Jeff Senne

MY PURPOSE: I’ve always said I’m a rebel with a cause. I believe in taking risks, facing fear, and embracing uncertainty to drive change. I’m a ‘Truth’ teller who values real, authentic people, interactions, and work. I’m not afraid to admit mistakes, and I believe curious, empathetic leadership brings people together to drive action.

MY PASSIONS: I deeply value a balance in work, family, exploration, and fun. I have a need to see new places and put myself in different cultures, environments, and ecosystems to broaden my horizons, learn and expose myself to different ways of thinking. An avid adventurer - I’ve taken several solo kite trips of 500+ miles and most recently rode a motorcycle 6,000 miles across the Andes and Patagonia.

MY HOME: My family and I moved to Buenos Aires in 2021 so my son could experience a different culture, my wife could continue to grow in her work, and I could help more companies on their purpose / ESG journey. 

MY HISTORY: I spent my early career working as a Lake and Nature Program Director for a summer camp of 2,500 kids and then moved into hospitality management, where I ran hotels/condos, restaurants, and a conference center. These experiences taught me the value of authentic connections (kids can smell a phony) and customer service (the key to how I got my job at PwC).

I then got my Master's degree from the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica. This led me to the United Nations Global Compact, where I was the Head of Communications on Progress and the Focal Point for Chile. After that, I took a role in Tunisia with the African Development Bank, focusing on governance. My time working in development showed me the value of different points of view, how businesses can adopt a powerful change mindset, and how people are affected by systemic failures, but also that those systems can be made to benefit rather than inhibit progress. 

Following my time in Africa, I returned to the US, took a job with Sodexo, and then with PwC - leaving, after 11 years, as the Responsible Business Leader. My time with PwC was instrumental in helping me develop the skills needed to turn purpose and ESG ideals into business strategies, which is when they are most impactful. The wide variety of places and people I have worked with has given me a broad view of what well-developed and executed strategies can do to drive business and societal value - what I call the purpose and ESG dividend.  

MY VIEWPOINT:  I am a road-less traveled kind of guy, which was part of the mindset that brought me to the ESG space 20 years ago, well before it was what it is today. I believe in the power of business to help solve some of the world's most challenging problems: climate change, diversity, equity and inclusion, ecosystem degradation, water and land stewardship, and plastic! I am a climate change evangelist because of its effect on people, especially, all too often, the most diverse communities and those with the least among us. I am an environmentalist because of my love of wild, natural places. I encourage non-conforming thinking in clients - not only because it’s in short supply in most companies - but because it drives innovation, diversity, inclusion, and transformation.

MY APPROACH: When it comes to Purpose, ESG and CR, I am, at my core and in my heart  - a true believer. However, I also believe the business can only do so much and needs to partner with other companies, civil society, and government. We can't define the role of one part of society without doing the same for the others. While these might seem like contradictions, they are, in fact, a true differentiator in my work because they allow me to see both sides, engage with a wide variety of viewpoints and, most importantly, find points of collaboration and common ground to drive transformation and change.