Overview

Founder and the CEO of SFLS Network

CEO, Global Principles for Sustainable Securities Lending

Former Co-Founder and Executive Chair, ISLA Council for Sustainable Finance (please contact me directly to hear about the history of ICSF).

Upcoming Member of the ESRC Peer Review College 

Recent non-confidential news: (please note, more news will be issued on an incoming website).

October 2019 - Radek invited by the United Nations FAO to speak on ESG matters in South Africa.

September 2019 - Radek invited to co-organise a workshop on ESG and securities lending in Paris.

July 2019 - SFLS Network recognised by Exeter Business School - Radek will now work with both Law and Business Schools.

June 2019 - Radek a keynote speaker on ESG and securities lending - ISLA Annual Meeting.

May 2019 - Radek was a visiting fellow at the World Bank Group.

February 2019 - Radek was a special guest at AGM of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values.

Radek Stech (PhD, Cardiff) is a Founder and the CEO of the Sustainable Finance, the Law and Stakeholders (SFLS) Network and a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Exeter (equal to Associate Professor according to unified Associate Professor scheme in leading UK universities). Radek has recently won a highly competitive UK research grant to lead on a nearly half a million USD global research project in partnership with the Global Alliance for Banking on Values and the World Bank (2018-22). He has more than 10 years of solid research, consultancy and advisory experience in ESG, banking and environmental law in collaboration with such stakeholders as the US Chamber of Commerce, the World Pensions Council, the Welsh Government, WWF UK and leading international law firms. He was a visiting fellow at George Washington University Law School and an independent researcher at the World Bank (Global Themes, 2017), and a visiting fellow at the World Bank Group (Finance/Innovation, 2019) . Immediately after his studies in 2003, he worked on attracting EU funding for new movies in the Oscar nominated (for Three Colours: Red) and intellectually charged Warsaw's TOR Film Production. He is an Observer of the Green Bond Principles.

His previous research (on costs barriers to justice) was launched in the House of Lords (2010), published by the UNECE and referred by the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee. It has also been cited by academics, organisations, and the media and featured by the ESRC (Britain's in 2011) and submitted to REF 2014 at Exeter Law School. He has experience of working in a consulting environment: for Irwin Mitchell Solicitors (2009), Environmental Law Foundation (2009-2010), Marrons Solicitors (2011-12) and Clyde & Co (2013-2014).                                                                   

Between 2012 and 2013, he worked as a Senior Evidence Analyst in the Welsh Government, where he was developing, through policy and legal instructions, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. 

SFLS Network is recognised by and has support from the central University and several global partners. SFLS started in 2015 and was developed independently during the recent Law School transition and, with a clear mandate from the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), remains independent from other groupings, networks and research centres at Exeter (consequently, Radek is not a member of any other research centre/grouping here in Exeter). SFLS is led by Radek in line with the highest ethical and scientific rigour standards required by ESRC and supported by Darryl Wilkins (Project Support Advisor), in partnership with global players.

PUBLICATIONS/IMPACT/INTERNAL PUBLICATIONS:

Stech R, (early 2021) "Enriching trillions with the sustainability agenda and how can we move to a quadrillion...?"  (draft title of a major monograph on sustainable finance with Edward Elgar)

Stech R. (2020) "Arguing for better development: towards sustainable third-party litigation funding" (final prep, Civil Justice Quarterly)

Stech R (19/20) "Polish-ing environmental lawyerying in the UK: dispelling myths about environmental justice" (prep for Journal of Environmental Law/Environmental Law Review) 

Stech R. (2020) "When Acts of Prince are doomed to fail: reflections on rigid managerialsm in creative industries" (advanced prep for an interdisciplinary journal)

Stech R, (2019) 'Sustainable finance, the law and stakeholders: towards responsible social movements' in Osuji, O., Ngwu, F., Jamali, D. Corporate Social Responsibility in Developing and Emerging Markets - Institutions, Markets and Sustainable Development (CUP, Cambridge)

Lee RG, Stech, R.  (2018). Compensation for Damage caused by Nuclear Installations: the Revised Liability Regime. International Journal of Law in the Built Environment

Stech R (2013). Legislation and Policy: a carrot and stick approach? an analysis of the UK Government’s proposals on environmental judicial review. Environmental Law Review, 15(2), 139-151.

Stech R (2013). Poking the hornet's nest: an analysis of EU proposals on the cap on bankers' bonuses. Journal of International Banking Law and Regulation, 28(9), 363-367.

Stech R (2013). Think before you act: the sustainable development white paper in wales. Journal of Environmental Law, 25(1), 137-144.  Abstract.

Stech R (2012). Sustainable Development Bill for Wales. Environmental Law Monthly, 21(12), 3-5.

Stech R (2014). Standards of High Speed Railway. In  (Ed) SAGE Encyclopedia of Transportation: Social Science and Policy,

Stech R (2014). ‘Energy Policy Act of 1992’. In Garrett M (Ed) Encyclopedia of Transportation. Social Science and Policy, SAGE

Kim H, Stech R (2012). Greening the Korean stacks through lessons from the EU Emissions Trading System: a socio-legal analysis. In Vazquez-Brust D, Sarkis J (Eds.) Green Growth: Managing the Transition to a Sustainable Economy. Learning by doing in East Asia and Europe,

Lee RG, Stech R (2011). Access to Environmental Justice in England and Wales: Funding Representation for Court Reviews of Administrative Action. In Steele J, Boom WV (Eds.) Mass Justice, Edward Elgar Publishing  Abstract.

Stech R (2009). Environmental Information, Participation and Citizen Activity: Case Studies from Poland and the UK. In  (Ed) Connected Accountabilities: Environmental Justice and Global Citizenship, Oxford: Inter-Disciplinary Press

Reports/Media/Book reviews/Impact

Stech R (2017). “Investment Opportunities for Communities” Mundo Empressarial p. 9

• Welsh Government (2012) 'A Sustainable Wales: Better Choices for a Better Future' (White Paper) (Acknowledged significant contribution to research, development and drafting)

http://wales.gov.uk/docs/desh/consultation/121203asusdevwhitepaperen.pdf

• Welsh Government (2012) 'Sustainable Development Bill White Paper - Equality Impact Assessment'
(Acknowledged significant contribution to research and drafting)

• Stech, R. (2012) ‘Business Perceptions of UK Environmental Legislation"’ (Report), UKELA, BRASS, King's College London, Cardiff-London (May 2012)
http://www.ukela.org/content/page/3005/BRASS%20final%20report.pdf

• UKELA/BRASS/King's College London (2012) ‘The State of UK Environmental Law in 2011 - 2012: Is there a case for legislative reform?’ (Report), UKELA, BRASS, King's College London, Cardiff-London (May 2012) (Contributed by 'Business Perceptions' report)

http://www.ukela.org/content/page/3006/Final%20report%20UK%20Environmental%20Law%20in%202011-2012.

• Stech, R (2011) 'Is Environmental Justice Being Served?' ESRC Britain in 2011 (p. 59)

Stech R (2013). Climate Change Liability: Transnational Law and Practice. Edited by Richard Lord, Silke Goldberg, Lavanya Rajamani and Jutta Brunnée [Book Review]. Journal of Environmental Law, 25(1), 168-171.

• Stech, R (2010) ‘Human Rights and the Environment: Understanding Your Right to a Healthy Environment’ (Guide), Environmental Law Foundation, London (funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission)

•Stech, R, Lee, R.G., Tripley, D. (2010) ‘Costs Barriers to Environmental Justice’ (Report), Environmental Law Foundation, Allen & Overy, London (officially launched in the House of Lords)

http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/pp/compliance/C2008-33/correspondence/FrELF_Report2009.pdf

• Stech, R, et. all. (2008) ‘A policy analysis on the European Commission' Proposal for the Revision of the Eco-Iabel and the EMAS Regulations’ (Internal EU Policy Analysis), EU Committee of the Regions, Brussels (acknowledged/internal

• Stech, R, et. all. (2008) 'Green Paper on agricultural product quality: product standards, farming requirements and quality schemes' (Internal EU Policy Analysis), EU Committee of the Regions, Brussels (acknowledged/internal)

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External impact and engagement

Invited talks and own initiatives:

"Enriching trillions with sustainability fabric" (2018 -)

Radek is currently (2018-19) co-organising several workshops involving high-profile stakeholders - the smartest and the most knowledgeable people on our planet -  in line with the highest ethical standards required by his funder (ESRC). Radek's collaboration is about shared understanding that we are jointly shifting paradigms. More news soon, when appropriate.

Stech, R. Sustainable Finance, the Law and Stakeholders (SFLS) independent network and research project - from 2015 - onwards - More information on this - click here

Stech, R. (with internal and global partners) as Director of Prizes, Bursaries and Scholarships, Radek is developing culture of prizes and scholarships at Exeter Law School - More information on this - click here

Stech, R. “SD requirements and duties across the UK Central Government – is there a need for further research and reform? The UK Government Cross-Whitehall Sustainable Development Group, London (Home Office), November, the 17th 2014

Charles, H., Stech, R. “Forthcoming Sustainable Development Bill” Welsh Government Away Day, Cardiff (June, the 19th, 2012)

Stech, R., Lee, R. G. (2012) ‘Business Perceptions of UK Environmental Legislation"’ Launch of the report, King's College London, May 2012

Session chaired by Lord Justice Carnwath

Stech, R. “Empowerment tools for disengaged communities” ELF Regional Volunteer Co-ordinator Third Training Day Sustainable Communities Project, Allen & Overy, London (October, the 15th 2009)

Stech, R. “Tools and Techniques for More Effective Participation in the Planning Process”, ELF Human Rights and Environment event, The Cameron Centre, Cameron Walk, Lockleaze, Bristol (November, the 12th 2010) (Keynote speaker – Charlotte Leslie, Member of Parliament for Bristol North West)

Stech, R., Lee, R.G., Tripley, D. (2010) ‘Costs Barriers to Environmental Justice’ (Report), Environmental Law Foundation, Allen & Overy, London

Foreword by Lord Justice Woolf, officially launched in the House of Lords in January 2010

Collaborator, International Economic Forum, Krynica, Poland (2010-2012)

Participant Researcher, Aarhus Convention (Third Meeting of the Parties), Riga, Latvia, 2008

Observer, Researcher, Photographer - Orange Revolution, Kiev and Lviv, Ukraine (2004)

Featured on TV

Founder and Organiser, Krzysztof Kieslowski Film Festival - overall responsibility for finance and collaboration with the Polish National TV and other key stakeholders (2004)

Leader, EU Debate (famously founded by Professor Konstanty Adam Wojtaszczyk), Pultusk, Poland (2003-2004)

Featured on regional TV

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Teaching

Modules taught

• LAW1004 - The Law of Contract
• LAW2015 - The Law of Torts
• LAWM080 - International Banking Law

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Biography

Radek has a BA (Hons) and MA (First) in Politics/European Studies from Poland (Pultusk Academy of Humanities); Cert.HE. (Oxford), and an LLM (funded by the Cooperative Bank’s Career Development Loan), and an ESRC funded PhD in Law (Cardiff, ESRC BRASS Research Centre). Previously, he taught EU, Environmental and Commercial Law (Project Finance/Banking/Competition Law/Contract) at Cardiff Law School and the London’s City Law School (2010-2014).

In 2003/2004, Radek worked on attracting EU funding for new movies in the Oscar nominated (for Three Colours: Red) and intellectually charged Warsaw's TOR Film Production. He was also an individual student of Director Krzysztof Zanussi and contributed to producing 'The Welts' - the winner of Grand Prix Golden Lions at Gdynia Film Festival in 2004.  He held a short internship in Oxford's Turpin & Miller Solicitors (2006) and was a Stagiaire in the European Union Committee of the Regions (2008). Between 2012 and 2013, he worked as a Senior Evidence Analyst in the Welsh Government, where he was developing, through policy and legal instructions, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. He played a key role in joint research projects for the US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (on litigation funding), WWF UK (on UK SD duties) and the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (on business and the environment).

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