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Marjella Alma
Report Services Researcher
alma@globalreporting.org
Marjella joined GRI in April 2007 as the Sustainability Report / Reporting Services intern. She coordinates the Application Level Checking Service and assesses Sustainability reports. She also assists in preparing the GRI’s own sustainability report.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Organizations/International Relations (IO/IR) at the University of Groningen. In 2008 she will complete her Master of Arts degree in IO/IR as well as her Master of Law degree in International and European Law.
Marjella speaks Dutch (native) and English (good) and has a good working knowledge of both German and French.
Nelmara Arbex
Director, Learning and Services
arbex@globalreporting.org
Nelmara joined the GRI Secretariat in July 2006 as Director for Learning and Services, where she is responsible for developing the program and content for the inaugural learning services that support reporters and report users in their use of the GRI Guidelines. This also involves running the certification program.
Nelmara joins GRI with a wealth of experience in corporate responsibility and sustainable development. For 3 years, Nelmara was manager for Corporate Responsibility at Natura Cosmetics, Brazil. There she developed and implemented a management system for corporate responsibility; lead participatory processes of sustainable development planning with communities; implemented national social and environmental campaigns; and was also responsible for the company’s internal sustainability program for managers. She also coordinated the preparation of the company’s annual sustainability report.
From 2001-2003, she was manager of Knowledge and International Relations at Ethos Institute – Business and Social Responsibility – Brazil. She was involved in developing CSR management tools; engaging partnerships with academia; managing relations with international partners; and provided strategic guidance to companies about their social-environmental responsibilities and annual report processes. In addition to area coordination, Nelmara also collaborated and co-authored several publications, including books, manuals and other research papers, and coordinated learning activities such as a CSR course at FGV Business School, and sessions at Ethos’s annual conference. Prior to Ethos, she was an associate consultant at McKinsey – São Paulo in Brazil.
Nelmara holds a PhD in theoretical Physics from Marburg University, Germany (1997) and has been frequently involved in social and political activities in many civil organizations.
Ara Avakian
Technology Solutions Manager
avakian@globalreporting.org
Ara joined GRI as Technology Solutions Manager in 2006. Ara manages technology initiatives including the development of the GRI Web Portal. He also liaises with the GRI Tech Partnership and advises on G3 XBRL taxonomy development.
To this role, Ara brings a wealth of expertise gained from an extensive career in the IT industry, primarily within the finance sector. He has over 12 years experience in diverse roles including software engineer, project manager and technologist with companies including Fidelity Investments (Boston), Montgomery Securities (San Francisco) and Banc of America Securities (San Francisco). Immediately prior to joining GRI, Ara was consulting at GRI as a Technologist with Arup, and was part of the team that helped define the new GRI business strategy, future products and services and their accompanying enabling web technologies.
Ara was born in the USA and speaks Armenian.
Tamara Bergkamp
Secretary/Receptionist
bergkamp@globalreporting.org
Sarah Billens-Smith
Communications Coordinator
billens@globalreporting.org
Sarah joined GRI in April 2008 and is the Communications Coordinator. Sarah is continuing the mission to make GRI's website portal the 'go-to' place for the worldwide sustainability reporting community, and also works on e-newsletters, journal article authoring, and coordinating creative initiatives to help build bridges between network members for the advancement of GRI's mission.
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications (Media Studies) from RMIT University (Melbourne, Australia) and is part way through a Masters in Social Sciences (Environment and Planning) by correspondence, also through RMIT University. Up until Sarah joined GRI, she was working in the advertising industry for seven years. Eager to switch career and move into the sustainable development field, Sarah is very pleased to now be part of the GRI team.
Sarah was born in New Zealand but grew up in Melbourne, Australia. She is therefore a native English speaker, but also has conversational knowledge of French.
Sam Brooksbank
IT Coordinator
brooksbank@globalreporting.org
Born in the UK, Sam, GRI’s resident webmaster, has lived in the Netherlands for more than 4 years. Sam has had a wide and varied career to date, his internet skills started after making his 1st website for his own business, Aquafarm, which grew fresh herbs for restaurants and hotels using hydroponics. Sam then moved to producing computer based high stakes exams for Microsoft & Siemens. Now Sam runs his own websites which shamelessly promote his music/DJing activities. Sam loves to cook; he loves to roll sushi and can usually be found either in the kitchen or behind his laptop! Sam also loves to drive his vintage VW bus.
Bastian Buck
Technical Development Coordinator
buck@globalreporting.org
Maaike Fleur
Project Manager, Sector Supplements
fleur@globalreporting.org
Maaike joined GRI in April 2007 as Sector Supplement Manager. She is responsible for developing and managing sector supplement projects.
Maaike brings 10 years’ professional experience to GRI. From 2002 to 2007 she was the Dutch Project Manager for the European Eco-label and she facilitated several criteria development projects. Previously, she worked at the Alternative Consumer Bond where she organized the publication of a book on ‘fair and green shopping’ and later on she worked for a sustainable investment program as sustainability analyst.
Maaike holds a Bachelor degree in Environmental Technology and a Masters of Science in Physical Geography, from the University of Amsterdam. Maaike speaks Dutch as her mother tongue and is fluent in English. She has a basic knowledge of French and German.
Teresa Fogelberg
Deputy Chief Executive, External Relations
fogelberg@globalreporting.org
As GRI's Deputy Chief Executive Teresa engages in strategic external relationships with business, governments, civil society and other stakeholders. Teresa started her career as an anthropologist at Leiden University in the Netherlands. She has spent many years in development organizations, such as ILO, USAID, and Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in several countries in West Africa, where she specialized in gender issues and famine-early warning systems. She has thirteen years’ experience across various managerial positions at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Head of the Department for Women and Development, and the Research and Higher Education Department. In those positions Teresa contributed to the development of socio-economic impact assessment tools, and chaired the OECD Working Party on Women and Development and sat on the Oversight Committee of the (multi stakeholder) Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Immediately prior to joining GRI, she worked for the Netherlands Ministry of Environment, where she was Head of the Climate Change and Industry department, and Special Advisor on International Environmental Affairs. She was also Head of the Netherlands Delegation to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) , in the period that the Netherlands had the Presidency of the UNFCCC and managed to successfully close the deal on the Kyoto Protocol. In that position she worked closely with the corporate sector. In 2002, Teresa acted as Executive Assistant to the Special Envoy of the U.N. Secretary General for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, and was incharge of private sector involvement in the Summit. Teresa sits on the board of several sustainable development organizations. She is a Dutch National of Scandinavian origin, and is fluent in English, Swedish and French.
Sean Gilbert
Director, Technical Development
gilbert@globalreporting.org
Sean is responsible for overseeing the process that relates to the development of the GRI Reporting Framework (Guidelines, Supplements, and Protocols) and the accompanying resource material. He also facilitates the working group processes. Sean engages with external stakeholders about their relationship to GRI, and also coordinates relationships with the GRI’s Technical Advisory Committee. Sean brings extensive background working on business environmental issues and has regional experience working in Asia. From 1995-2000, he worked as a consultant in Taipei, Taiwan for Bayshore Pacific Environmental Business Services and, later, its partner company Strategic Analysis Asia. His work included assessing business approaches to environmental management, analyzing policy trends, and market research for environmental technologies and the chemicals sector. During this time, he also worked with the American Chamber of Commerce Environmental Committee, including serving as Chair of the Committee. Prior to joining GRI, Sean also worked as an independent consultant to investor, non-profit, and business organizations on issues related to sustainability performance measurement. Sean is from New York City, his native language is English, but he also speaks French and Chinese.
Romie Goedicke
Fundraising Coordinator
goedicke@globalreporting.org
Romie joined GRI in March 2007. She coordinates GRI’s fundraising activities, including seeking opportunities for fundraising that support both GRI and its strategy.
Romie brings experience in fundraising from her internships at the Dutch Embassy in Chile (2004-05), and also with War Child (2006). Immediately before joining GRI, she worked for ‘The Hague Process on Refugees and Migration’ Foundation, where she was responsible for fundraising, financial management, and writing Annual Reports.
Romie obtained her Masters of Arts from the University of Groningen, where she studied International Relations and International Organizations, specializing in Human Rights, Corporate Social Responsibility, International Economics and Latin-America. She also has training in Foreign Relations (Institute Clingendael) and Financial Management (MDF).
Romie speaks Dutch (native), English (fluent), Spanish (fluent) and has a basic knowledge of French and German.
Wouter Huizinga
Finance Coordinator
huizinga@globalreporting.org
Wouter joined GRI in March 2004 and is GRI's Finance Coordinator. He is responsible for implementing and maintaining GRI’s financial system. Prior to joining GRI, Wouter studied at the Hotel Business School, in Heerlen (The Netherlands) and also worked for two years in hotel in Switzerland. Upon returning to the Netherlands, Wouter joined GRI. Wouter is currently completing his studies in Business and Financial Economics at the Hogeschool voor Economische Studies (HES) in Amsterdam. Alongside Dutch, his mother tongue, Wouter also speaks English, German and French.
Monique Hutten
HR Manager
hutten@globalreporting.org
Monique is GRI's HR Manager. Monique held executive assistant and human resources positions with Unilever and Huhtamaki Finance between 1985 and 2000. Prior to joining GRI in September 2002, Monique worked as a human resources officer for Ahlstrom International, and consulted for an NGO on the restructuring of their administrative department. Monique is a Dutch national.
Ernst Ligteringen
Chief Executive
ligteringen@globalreporting.org
Ernst is the Chief Executive of GRI. He has held this position since 2002, when GRI was established as an independent organization with an international Secretariat in Amsterdam. Ernst holds overall responsibility for GRI, including secretariat operations and the coordination of the worldwide GRI network of active stakeholders who participate in the GRI’s governance, working groups, reviews, and consultation processes. Ernst is a member of GRI’s multi-stakeholder Board of Directors, which has charged the GRI with the mission of making sustainability reporting as relevant and mainstream as financial reporting.
Before joining GRI, Ernst had a 23-year career in various non-governmental and international organizations, including postings and missions in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, Middle East and Europe. His posts included: Executive Director of Oxfam International; Director of Programme Coordination of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; and Consultant to the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization at the ILO.
Mr Ligteringen is a Dutch national, is married, and has two daughters.
Katherine Miles Hill
Project Manager, Sector Supplements
miles@globalreporting.org
As Project Manager, Sector Supplements Katherine is responsible for developing and managing sector supplement projects in a variety of sectors including Electric Utilities, Construction and Real Estate, Airports and Apparel and Footwear. Integral to this role is coordinating the international multi-stakeholder Working Groups that develop this guidance. Katherine began working at GRI as Communications Coordinator, where among other responsibilities she worked in partnership with BBC World News to organize a BBC World Debate at the Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency. Prior to working at GRI, Katherine spent four years working in the field of government relations and business strategy, mainly with at an international healthcare company in the UK, Thailand and India.
Katherine read Anthropology BA (hons) at Durham University in the UK and has subsequently gained her MSc (cum laude) in International Development Studies at the University of Amsterdam. As part of her course she conducted primary research in China. Katherine is British and speaks English (native), Dutch and German (intermediate), French and Chinese (elementary).
Scott joined GRI in March 2008 as Press Relations Manager. He is responsible for the coordination and development of GRI's media relations and the management of content development for the press.
Scott's recent assignments were at EIRIS (Ethical Investment Research Services) - the London-based responsible investment specialists - where he held the position of Media and Communications Manager and at British charity The Queen’s Nursing Institute where he was their Communications Manager. He has many years’ experience as a volunteer in community-based HIV prevention programs in Glasgow and London. Scott earned his Bachelor’s degree in Politics and Sociology from the University of Hull in the UK and holds the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing.
As a Scotsman, Scott holds British nationality and speaks English (native) with an intermediate understanding of French.
Leontien Plugge
OS & Network Relations Manager
plugge@globalreporting.org
Since joining GRI in 2004, Leontien has held various positions, including within the Technical Development Team, which is responsible for developing of the next generation of GRI Guidelines, and where she coordinated the multi-stakeholder working group responsible for revising of the reporting principles section of the 2002 Guidelines. She began with GRI as an intern, and worked on the linkage documents based on the GRI Guidelines and other global initiatives such as the UN Global Compact, OECD, and the Millennium Development Goals.
Leontien is part of the United Nations Global Compact Special Task Force for SMEs and was part of the European Expert Group on CSR and SMEs at the European Commission.
Prior to joining the GRI, Leontien completed an internship at the United Nations Environmental Programme, Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP DTIE) in Paris. She is originally from the Netherlands, and holds a Master of Law in European Economic Law and a Masters of Law in Dutch Corporate Law, both from the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands. She also studied at Kent State University in the USA.
Annelies Poolman
Conference & Events Manager
poolman@globalreporting.org
Annelies is GRI’s Conference & Events Manager, a role that allows her to utilise experience gained from organizing the 2006 and 2008 GRI biennial conferences. As manager of The Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency, Annelies oversees the development of the entire program and all logistical preparations. In addition, Annelies is engaged in organizing localised GRI Events in many regions around the world and she also deals with the over four hundred incoming speaker invitations that the GRI Secretariat receives annually.
When Annelies joined GRI in September 2005 she played a key role in the GRI Governance activities and assisted in organizing the first GRI Conference in October 2006. Prior to joining GRI, Annelies worked at the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency as Project Assistant on the first Dutch Sustainability Outlook publication, 'Quality and the Future'.
Annelies completed her studies in International Business at Tilburg University in 2002, and in 2005, achieved her Post-initial Masters of Applied Ethics, with a specialization in business ethics, in Leuven, Belgium. Annelies is a Dutch national and is also fluent in English.
Barbara Revelli
External Relations Coordinator
revelli@globalreporting.org
Since joining in June 2006, Barbara has held various positions within GRI, mainly in the Communications and Network Relations team. As a member of the GRI Conference team, Barbara was involved in organizing both the 2006 and 2008 GRI Conferences. Barbara works closely with the Chief Executive and the Deputy Chief Executive in developing and maintaining strategic external relationships with business, governments, civil society and other stakeholders.
Barbara has a professional background of 7 years experience in public relations, event organizing, merchandise, sales and promotion. She has lived in Amsterdam since March 2005.
Barbara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinema Studies from Turin University; she spent a year as an exchange student at the University of Paris VIII - St Denis. Barbara speaks Italian (mother tongue) and is also fluent in English and French. She has strong knowledge of Spanish and Dutch.
Asthildur Rutten-Hjaltadottir
Publications Manager
rutten@globalreporting.org
Ásthildur Rutten-Hjaltadóttir joined the GRI in June 2007 as Publications Manager in the Learning and Services Centre. Before moving to The Netherlands, Ásthildur lived for 9 years in Brussels where she worked for both the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EFTA Secretariat. Just prior to joining GRI, Ásthildur worked at the United Nations Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague.
Ásthildur has BA degrees in both English and Political Science from the University of Iceland. Ásthildur’s mother tongue is Icelandic but she is also fluent in English and Dutch. In addition she has a good knowledge of the other Scandinavian languages and intermediate knowledge of French and German.
Elina Sviklina
Governance Coordinator
sviklina@globalreporting.org
Elina holds the post of Governance Coordinator at GRI. She is the first point of contact for SC and Board members and the principal coordinator of the secretariat’s interactions with the Board and the Stakeholder Council. Elina organizes and supports SC and Board meetings and their working groups, and also provides procedural and constitutional advice to secretariat staff members who liaise with the Technical Advisory Committee.
Elina grew up in Latvia. Prior to moving to the Netherlands, Elina has worked as Senior Executive of International Relations and Project at Valka District Council in Latvia and as Project and Rural Development Specialist in Seda City in Latvia. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science which she has obtained from studies at Vidzeme University College in Latvia, Sodertorn Hogskole in Sweden and American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan. In 2007 Elina graduated from University of Twente in The Netherlands and obtained Master’s degree in Public Governance.
Aliona Tency-Roshmendilo
Chief Executive's Assistant
tency@globalreporting.org
Aliona joined GRI in November 2007 as GRI's Management Assistant. She engages in a wide range of tasks providing support to the Director of Operations, enhancing capacity, and general administrative support to the GRI Operations Team. She also fulfils the role of Quality Officer and plays a key role in supporting the further development of GRI’s internal sustainability reporting process.
Aliona grew up in Russia and studied at the Pskov Teachers' Training University where she obtained her BA and MA in Teaching and Linguistics. In 1997 she participated in an exchange program and went to Ferrum College, VA, USA where she focused on the English language, Modern American History and Literature. In the fall semester of 2004 Aliona attended a number of courses on Environmental Studies at the Moscow Independent University for Environmental and Political Studies.
Aliona has more than 5 years of experience as an Office Manager, Interpreter and Administrative Assistant working in several international organizations including the OECD in Paris, France.
Aliona speaks Russian (native) and English (excellent), Dutch and French (good).
Enrique Torres joined the GRI in March 2008 as Training Development Manager in the Learning and Services Centre. His main task will be implementing and leading the GRI training certification process internally and with representatives of organizations in various countries. He will support training organizations during the implementation of the training activities, will implement the quality control activities and will help to prepare 'training for trainers' program. Before coming to GRI, Enrique worked for Medeçins Sans Frontières in the Amsterdam office for six years as a Training Advisor. Over and above that, he has worked in a variety of training positions in Australia, Mozambique and Spain.
Enrique has a Degree in Economics and a Post Graduate Degree in Education from the University of Melbourne in Australia. Enrique speaks English (native), Spanish (fluent) and Portuguese (upper intermediate level).
Florentine joined GRI in October 2007 as intern for the Readers’ Choice Awards. After the completion of her Masters’ degree, Florentine joined GRI again as Planning Officer for the Learning Services team. Her main tasks are to provide support to the training program and logistical support for the publications and the team as a whole.
Florentine successfully obtained her Bachelor's Degree in the International Relations at the University of Groningen in 2006. There after she continued studying in Groningen for her Masters’ Degree, which she successfully completed in July 2008.
Florentine holds the Dutch nationality and speaks Dutch and English fluently and has basic knowledge of French.
Peter Westra
Director of Operations
westra@globalreporting.org
Peter joined GRI in February 2008 as the Director of Operations. He is responsible for the day to day management of the Secretariat operations, including planning and budgeting, management reporting and controls, the finance and legal functions, IT, HR, governance support and the overall quality and sustainability management processes.
His professional background spans more than 25 years in a wide range of financial and management positions. Peter has been working in various segments of the IT industry for many years. As senior manager he has been responsible for building and maintaining high quality finance & operations functions within international organizations and led a number of large scale change management and business re-alignment processes. Since 2004 Peter had his own consultancy firm, providing business/strategy advice, mentoring and interim management to SME's.
He holds a Masters in Economics from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam.
Peter is a Dutch national, speaks Dutch (native), English and German (fluent) and French (elementary), is married, and has two sons and a daughter.
Janne Wiegersma
Secretary Technical Development Team
wiegersma@globalreporting.org
Janne joined GRI in September 2008 as the Secretary of the Technical Team. Her main tasks focus on the management of the Technical Development Team’s commitments, processing travel reimbursements for working group members, arranging logistics for meetings and teleconferences for the GRI TAC, note taking, coordination internal newsletter, travel arrangements for the team, maintaining the contact database and research. She also provides support with the registration of GRI sustainability reports.
Janne studies History and Human Technology at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, which she expects to finalize this year. Janne will commence a masters’ program in September 2009. She has gained work experience through her internships and extra curricular activities in organizing, research and administrative tasks.
Janne holds the Dutch nationality and speaks Dutch (native) and English (good). Whilst her verbal skills are moderate for the French and German language, her writing and reading skills are good for these languages.
Joris Wiemer
Research Officer
wiemer@globalreporting.org
Joris is part of the Learning service team as Research Officer. His main tasks are to support the SME and supply chain program, provide research inputs for GRI, for presentations as well as publications, such as the GRI Learning Series. Joris provides logistical and contact support for the team. He is also responsible for finding solutions for the team’s web support needs.
After studying political science and geography (BA with honors) at the University College Utrecht, Joris continued his studies at the University of Warwick, in the UK where he obtained his Masters in International Political Economy. He joined GRI in 2006 as an Intern.
Joris speaks English and Dutch fluently and has a basic knowledge of French, German and Spanish.
Leena Wokeck
OS & Network Relations Coordinator
wokeck@globalreporting.org
Leena joined GRI in 2006. After an initial period with the technical team she moved to the external relations team where her main focus is coordinating the OS program. Leena was also involved in organizing the 2008 Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency where she was mainly responsible for all matters related to the OS program and the Academic Conference. In her role as network relations coordinator she contributes to a wide range of network engagement activities, especially with the OS community, national and regional network development around the globe, and the development of an academic network.
Leena studied Cultural Anthropology and International Law at the University of Cologne, Germany, holds a BA in International Studies from the University of Birmingham, UK and an MSc in International Relations and Transnational Governance from the VU Amsterdam, Netherlands. She speaks German (native), is fluent in English, and gets by in Dutch.
Interns
Asuka Ashida
Intern Research
ashida@globalreporting.org
Martin Honal
Intern GRI Reports
honal@globalreporting.org
Luke Ringland
Intern Sector Supplements
ringland@globalreporting.org
Julia Volkmer
Intern GRI Reports
volkmer@globalreporting.org
Associates
Mark Brownlie
Associate
Paul Hohnen
Associate
Teodorina Lessidrenska
Associate
lessidrenska@globalreporting.org
Tomoo Machiba
Associate
Sandy Pederson
Associate
sgpederson@comcast.net
Sandy joined GRI as a consultant in May 2006, and assists with the editing of the G3 Guidelines and the development of educational materials. Sandy is based in Seattle, where she works as a freelance editor and writer in the global education and sustainable development field. She brings extensive experience developing learning products, publications, and services for international audiences, having worked with clients such as LEAD International and IUCN. She spent 2000-2001 at the LEAD International Secretariat in London, where she produced training materials and contributed to international training programs in Russia and Pakistan. A Canadian national, Sandy holds degrees in Education and Sociology from the University of Saskatchewan. In addition to her freelance work, she co-owns a local Seattl |