredo, counsel for the Africa Lusophone and Tax practice at CMS Portugal, rejects the claim that ESG has disappeared. She argues the framework is entering a new phase centred on sustainability, impact and corporate resilience, moving beyond mere metric compliance.

Figueiredo, a member of CMS Portugal’s ESG Task Force, has advised oil‑and‑gas firms and renewable‑energy projects across Lusophone Africa. She acted as lead tax counsel for Timor‑Leste in negotiating the maritime border treaty with Australia and for private investors in Angola’s first solar photovoltaic projects. She notes that recent simplifications of EU ESG rules represent both a regulatory rollback and an opportunity to shift ESG from compliance to strategic value creation, while highlighting the particular challenges faced by Lusophone African nations balancing economic development with rising sustainability demands. She predicts sustainability will become integrated across all areas of law and business management.