OIL & GAS
For a $30 billion extractive project in Africa, project managed a team responsible for developing Sustainability/ESG reports for host government and lenders (Equator Principles).
Project and data managed, wrote, edited and developed GRI and IPIECA Indexes for four recent Sustainability reports for mid-sized Oil & Gas companies Marathon Oil and Noble Energy. Rewrote and edited one client’s CSR report after senior management expressed dissatisfaction with the draft delivered by another party, creating a more positive vision and strengthening quality and clarity.
For BP, researched and delivered a comprehensive global benchmarking of anti-corruption & bribery best practices with strategy recommendations.
For Total, developed and led ethics/CSR training for U.S. employees.

MINING
As a contractor for Human Rights consultancy Avanzar, wrote and edited 2 reports outlining global mining client Barrick Gold’s Human Rights Assessment program (most recently to 2015 UNGP Reporting Framework), and edited a Progress Report on VPs for Security & HR implementation. Avanzar and Barrick welcomed the reports as high quality and expressed appreciation for VoienConsulting’s responsiveness and quick turnaround. See Recommendation below.

CONSUMER
For global branded food company (Kraft) facing Human Rights allegations of child-slave labor issues in its West African supply chain, conducted research and developed fact-based, transparent communications materials that mitigated risk and prepared the company to respond quickly and coherently to critics.
For Scotts Miracle-Gro, the leading U.S. consumer lawn and gardening company, advised on strategic direction, led and edited 1st CSR report, and conducted stakeholder engagement with municipal stakeholders.

GLOBAL INSTITUTIONS
Interviewed 50+ internal and external stakeholders to develop comprehensive global stakeholder engagement strategy for International Finance Corporation (IFC), one of the world’s largest development banks.
Co-led extensive field assessment of U.S.-funded democracy-building initiatives for USAID in Ukraine, Albania, Bulgaria, Lithuania. Resulting report praised by USAID as one of the clearest and most useful it had ever received.

AUTOMOTIVE
For Ford Motor Co., developed strategy for and co-led a stakeholder engagement initiative with a coalition of tough NGO activists including Rainforest Action Network, Sierra Club and Global Exchange. The coalition’s high profile “Jumpstart Ford” campaign had been embarrassing Ford and making investors nervous. Led a series of trust-building meetings culminating in a summit with senior Ford executives and NGO executive directors. Result: Some members of the NGO coalition dropped out; the remaining NGOs changed the target of their campaign to the automotive industry in general, and reduced their activities to the point where the campaign became virtually invisible.

NONPROFIT
For the largest and most influential U.S. CSR NGO, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), served as director of the Global Resource Center, which provided field-building research, publications and a comprehensive website with resources across all areas of CSR. Also led consulting projects for member companies including Verizon (develop strategy and staffing structure to launch CSR function) and Levi’s (provided counsel on Business Ethics code). Earned certificate in Managing Ethics in Organizations from Bentley University.

GAMING HOSPITALITY
Project and data managed, wrote, edited and created GRI Indexes for Harrah’s/Caesars Entertainment’s 1st 3 Sustainability Reports. Provided ongoing strategic and stakeholder counsel; upgraded Environment and Community Engagement web pages; developed successful application for national-level EPA award; created transparent sustainability communications that included press releases, executive speeches, internal communications, and FAQs. Result: A solid reputation and credibility for the client that served as a strong platform for stakeholder engagement.

POWER GENERATION
Developed business case for transparency for one of the largest U.S. power generators, Southern Co., that persuaded executive management to publish the company’s first CSR report. Launched the reporting team and provided extensive strategic counsel and editing throughout the reporting process.

GLOBAL ENERGY
Co-developed and presented a community economic development strategy to a global energy super major under stakeholder pressure for climate change and community impacts. Beat out competitor agencies to win a multi-year, $3 million account.

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
As a political-economic reporting officer, dealt extensively with government and political party officials, and served as embassy point person for civil society/NGO relationships. Led challenging but productive town hall meetings between Roma and Slavic stakeholders, and mediated conflicts among economic development grantees in Côte d’Ivoire.
Wrote three Country Human Rights reports singled out for accuracy, comprehensiveness and insight, and won multiple awards for Environmental, Labor, Ethnic Minority, Refugee and Commercial reporting, as well as for crisis management during an unprecedented influx of refugees.
Wrote comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of HIV/AIDS in Côte d’Ivoire that was widely read at senior levels of the World Bank and other global institutions for taking a fresh, data driven approach to the pandemic.
Managed extreme conflict situation in Liberia, working with rebel warlord Charles Taylor and his lieutenants to negotiate release of U.S. civilians trapped in conflict areas during the Liberian civil war, and providing strategy recommendations to senior U.S. military and political leaders.
Led and drove productive strategies for a $100,000 Ambassador’s Self Help community economic development program.

PHARMACEUTICAL
Co-led, co-wrote, and edited first CSR report for global pharmaceutical Merck at a time when the company was under intense stakeholder scrutiny over product safety issues.

TECHNOLOGY
Developed core CSR strategy and branding, benchmarked competitors, established grant-making criteria, and developed short list of potential grantees for industry-leading software firm Oracle.

MINING RECOMMENDATION
”I’ve worked with Steve for more than a decade, as a BSR colleague and now as an Avanzar contractor. Steve wrote and edited two reports outlining a client’s human rights assessment program (most recently to the 2015 UNGP Reporting Framework), and edited a Progress report on VP Security & Human Rights implementation for a large mining firm.

”In all three reports, Steve produced high quality writing that’s clear and readable to the public while sophisticated enough to be credible to specialists. He was responsive to my client’s requests and turned the work around quickly. My client was happy and hence, so was I.“

— Christina Sabater
Founder, Avanzar LLC