Denis (Kenan) Schäfer
Interim & Sustainability Manager
Experience
Sustainability Management Consultant
BNWD Consulting GmbH
The aspects listed here outline the various roles and activities I have taken on or continue to undertake in sustainability management for companies across different industries:
- Acting as an external sustainability manager
- Training and workshops on sustainability for (international) teams
- Responsible for setting up CSRD reporting structures
- Responsible for setting up CBAM reporting structures
- Responsible for implementing an LkSG risk management system
- Responsible for implementing an EUTR/EUDR risk management system
- Implementation and operation of compliance reporting systems
- Preparation of greenhouse gas inventories according to international standards
- Monitoring political and regulatory sustainability developments
- Support in grant controlling and grant applications
During my engagement, I have gained experience in companies from various industries. My clients include, for example:
- International corporate group in the apparel industry
- Acquisition of grants and implementation of international projects
- Subsidiary of a group in the automotive sector
- Family-run corporate group in tobacco products
- Owner-managed company in the food sector
- International laboratory group
- Family-run corporate group in special items
- Family-run company in the food sector
- Corporate group in retail
- IT services primarily in the public sector
Expertise in sustainability reporting (esp. CSRD):
- Focus area since end of 2023
- Identification of regulatory sustainability requirements for reporting
- Development of a concept / project roadmap for establishing and implementing compliant sustainability reporting
- Coordination and execution of materiality analysis as per ESRS
- Coordination and execution of stakeholder dialogue, including development of a materiality questionnaire
- Identification of key ESRS topics and derivation of relevant reportable data points
- Coordination of data collection and preparation
- Ensuring compliant documentation of all relevant process steps
- Coordination with auditing firms
- Leading cross-departmental teams for data gathering and management
Expertise in sustainability ratings (esp. Ecovadis):
- Determining the status quo
- Deriving improvement areas to achieve the desired rating outcome
- Identifying company-specific thematic rating focuses
- Developing a concept for preparing and conducting the sustainability rating
- Creating new documents to meet rating requirements, e.g., for policies and reporting
- Coordinating data collection and preparation as well as actions in defined improvement areas
- Leading cross-departmental teams to implement requirements
- Conducting the questionnaire-based rating
Expertise in deforestation-free supply chains (EUTR and EUDR):
- Identifying company-specific regulatory sustainability requirements of EUTR & EUDR
- Developing a concept / project roadmap for establishing and implementing compliant risk management structures
- Coordinating and conducting data requests with suppliers
- Preparing supplier templates for data requests
- Developing due diligence policies
- Assisting with official notifications
- Coordinating the risk management system
- Preparing and supporting official audits
- Leading cross-departmental teams to implement requirements
- Early identification of additional regulatory requirements under EUDR
- Handling official communications (e.g., clarifying regulatory uncertainties)
Expertise in CO2 Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM):
- Identifying company-specific regulatory sustainability requirements of CBAM
- Developing a concept / project roadmap for establishing and implementing compliant reporting structures
- Coordinating and conducting data requests with suppliers
- Developing supplier templates for data requests
- Developing data collection and processing structures to determine GHG emissions
- Registering in the CBAM registry and taking over CBAM reporting
- Early identification of additional regulatory requirements of CBAM
Expertise in the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG):
- Identifying regulatory sustainability requirements of LkSG
- Developing a concept / project roadmap for implementing compliant risk management structures
- Coordinating and conducting risk analyses
- Developing prioritization mechanisms to derive risk mitigation and remediation measures
- Monitoring initiated measures with high-risk suppliers
- Developing a supplier code of conduct and rollout process
- Developing a human rights policy statement and a human rights strategy statement
- Implementing and managing LkSG whistleblower procedures
- Serving as interface and coordination between internal departments and external contacts for LkSG risk management operations
Further expertise in sustainability management:
- Conducting opportunity and risk analyses
- Defining sustainability strategies
- Defining climate targets in line with SBTi
- Responding to sustainability-related customer inquiries
- Supporting sustainability optimization of existing processes (e.g., operating an EnMS under ISO 50001, conducting audits)
- Supporting expansion of renewables in photovoltaics
- Establishing and operating compliance reporting systems
- Preparing GHG inventories for Scope 1, 2, and 3 according to GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, GHG Protocol Product Carbon Footprint, and ISO 14064 as well as product-specific CO2 footprints
- Leading cross-departmental teams to implement sustainability requirements
Project Manager
sequa gGmbH
for an EU-funded development project focusing on circular economy and sustainability
Various positions, most recently Managing Director
Walton HK Group
at an international trading company
Summary
Application for your vacancy in sustainability / ESG / CSR as an external project or interim manager.
10+ years of management and project experience. Active in sustainability projects (ESG, CSR, LKSG, etc.) and sustainability reporting since 2015. Project experience in industries such as textiles, automotive, retail, and food. Preparation of ESRS-compliant reports for CSRD, CSDD, etc. Compliance.
Instead of a traditional permanent position, we offer you a flexible, ready-to-start, practice-oriented implementation of your requirements through a freelance project mandate – also on-site at your company.
Your added value
Immediate availability. Flexible scaling (remote / on-site). Extensive experience in industry and SMEs. Technical and regulatory know-how. Practice-oriented implementation.
Skills
- Materiality Analyses & Implementation Of Requirements From Eudr, Cbam, Lksg, Csrd, Etc.
- Project Management: Establishment And Leadership Of Sustainability Projects
- Supply Chain Management: Establishment Of Supply Chain And Risk Management Systems
- Sustainability Ratings: Analysis, Optimization, Execution For Ecovadis, Etc.
- Funding Consultancy: Program Identification, Application, Controlling
- Co2 Accounting: Greenhouse Gas Accounting According To Ghg Protocol, Sbti Scope 1-3
Languages
Education
MBA · MBA
B.A. · Media, PR & Communication
Similar Freelancers
Discover other experts with similar qualifications and experience