Join the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, Vanderbilt Law School’s Private Climate Governance Lab, and the Tippie Social Impact Community for The Private Sector and the Planet speaker series.
For our last speaker of the 2025-2026 speaker series, we are excited to welcome Jessica Hinman, Director of Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility at Krause Group.
In her talk, “Beyond ESG: How Environmental Governance Actually Works Inside Companies,” Jessica will move beyond the public-facing conversation about Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks, disclosure regimes, and corporate pledges to examine what happens after commitments are made. She will explore how environmental goals are translated into operational decisions across complex organizations and global supply chains, where sustainability efforts intersect with finance, procurement, legal, risk management, and day-to-day business strategy. Drawing on her experience working in the “gray area” where environmental ambition meets practical business realities, Jessica will discuss the governance structures, accountability mechanisms, and cross-functional dynamics that determine whether initiatives gain traction or stall. The session will also consider how private-sector environmental governance evolves alongside and, sometimes ahead of, regulation, shaped by investor expectations, supply chain pressures, and emerging risks. Students will gain a practical understanding of the internal dynamics that shape corporate environmental action and the points at which future lawyers and business leaders can exert meaningful influence.
About the Krause Group:
Krause Group is a Des Moines–based holding company with a diverse portfolio of businesses spanning convenience retail, grocery, winemaking, and real estate. Krause Group emphasizes long-term investment, community engagement, and sustainability across its operations, reflecting its roots as a family-owned enterprise with a strong presence in Iowa and growing global reach. Krause Group is best known as the parent organization of Kum & Go, one of the largest family-owned convenience store chains in the United States, as well as its ownership of international and domestic ventures including Parma Calcio 1913 in Italy and Krause+ (formerly Krause Gateway Center), a major mixed-use development in downtown Des Moines.
Food will be provided for those who register for the event at Iowa Law and register before March 24: https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3gDYPADKKRDsXps