About the webinar
AI is now part of how most investment firms and companies work, from drafting documents to analysing data. Boards, investors and regulators increasingly want to know how that use is governed. In many organisations the question lands with the sustainability or compliance lead, because AI governance has become part of the “G” in ESG.
Many of the sustainability and compliance leaders we work with at private equity firms and portfolio companies are now reviewing the EU AI Act. They want practical guidance on what good AI governance looks like, so they can lead this agenda within their own organisations.
On Thursday 26 November 2026, KEY ESG is hosting a webinar on AI governance for sustainability leaders. Heleen van Poecke, CEO and Co-Founder of KEY ESG, will be in conversation with Oliver Howley, a partner at the global law firm Proskauer and one of Europe’s leading lawyers on AI.
KEY ESG is an ESG data collection and reporting platform for investment firms and companies. It covers data collection, carbon accounting and reporting across multiple frameworks in a single product.
Why is AI governance now a sustainability issue?
The EU AI Act, the European Union’s regulation on artificial intelligence, applies in stages, and several of those stages are already in effect. Prohibitions on certain AI practices have applied since February 2025, obligations for general-purpose AI models since August 2025, and most transparency obligations since 2 August 2026.
The AI Omnibus (Regulation (EU) 2026/1744) entered into force on 27 July 2026. It moved the obligations for stand-alone high-risk AI systems, which include certain uses in employment and creditworthiness assessment, to 2 December 2027. Obligations for AI embedded in regulated products now apply from 2 August 2028.
This delay is not a pause. For most organisations, the time between now and those dates is when policies, oversight and accountability for AI need to be put in place. Sustainability and compliance teams already run governance processes, collect evidence and report to boards and investors, which puts them in a good position to lead this work.
What will the webinar cover?
The session is a conversation between Heleen and Oliver, followed by questions from the audience. Topics include:
- What the EU AI Act requires today, and what changed with the AI Omnibus
- Whether your organisation is a provider or a deployer of AI under the Act, and why the distinction matters
- What good AI governance looks like in practice, from AI policies and an inventory of AI use to risk assessment and human oversight
- How private equity firms can approach AI governance across a portfolio
- Where sustainability and compliance leaders fit, and how to take ownership of this agenda
- A live question and answer session
Who should attend?
The webinar is designed for:
- Heads of sustainability, ESG and compliance at private equity firms and their portfolio companies
- Sustainability and compliance leads at companies building an AI governance framework
- Legal, risk and IT colleagues who work with them on AI policy
- Anyone who reports on AI use and oversight to a board, investors or LPs
Who are the speakers?
Oliver Howley, Partner, Proskauer
Oliver is a partner in Proskauer’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications Group and co-head of the firm’s Technology Strategy Committee. Based in London, he advises AI developers, companies and private capital firms on the full AI lifecycle, from product launches and contracting to regulatory strategy. He won the Innovative Practitioner award at the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards 2026 and was named to The Lawyer’s Hot 100 in 2026. He also hosts AI Decoded, Proskauer’s video series on AI and the law.
Heleen van Poecke, CEO and Co-Founder, KEY ESG
Heleen co-founded KEY ESG in 2020. Before that, she worked in M&A advisory at Greenhill, private markets investing at AlpInvest and data governance at Collibra. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Frequently asked questions
Will the webinar be recorded?
Yes. Everyone who registers will receive the recording after the session, including those who cannot attend live.
Do I need to be a KEY ESG customer to attend?
No. The webinar is open to anyone responsible for sustainability, ESG or compliance.
Is this legal advice?
No. The webinar provides general information on AI governance and regulation. For advice on your organisation’s situation, speak to your legal advisers.
Can I submit questions in advance?
Yes. Send your questions to marketing@keyesg.com when you register, and we will cover as many as possible during the session.
About the webinar
AI is now part of how most investment firms and companies work, from drafting documents to analysing data. Boards, investors and regulators increasingly want to know how that use is governed. In many organisations the question lands with the sustainability or compliance lead, because AI governance has become part of the “G” in ESG.
Many of the sustainability and compliance leaders we work with at private equity firms and portfolio companies are now reviewing the EU AI Act. They want practical guidance on what good AI governance looks like, so they can lead this agenda within their own organisations.
On Thursday 26 November 2026, KEY ESG is hosting a webinar on AI governance for sustainability leaders. Heleen van Poecke, CEO and Co-Founder of KEY ESG, will be in conversation with Oliver Howley, a partner at the global law firm Proskauer and one of Europe’s leading lawyers on AI.
KEY ESG is an ESG data collection and reporting platform for investment firms and companies. It covers data collection, carbon accounting and reporting across multiple frameworks in a single product.
Why is AI governance now a sustainability issue?
The EU AI Act, the European Union’s regulation on artificial intelligence, applies in stages, and several of those stages are already in effect. Prohibitions on certain AI practices have applied since February 2025, obligations for general-purpose AI models since August 2025, and most transparency obligations since 2 August 2026.
The AI Omnibus (Regulation (EU) 2026/1744) entered into force on 27 July 2026. It moved the obligations for stand-alone high-risk AI systems, which include certain uses in employment and creditworthiness assessment, to 2 December 2027. Obligations for AI embedded in regulated products now apply from 2 August 2028.
This delay is not a pause. For most organisations, the time between now and those dates is when policies, oversight and accountability for AI need to be put in place. Sustainability and compliance teams already run governance processes, collect evidence and report to boards and investors, which puts them in a good position to lead this work.
What will the webinar cover?
The session is a conversation between Heleen and Oliver, followed by questions from the audience. Topics include:
- What the EU AI Act requires today, and what changed with the AI Omnibus
- Whether your organisation is a provider or a deployer of AI under the Act, and why the distinction matters
- What good AI governance looks like in practice, from AI policies and an inventory of AI use to risk assessment and human oversight
- How private equity firms can approach AI governance across a portfolio
- Where sustainability and compliance leaders fit, and how to take ownership of this agenda
- A live question and answer session
Who should attend?
The webinar is designed for:
- Heads of sustainability, ESG and compliance at private equity firms and their portfolio companies
- Sustainability and compliance leads at companies building an AI governance framework
- Legal, risk and IT colleagues who work with them on AI policy
- Anyone who reports on AI use and oversight to a board, investors or LPs
Who are the speakers?
Oliver Howley, Partner, Proskauer
Oliver is a partner in Proskauer’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications Group and co-head of the firm’s Technology Strategy Committee. Based in London, he advises AI developers, companies and private capital firms on the full AI lifecycle, from product launches and contracting to regulatory strategy. He won the Innovative Practitioner award at the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards 2026 and was named to The Lawyer’s Hot 100 in 2026. He also hosts AI Decoded, Proskauer’s video series on AI and the law.
Heleen van Poecke, CEO and Co-Founder, KEY ESG
Heleen co-founded KEY ESG in 2020. Before that, she worked in M&A advisory at Greenhill, private markets investing at AlpInvest and data governance at Collibra. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Frequently asked questions
Will the webinar be recorded?
Yes. Everyone who registers will receive the recording after the session, including those who cannot attend live.
Do I need to be a KEY ESG customer to attend?
No. The webinar is open to anyone responsible for sustainability, ESG or compliance.
Is this legal advice?
No. The webinar provides general information on AI governance and regulation. For advice on your organisation’s situation, speak to your legal advisers.
Can I submit questions in advance?
Yes. Send your questions to marketing@keyesg.com when you register, and we will cover as many as possible during the session.
