With 11 years of global experience in sustainability and corporate responsibility, I help client companies achieve higher ESG performance. My experiences span North America and Europe, crossing sectors from manufacturing to entertainment. I specialize in the realignment of ESG programs, as well as the development of pioneering 'Sustainability Strategy 2.0' initiatives.

I am a citizen of 🇺🇸 America, 🇨🇦 Canada and 🇫🇮  Finland with the right to work in these countries and the entire EU.

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Education

Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA (2010)
Master's in  Sustainability and Environmental Management

• With focus on international business sustainability and the unanticipated 
social/environmental impacts of ESG informed financial investments


• Research Internship: Water Resources and National Parks

Concordia University, Montreal, Canada (2004)
Bachelor's in Psychology and Neuroscience

• Behavioral Neurobiology, Sensation and Perception, Abnormal Psychology

• Research Internships: Neural Pathways Group and Laboratory Technician

My work - In the News

(2023) Publication of client Sustainability Report
Optinova Group 2022 Sustainability Report Published Today
"Key highlights from the Optinova Group Sustainability Report 2022 include:

• Ambitious Goals: We have laid out ambitious benchmarks for carbon emissions reductions, joining the circular economy, waste reductions, promoting gender equality, and advancing sustainable sourcing.

• Carbon Emissions Measurement: Optinova adopted the Greenhouse Gas Protocol method, ensuring an accurate and globally recognized way of quantifying our carbon emissions.

• Sustainability Programs: We uphold high standards in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices and empower our stakeholders to do the same."

(2021) Interview in the BBC
Personal accountability encourages positive social behaviour.
"Imagine living on a little island in the Baltic Sea 100 years ago. You took care of your neighbours and they took care of you, because there was no one else. Somehow the Ålanders haven't lost that kindness." Rather than an especially "cooperative" society, it's a "kind society aware of the strengths and failings of each other and accepting of each because we're all in this together."

(2019) On the Åland Islands of Finland I led a project to turn an empty historic building into a Pop-up Sustainable Small Business Center.

"New Business Concept Grows in Mariehamn" - Swedish text at Ålandstidningen

"Michael will gather Åland businesses under one roof" - Swedish text at Nya Åland

"He plans a Sustainability Center in the Stone Warehouse" - Swedish text at Nya Åland

(2011) With the Patagonia volunteer team I helped clean-up a scenic rafting waterway - the Concord River.

"CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS... Patagonia Employees Make An Impact" - Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust

Professional Experience

Senior Sustainability Consultant & Project Manager, Freelance/Contract
Scandinavia/Nordic Markets, 2016 - Present (7+ years)

I improve ESG performance with custom sustainability programs and corporate responsibility strategies

• primary data collection, processing, analysis, and assurance

• carbon GHG Protocol based accounting, net-zero target setting, and climate neutrality certification

• regulatory reporting and voluntary disclosures (GRI, ISSB/SASB, CDP, TCFD, SBTi, TNFD)

• stakeholder alignment, comparative benchmarking, materiality assessment and risk mitigation

• guidance through the transition from voluntary to mandatory sustainability disclosures, ensuring compliance with SEC Climate Disclosures, EU CSRD, ESRS, and IFRS S1 and S2

• third-party ESG rating agency performance improvements (e.g. EcoVadis)

Chief Sustainability Officer, Games Sport Casino
Finland, Sweden, Europe, 2011 - 2016 (5 years)

I created and operationalized a complete sustainability program from scratch

• corporate annual turnover over 100 million Euros across 7 international markets

• decarbonization with reductions of Scope 1 by 38% and Scope 2 by 55% 

• direct report to CFO with SME role to CEO and board of directors

• manager of Environmental and Community Responsibility unit, Environmental Site Leaders team

• enterprise-wide deployment of climate strategy and environmental policy

• external stakeholder communications and engagement projects

• operational tasks to reduce energy use, reduce costs, and engage employees

• benchmark ESG KPIs (Scopes 1 and 2, corporate offices, data centers, online casino, physical casino)

• value chain audit (Scope 3, international cruise ships, suppliers)

• develop business cases, create consensus, implement CapEx investments

Senior Sales Associate and Store Key-holder, Patagonia Inc.

Boston MA, USA 2010 - 2011 (1.5 years)

• worked to put myself through graduate school

• supervisor of daily operations, financial deposits and on-site security

• grant writer, public outreach projects and environmental volunteer

Site Director
Town of Westford, MA, USA  2006 - 2009 (3 years)

• founded Westford Outdoor Nature Program to enrich students STEM skills

• managed daily operations and program employees

• curriculum developer and funding grant application writer

• Westford Whale Project Leader

Skills in Action

• Global ESG excellence delivered to clients and partners as a Certified SASB FSA, Certified GRI Reporter, including Science Based Targets and TCFD Scenario Analysis

• Excellent English written and oral communication demonstrated as conference host SmartMarina 2021, copywriter/translator Sustainability Masterplan, Island of Kökar 2020, winner business pitch competition 2017, SME speaker JCI conference 2016

• Project Management in creation of Pop-up Sustainability Business Hub, ultra-low energy retrofit of corporate headquarters, build-out of 209 kWp solar energy plant (Certification as a Project Management Professional from PMI - 2022)

• Personnel leadership as CSO of Environmental Site Leaders team and as Site Director of STEM educational enrichment programs

• Office Productivity tools including MS Teams, Office365, Word, Excel, PowerPoint

• Data Science with capture, clean-up, management, analysis, presentation, assurance

• Special Tools Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) 

• Governance as board member of NGO Ålands Natur och Miljö 2017 - 2019, Conservation Commissioner, Westford MA 2007 - 2009

Plus

• PMP Project Management Professional Certification (2022)

• SASB/IFRS FSA Certification (2022)

• Conference Host, SmartMarina (2021) 

• Translator and Copywriter, Sustainability Masterplan, Island of Kökar (2020)

• Board Member, Ålands Natur och Miljö (2017 - 2019)

• Winner of Business Pitch Competition, ÅUAB (2017)

• Public Speaker, Junior Chamber International (2016)

• Contributor, Regional Sustainability Plan, Bärkraft Åland (2016)

• Certified GRI Reporter (2015)

• Certified FLIR Thermal Inspector (2014)

• Conservation Commissioner, Town of Westford (2007 - 2009)

• Mechanical Engineering Internship, Ford Motor Company
 (2000)

Academic Writings

Available at my Academia.edu Portfolio

• ‘Managing Municipal Open-spaces for Conservation, Education, and Recreation at East Boston Camps: Westford, M.A.’ Harvard University; Environmental Ethics and Land Management

• ‘Life Cycle Assessment of Catalytic and Non-Catalytic Wood Stoves’ Harvard University; LCA Case Studies

• ‘Renewable Energy: Bridging the Gap Between Energy Production and Energy Consumption' Harvard University; Environmental Management

• ‘Factors effecting the sustainability of marine invertebrate fisheries: An explanatory case study of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster fishery of the Miskito Coast and the Queen Conch fishery of the Caribbean.’ Harvard University; Masters Thesis

• 'Factors Affecting the Public Perception of Water Quality at Forge Pond Beach and the Relationship to True Water Quality' Harvard University

Thank you for your time today.

Email:  michael.taevs@outlook.com

LinkedIn: Michael Taevs