Five ways a legal registry benefits business

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September 8, 2023 - Understanding legal requirements helps organizations build a strategic advantage in today’s fast-paced business landscape. To help navigate frequent regulatory updates, developing a legal registry is an easy solution which helps organizations track and understand frequent regulatory updates, maintain compliance with laws, and mitigate risks to ensure long-term business success.

Though not a legal requirement for organizations, a legal registry can assist in achieving and sustaining compliance by comprehensively organizing legal obligations. Five ways a legal registry can benefit businesses include:

1. Strategic advantage and ESG: To enter new markets or explore growth opportunities, organizations first face a need to comply with regulations, and are increasingly required to report on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics such as greenhouse gas emissions and materiality assessments. Whether an organization is expanding into a new geographic region or pursuing partnerships, legal registries give a competitive edge. Materials and chemicals used in business production, such as refrigerants and specialty gases are also becoming increasingly regulated, restricted, and phased out. Having a well-organized legal register positions businesses to sustainably move forward with opportunities in new geographies.

2. Risk and liability mitigation: Running a business without a clear understanding of legal obligations is like driving blindfolded. A legal registry provides access to a consolidated list of legal compliance obligations, allowing an organization to identify and develop strategies to reduce potential risks and liabilities proactively. Legal registries can help with understanding what regulations apply to a business, puts leadership teams in the driver’s seat to prevent pitfalls, deters legal disputes, penalties, and violations and prevents reputational damage.

3. Trust, transparency, and credibility: Developing a legal registry and subsequent actions to achieve and maintain compliance, shows clients, customers, and value chain partners that governance is taken seriously. A well-maintained compliance list demonstrates that a business operates with a commitment to the law as priority and signals good governance to stakeholders. This governance success can lead to stronger client relationships, investor support, repeat business, and referrals.

4. Operational efficiency: Navigating ever-changing regulations can be overwhelming, especially for businesses operating in multiple jurisdictions, business practices, or industries. A legal registry serves as a roadmap, allowing the allocation of compliance obligation resources to enhance overall operational efficiency.

5. Effective strategy: Every business decision has the potential to impact compliance efforts. A detailed legal registry empowers organizations to assess the legal implications of business choices. This tool gives insights to make informed, strategic decisions that align with compliance obligations.

Staying ahead of upcoming regulations in today’s world is essential for business success. A legal registry serves as a guide and tool to help navigate the complexities of laws and regulations, wherever an organization operates. From risk mitigation to building trust with clients, this tool empowers businesses to operate sustainably with integrity, resilience, and a competitive edge.

To learn about trends in EHS, read Future of work: Emerging global trends in EHS. For more insights that should be at the top of your organization’s list, visit BSI’s Experts Corner.