Leveraging Internal and External Legal Expertise. A matter of balance
In today’s complex food industry, legal strategy plays a critical role in addressing challenges such as food safety and sustainability. During my time at Bonduelle Fresh Americas, we tackled these issues, ensuring top-tier food safety while pursuing the certification as B Corp. Our success hinged on a balanced collaboration between our internal general counsel (GC) and external law firms. This partnership allowed us to address regulatory and operational concerns and stay ahead in a competitive industry.
Internal General Counsel: Company Knowledge at the Core
A strong internal legal team was central to our strategy at Bonduelle.
Our internal GC brought invaluable knowledge of our products, culture, and processes. This deep understanding enabled them to align legal advice with our operational needs, allowing for proactive decisions in food safety and sustainability.
Food safety is a critical concern, with stringent regulations such as the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Our internal counsel’s familiarity with our production processes allowed us to identify and mitigate risks early, ensuring compliance and preventing costly issues. Similarly, in pursuing B Corp certification—a rigorous process assessing social and environmental impact—our internal GC’s expertise ensured that our legal strategy aligned with broader corporate goals.
External Law Firms: Specialized Knowledge and Benchmarking
While our internal team provided in-depth company knowledge, we relied on external law firms for specialized expertise. These firms, particularly those with experience in food safety and sustainability, offered industry benchmarking and insights into emerging best practices.
External counsel was especially helpful in navigating the legal complexities of B Corp certification, a process that evaluates a company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. Partnering with a law firm well-versed in ESG helped us understand how other companies were approaching similar challenges and pushed us to not only meet but exceed legal and sustainability standards.
One key lesson I learned is the importance of selecting an external law firm with specific knowledge in sustainability and ESG issues. The right partner can provide more than just legal compliance—they can help a company build a stronger foundation for long-term positive impact. At Bonduelle, our choice of legal partners was crucial in setting new industry benchmarks in both food safety and B Corp certification.
The Power of Collaboration
The success of our legal approach came from leveraging both internal and external expertise. Our internal GC ensured we had a deep understanding of the company’s processes, while our external partners brought broader industry perspectives and specialized knowledge. This collaborative strategy enabled us to address food safety challenges and achieve meaningful milestones, like B Corp certification.
In a world where legal challenges around sustainability and food safety continue to evolve, businesses must blend internal knowledge with external expertise to build resilient, future-ready organizations. A forward-thinking legal strategy, rooted in collaboration, is essential for thriving in today’s complex environment.
