Project: Exposition Park Sustainability Plan
Role: Sustainability Plan Lead & ISO 20121 Certification
We were contracted by the State of California to develop a comprehensive Sustainability Plan for Exposition Park, a 152-acre open park space located in Downtown Los Angeles that is home to partner entities ranging from museums to sporting arenas. The Plan was developed in accordance with the ISO 20121 event sustainability management system standard, and was commissioned to serve as a roadmap by which Exposition Park may track progress across core environmental impact areas and achieve ISO 20121 compliance in preparation for the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Through a collaborative effort with key Park stakeholders and vendors, we analyzed the Park’s current sustainability practices across six impact areas: energy, resource recovery, water, transportation, procurement, and education & engagement. Based on this assessment, the Plan maps out strategies, actions, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to set the Park on course for a greener future and serve as an example of sustainability management for parks and venues across the globe.
Project: World Economic Forum Global Agenda
Role: ESG Thought Leader
We offer advisory services at the board level and complete strategy services at the organizational level to help companies achieve Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) success.
With expertise in risk management, strategy design, and market-specific disclosure frameworks, we also provide thought leadership in the space via speaking engagements and resource development. Co-authored by Jaime Nack, Founder and President of TSI, 6 ways company boards should prepare for climate risk was published by the World Economic Forum in August 2020 to serve as an ESG resource for corporate boards across the globe.
Project: Global Climate Action Summit
Role: Director of Sustainability & ISO 20121 Certification
We served as the Director of Sustainability for the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, California. The event, which was co-chaired by world leaders including California Governor Jerry Brown, Michael Bloomberg, and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa, served as a launch-pad for the adoption of deeper worldwide commitments and accelerated climate action towards the historic Paris Agreement.
We implemented sustainability measures ranging from the donation of 30,000 sq. ft. of carbon neutral carpet tiles to local middle schools, to the procurement of a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Fleet of delegate shuttles and production transport. Notably, the Summit became the first organization in the world to receive a third-party accreditation to ISO 20121, the highest industry standard for sustainable event management.
Project: Los Angeles Marathon
Role: Director of Sustainability & CRS Certification
We lead sustainability efforts for the annual Los Angeles Marathon, which brings together over 24,000 athletes to complete a 26.2 mile course that runs through Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica.
A key part of our role is managing the race’s certification process with the Council for Responsible Sport (CRS), an organization that independently verifies the social and environmental initiatives of sporting events. Milestones from the 2019 race included Gold Level CRS Certification, the donation of 5,500 lbs. of clothing to Goodwill, and the savings of 7,600 plastic water jugs due to the implementation of bulk-service ‘Water Monster’ technology.
Project: UN Foundation’s Global Leadership Dinner
Role: Sustainable Event Policy Lead
We developed and implemented a formalized Sustainable Events Policy for the UN Foundation’s global events portfolio.
To establish the Policy framework, we led a Visioning Session with the organization’s executives to identify long-term goals and objectives. The Policy was developed to serve as a ‘roadmap’ to achieve these goals, while also complying with ISO 20121 sustainable event management standards. We rolled out the Policy at the UN Foundation’s Global Leadership Dinner, which took place on the eve of the UN’s 74th Anniversary.
Project: Rally to Restore Sanity
Role: Director of Sustainability
We implemented a comprehensive sustainability strategy for the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear – a 400,000-attendee festival led by John Stewart and Stephen Colbert at the National Mall in Washington, DC.
Our sustainability plan included waste, energy, materials, transportation, water, and stakeholder education strategies. Our public transportation initiative resulted in a record for the most public transit rides on a Saturday in Washington D.C.
Project: Inception Movie Premiere
Role: Director of Sustainability
We served as the Director of Sustainability for Warner Bros.’ Inception movie premier, which brought Hollywood’s elite to the historic Mann's Chinese Theatre and El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, California. Given Leonardo DiCaprio's passion for environmental causes, the event required the utmost attention to detail across all sustainability efforts.
As part of our sustainability strategy, we developed and implemented a resource recovery system featuring compost and recycling collection – a first for Mann’s Chinese Theatre since its opening in 1922. Additionally, the gala affair following the premier raised funds for Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection.
Project: Honda Green Conference North America
Role: Lead Producer & Program Manager
We are proud to lead planning and production efforts for the Honda Green Conference North America, an employee engagement initiative commissioned by American Honda Motor Company and Honda North America.
Since 2015, we’ve worked closely with Honda’s sales and factory environmental leads to build-out and promote the program, which showcases environmental initiatives successfully implemented by Honda associates across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The Conference, which takes place every three years, facilitates theme diffusion across the region and highlights employee-driven projects that demonstrate significant CO2e, energy, water, and cost savings.
Project: Democratic National Convention
Role: Director of Sustainability
We are proud to have led sustainability efforts for one of the U.S.’ most high-profile events, the Democratic National Convention, over the past 4 election cycles – in 2008 (Denver, Colorado), 2012 (Charlotte, North Carolina), 2016 (Charlotte, North Carolina), and 2020 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin).
As the Convention’s Director of Sustainability, we develop and implement targeted measures to reduce CO2e emissions resulting from event activities. To support this effort, we recruit and manage 1,000+ Green Team corps to serve as front-line sustainability ambassadors across multiple stadiums and venues. Green Team corps educate delegates on participatory sustainability initiatives and ensure the success of our resource recovery strategy, which is designed to divert waste from the landfill via compost and recycling collection, food recovery, and materials donations.
Project: Cotton Sustainability Summit
Role: Lead Producer
We produce the triennial Cotton Sustainability Summit in La Jolla, California. The event brings together buyers, designers, and corporate sustainability officers from more than 100 major fashion brands and retailers from across the globe.
As the Lead Producer, we direct site selection efforts, contract and coordinate all vendors, and facilitate the program development process via the management of a broad-based planning coalition. By applying a sustainability overlay to all event production efforts, we implement environmentally responsible measures ranging from the sourcing of recyclable or biodegradable materials to the selection of 100% vegetarian menus.
Project: Religions for the Earth Conference
Role: Director of Sustainability
We led sustainability efforts at the Religions for the Earth conference, held at Union Theological Seminary, in New York, New York. The event convened over 200 world religious leaders to discuss the moral and spiritual imperative of responding to the ecological crisis, with addresses from Chief Arvol Looking Horse, Al Gore, Rev. James Forbes, and Vandana Shiva. Timed to coincide with the UN’s summit on climate change and the People’s Climate March, spiritual leaders mined their own traditions for earth-honoring resources and explored ongoing efforts to fight climate change.
Our sustainability plan included resource recovery, energy, materials, transportation, water, and stakeholder education strategies, as well as measurement and reporting processes.
Project: Women In Green Forum
Role: Lead Producer
IMEX AWARD WINNER - GREEN MEETING AWARD 2013 presented in Frankfurt, Germany (global green event award).
The Women In Green Forum is our flagship conference series. Over the past 11 years, the Forum has grown to become the premier event highlighting women in the environmental industry. Always a sold-out ticket, its mission is to create a venue for sustainability professionals to develop the skills necessary for professional success, to promote women’s leadership across the environmental industry, and to channel our efforts to build a better world where all people have equal access to and are involved in leadership and decision-making.
Featured speakers have included White House Cabinet Members (U.S. EPA Secretary), Fortune 500 Sustainability Officers, CEOs of cleantech companies, policy makers, community activists and youth leaders.
Project: Honda North America Sustainability E-Learning Series
Role: Module Developer
We developed a series of sustainability e-learning modules for Honda North America. Working closely with subject matter experts from Honda’s manufacturing and supplier sectors, we designed targeted content focused on empowering Honda employees and suppliers to engage with corporate sustainability goals and reduce the environmental impact of their operations.
Our creative development team packaged the content into short and engaging e-learning modules. With a focus on interactive elements and impactful graphics, the modules have been successfully rolled out throughout Honda North America.
Project: PEV Fast Charger Network
Role: Partnership & Community Outreach Lead
Working alongside the South Coast Air Quality Management District, we managed the effort to build out a Southern California Fast Charging Electric Vehicle Network (DCFC Charging Stations).
We were responsible for coordinating project partnership support and developing successful grant applications for the California Energy Commission's alternative fuel vehicle infrastructure programs, securing more than $1 million in financial support for the network of 28 fast charging stations.
Project: Young Global Leaders Greenland Expedition
Role: Expedition Organizer
We host Arctic expeditions curated for small groups of individuals, influencers, and corporate boards with the goal of deepening their understanding of the climate crisis and helping craft their climate action plans.
Most recently, in 2019 we partnered with the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders (YGL) and Active Philanthropy to host a YGL Expedition to Greenland. Experiencing glacier visits and meetings with Inuit leaders, 20 YGLs from 16 countries explored the impact of climate change first-hand and discussed ways to drive significant action in their regions and sectors.
Project: Near Future Summit
Role: Director of Sustainability
We led speaker management, on-site registration, and sustainability efforts for the Near Future Summit – a three-day, retreat-style event that brought together thought-leaders and celebrities from across the globe to explore viable, cross-disciplinary solutions to today’s most pressing challenges.
Working in collaboration with the production team, we integrated sustainable event practices into all areas of operations. In alignment with the Summit’s mission, we conceptualized and fabricated creative material alternatives including name badges made from recycled circuit boards.
Project: Riverside Restorative Growthprint
Role: Climate Action Plan Lead
We partnered with ESA and National CORE to develop the Riverside Restorative Growthprint (RRG), a comprehensive city strategy that ties GHG emission reduction efforts to Riverside’s economic development activities.
The Riverside Restorative Growthprint (RRG) combines two plans: the Economic Prosperity Action Plan (RRG-EPAP) and the Climate Action Plan (RRG-CAP). We served as the project lead for the RRG-EPAP and combined a global crowdsourcing campaign with local outreach and engagement initiatives to capture ideas to drive local economic prosperity through clean-tech investment, entrepreneurship, and the expansion of local green businesses.
Project: Specialty Coffee Association Expo
Role: Sustainable Event Policy Lead
We developed and implemented a formalized Sustainable Event Policy for the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), a nonprofit, membership-based organization that represents thousands of coffee professionals all over the world.
To establish the Policy framework, we led a Visioning Session with the organization’s c-suite to strategize fundamental themes and sustainability goals. The Policy was developed to serve as a ‘roadmap’ to achieve these goals, while also complying with APEX/ASTM and the ISO 20121 sustainable event management standards.
We led implementation efforts at SCA’s annual Expo in 2014, 2016, and 2017. Results included a 73% year-on-year waste reduction and the engagement of over 800 exhibitors in sustainability initiatives.
Project: Las Cárcavas Housing Community, Uruguay
Role: Sustainability Advisor
We partnered with Costa Partners – an Argentine real estate company led by Eduardo Costantini (Jr.) – on their first eco-conscious housing community in South America. The project included 20 exclusive seaside residences, a community center with a meditation and yoga studio, and landscaped natural surroundings that were home to an organic farm for the community.
As the project’s Sustainability Advisor, we developed a sustainability plan that featured green building construction, rigorous preservation measures for the community’s natural surroundings, and the installation of off-grid renewable energy technologies, including a solar system that fed into the national energy company’s electric grid. We also worked closely with Costa Partners to ensure that Las Cárcavas was recognized for meeting the highest level of international sustainability standards. Notably, we helped the community become the first project in South America to receive Audubon International Certification.
Project: Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator's GLOSHO
Role: Lead Producer
In partnership with the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), we produced the GLOSHO conference series from 2013 – 2015. GLOSHO – a cleantech conference and expo hosted in Los Angeles, California – brought together cleantech thought leaders and stakeholders from around the world to meet and exchange ideas, facilitate trade and investment, celebrate entrepreneurship, and further innovation.
As the Lead Producer, we directed site selection efforts, coordinated all vendors and production elements, and managed a 100+ speaker line-up and a 100+ exhibitor lineup. The conference series also featured a fast-pitch competition, which we managed from the idea-submission stage to the live presentations and judging.
Project: ESPY Awards
Role: Director of Sustainability
In partnership with ESPN, we directed sustainability efforts at the 2016 ESPY Awards, a television broadcast, red carpet experience, and celebrity golf tournament that spanned four major venues in Los Angeles, California.
With a focus on implementing a comprehensive resource recovery strategy, our event staff integrated compost and recycling collection into the event’s operational footprint to achieve an 89% waste diversion rate. Resource recovery efforts also included the donation of 45 boxes of footballs to a local nonprofit supporting youth development.
Project: 24 Hours of Reality
Role: Climate Change Expert Presentation
Jaime Nack, Founder and President of TSI, serves as an expert presenter during 24 Hours of Reality, a 24-hour broadcast reaching over 16 million viewers.
Presented by former Vice President Al Gore's The Climate Reality Project, the annual broadcast covers the climate crisis in every region of the world. Over the course of the multi-media activation, world leaders, scientists, cultural icons, and everyday heroes discuss the shared challenges facing our planet and the way toward a better tomorrow.
Project: Pasadena Tournament of Roses
Role: Sustainable Event Policy Lead
We developed a formalized Sustainable Events Policy for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, which was applied to the organization’s annual event portfolio.
The Policy was developed to serve as a ‘roadmap’ to achieve the organization’s long-term sustainability goals, while also complying with ISO 20121 sustainable event management standards. Policy elements focused on waste diversion at Tournament events as well as sustainability engagement initiatives for volunteers. Prior to rolling out the plan, we led a series of onsite educational sessions with Tournament staff to introduce key stakeholders to Policy elements.
Project: Uni Refill System
Role: Sustainability Advisor
Uni, the first luxurious, high-performance bodycare line of face-grade and reef-safe ingredients, launched in 2022 with an innovative closed-loop system of zero-waste refillable products.
We serve as Sustainability Advisory to Uni, supporting the company’s efforts around climate-friendly product design, packaging, and certifications. We also develop and support the implementation of operational sustainability strategies, including carbon emissions accounting, offsetting, and reduction initiatives.
