About
The Company
blue csr strategies is an ESG consulting firm providing its clients with expert advice on strategy development & implementation, engagement, communications & disclosure.
The firm was founded in 2020 by Andrew Watterson to serve the rapidly growing needs of business, government and non-profit organizations to accelerate progress towards creating positive environmental, social and financial impacts. blue csr strategies understands the power of inclusive engagement, transparency and authentic communications.
Investing in an impactful CSR strategy creates positive change throughout your organization and helps to strengthen brand loyalty, employee engagement and stakeholder value.
We leverage the deep experience of our team to support our clients' objectives and seek to develop long-term relationships with our clients.
blue csr strategies is an LGBT-owned and -operated enterprise. We are currently in the process of being certified by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC).
blue csr is a SASB Consultant Content Program Member.
Approach
We commit to approach each organization with a fresh perspective to customize a strategy that is compatible with your organization's culture and enterprise priorities.
Understanding that each organization and the value they create are unique is essential to developing a CSR strategy that amplifies the positive environmental and social impacts that the organization can deliver.
The Founder
Andrew is an experienced sustainability and corporate responsibility practitioner who leverages his expertise in corporate responsibility and organizational development to guide organizations toward creating a positive impact on society, people, and the planet, while creating positive financial returns. He holds a deep belief in power of authentic leadership and being purpose driven as a means of creating an enduring positive reputation.
Prior to launching blue csr strategies, Andrew held leadership positions in both public and private sector organizations including GOJO Industries, KeyBank, BrownFlynn (now an ERM Company) and the City of Cleveland, OH.
Responsibilities included sustainability, corporate responsibility, communications, diversity & inclusion and community & governmental affairs.
Senior ESG Consultant
Cole has more than a decade of experience in the sustainability sector, most recently as a Senior Associate Consultant for ERM, where he worked with some of the largest Fortune 500 companies in retail, tech, manufacturing, and other sectors to address their most pressing challenges and opportunities in managing and disclosing ESG issues. He has expertise in peer benchmarking, ESG ratings and rankings, gap analysis, ESG prioritization, surveys, disclosure and materiality.
Cole holds a joint MBA and MA in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California with a focus in social entrepreneurship and impact investing. He is passionate about developing solutions for clients to create a more sustainable and just world.
A Responsible Company
our course
At blue csr strategies, we are a company that is purpose-driven and aligned by the belief that through authentic leadership and engagement we can achieve outcomes that support an equitable and healthy planet where business and communities have the opportunity to thrive.
Our approach to CSR and sustainability internally is focused on the three pillars of environmental sustainability, diversity equity & inclusion, and community engagement & participation.
- Within environmental sustainability, we believe that we should tread lightly and leave places better than when we arrived. To us, this means working toward net zero and improving the environment we depend on. Some actions that we take to achieve this are:
- 100% renewable energy purchase for our office.
- Net zero transportation – either through zero emissions transportation or carbon offsets
- Prioritization of digital over paper & recycled, FSC certified paper when required
- Waste reduction & recycling
- Planting trees in our community
- Supporting environmental organizations, such as the Ohio Environmental Council
- Within diversity, equity & inclusion, we believe that everyone should be able to bring their best and authentic self to work and to each engagement. We want everyone that we work with to feel comfortable with being their whole self and support behaviors that enable these actions. We seek to garner trust and create psychological safety within our teams to enable their best work to come forward. To do this we practice some of the following:
- Racial equity & inclusion training
- Unconscious bias training
- Non-discriminatory hiring practices inclusive of proactive efforts to eliminate bias in hiring
- Equal opportunity employment
- Within community engagement and participation, we believe that an informed and engaged citizen is fully participating in the community where they live & work. We therefore encourage the following behaviors:
- Board participation and volunteerism with non-profit organizations
- Financial support of non-profit organizations
- Being an active and informed voter
- Being informed of and knowledgeable about policies and developments impacting our communities
