Comcast’s hiring of a Covington & Burling lawyer who will oversee public policy and digital equity is further evidence of the company’s legal department taking on influence and duties in these areas as well as overall ESG efforts.

The Philadelphia-based telecommunications conglomerate announced this week that it had hired Broderick Johnson, a former White House adviser, to serve as its executive vice president of policy and executive vice president of digital equity. Since the role of executive vice president of digital equity is new, he will be tasked with building that team, a Comcast representative said.