Our People |
| Michael Kerr - Senior Consultant |
Michael has extensive experience in assisting in the development of CSR/sustainability policies, strategies and reporting frameworks. His clients include companies in the financial services, mining and metals, aerospace and transport, and manufacturing sectors. He has also advised industry associations and governments. Michael's background as a lawyer enables him to provide advice in the context of the increasing number of new laws, regulations and voluntary initiatives that are being introduced to promote good corporate governance and improve the environmental and social performance of the corporate sector. His work with NGOs has also provided him with a unique insight into stakeholder engagement processes. He has considerable experience in drafting codes of conduct for large multinational companies. Michael is also a Lead Counsel with the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law, focusing on research in the areas of CSR and trade law. Prior to immigrating to Canada, he served as legal advisor to the Australian Conservation Foundation where he led the foundation's work on environmental law and corporate social responsibility. He commenced his career as a corporate lawyer with the Melbourne based legal firm, Abbott Stillman and Wilson. Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University, a Bachelor of Laws from Bond University, and a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney. He is a co-author of the book Corporate Social Responsibility: A Legal Analysis (LexisNexis 2009).
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| Brenda Plant - Associate |
Brenda is a consultant with business and finance expertise as well as several years experience in the community sector focused on social rights and social policy. Her ability to take a wider view on the interrelationship between private sector, public sector and civil society has been greatly appreciated by clients. Brenda is fully competent in English and French and has a working knowledge of Spanish. Among other things, Brenda has worked on: • The elaboration of "A Declaration on the Principles and Procedures related to Corporate Social Responsibility and Governance" and "Guidelines on the active management of social, environmental and governance risks" ("Lignes directrices sur la gestion active des risques sociaux, environnementaux et relies à la gouvernance d'entreprise") for Batirente pension fund and the Confédération des syndicates nationaux (CSN); • Multiple publications and presentations on socially responsible investing, community investing and mission-based investing; • Co-researching and writing of "Scan of the Community Investment Sector in Canada" for the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy Capital Markets and Sustainability Program; • Developing and implementing management educational tools on corporate social responsibility; • Teaching a course on the social context of business in the Faculty of Management at McGill University; and • The creation of ethiquette.ca - The Responsible Consumer Network, an innovative new electronic marketing service promoting socially and environmentally responsible products and services. Brenda applies passion and energy to all her work. She has a particular facility for creating stakeholder synergies and connecting clients with a global network of resources and expertise.
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| Catherine Duhamel - Associate |
Catherine is a multilingual lawyer specialized in international public law with sixteen years experience in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, South America and Africa. She is a certified auditor for the corporate social accountability standard SA8000. From 1999 to 2007, Catherine was director of the Montreal-based International Legal Resources Centre, a non-government organization specialized in helping countries address issues of justice, good governance, democratic development and corporate social responsibility. She has worked for a host of organizations, including the Canada's departments of Justice, Foreign Affairs, CIDA, Citizenship and Immigration, and the RCMP; Canadian and international NGOs, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and the private sector. She has participated in various international missions around the world, and has conducted investigations or provided technical assistance for various projects in Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Peru, Haiti and Mexico. She is also the founder of the first international crimes legal clinic in Canada funded by the UN to assist victims of international crimes for which she received a mention of honor by the Quebec government in 2004. Catherine provides legal and policy advice concerning the rights, obligations and social responsibilities of corporations arising out of international and national laws as well as internationally recognized voluntary initiatives. She lectures on corporate social responsibility at the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM)'s faculty of law. Since 2003, she has been a consultative member of UQAM's Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development Chair. She provided legal expertise for the publication, Canadian Energy and Mining Companies: Navigating International Humanitarian Law in the 21st Century. |
