Denis (Kenan) Schäfer

Interim & Sustainability Manager

Avatar placeholder
Hanover, Germany

Experience

Mar 2025 - Present
11 months
Hanover, Germany

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
Jan 2020 - Dec 2024
5 years

Project Manager

sequa gGmbH

for an EU-funded development project focusing on circular economy and sustainability

Jan 2015 - Dec 2019
5 years

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

German
Native
English
Native
Turkish
Intermediate

Education

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

MBA · MBA

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

B.A. · Media, PR & Communication

Need a freelancer? Find your match in seconds.
Try FRATCH GPT
More actions

Similar Freelancers

Discover other experts with similar qualifications and experience

Sandra Klinkenberg
Sandra Klinkenberg

Webinar Leader - Blackout Prevention and Preparation

View Profile
Jörg Klein
Jörg Klein

Interim Project Manager

View Profile
Marc Wiedenmann
Marc Wiedenmann

Supplier Management, Supply Chain Risk & Resilience

View Profile
Isabel Kaus
Isabel Kaus

Business Owner

View Profile
Niklas Witte
Niklas Witte

Sustainability Manager and Consultant

View Profile
Alexander Döring
Alexander Döring

Interim Manager Procurement | Head of Procurement & Strategic Sourcing

View Profile
Klaus Schmitt
Klaus Schmitt

IT Project Manager and Senior Consultant

View Profile
Dirk Volkmann
Dirk Volkmann

Interim Project Manager

View Profile
Jan-christoph Wiemann
Jan-christoph Wiemann

Owner / Business Consultant

View Profile
Christian Hackel
Christian Hackel

Senior Project Manager

View Profile
Inga Seischab
Inga Seischab

Senior PMO + Change Management Lead

View Profile
Kai Saathoff
Kai Saathoff

Senior Manager Regulatory Changes and Digitalization

View Profile
Friedhelm Luetz
Friedhelm Luetz

Interim Manager, Overall Owner's Representative

View Profile
Neele Bartels
Neele Bartels

Data Privacy Consultant

View Profile
Marcel Maurer
Marcel Maurer

Quality Management Expert / Regulatory Affairs

View Profile
Cavit Sarioglu
Cavit Sarioglu

Renovation of Own Properties

View Profile
Mehmet Ünüvar
Mehmet Ünüvar

Director and Senior Project Manager

View Profile
Silke Widera
Silke Widera

Sustainability Manager Fan Zone Berlin UEFA Euro 2024

View Profile
Julian Voje
Julian Voje

Project Lead Change the Bank

View Profile
Stephan Gindert
Stephan Gindert

Project Associate

View Profile
Christian Schmitt
Christian Schmitt

Operation Manager

View Profile
Natascha Kluike
Natascha Kluike

Business Analyst DORA and System Architecture

View Profile
Maximilian Tritschler
Maximilian Tritschler

Controlling Consultant

View Profile
Patrick Roose
Patrick Roose

Program Manager

View Profile
Oliver Schulz
Oliver Schulz

SAP Subproject Manager (SCM, MM, EWM)

View Profile
Rainer Oszcipok
Rainer Oszcipok

Interim Assignment: Strategic Transport Management with CO₂ Reduction in Supply Chains

View Profile
Harald Bos
Harald Bos

Managing Partner

View Profile
Ralf Schmitt
Ralf Schmitt

Shareholder and Senior Advisor

View Profile
Alexandra Volkwein
Alexandra Volkwein

Consultant

View Profile
Axel Zimmermann
Axel Zimmermann

Project Manager

View Profile