Imagine a world that is sustainable and equitable
MEET JO
I came to Brussels to work in the European Parliament just before the Fall of the Berlin Wall. The feeling of optimism for positive change and building bridges for a better world has remained with me.
I founded Conscience Consulting in 2008 as the first sustainability agency in Brussels, the first ethical advocacy agency, the first change agency.
OUR THEORY OF CHANGE
Please click on one of words below to find out more.
VISION
MAPPING
NARRATIVE
PARTNERSHIPS
In a planetary emergency, businesses need to transform themselves into more sustainable, resilient and responsible organisations.
Wherever you are on the sustainability journey, we can help speed your progress.
A sustainability narrative is front and centre as a bridge builder of any successful public affairs strategy.
One of our assets is the strength of our ethics and our reputation for integrity among policy makers, NGOs and business leaders.
ABOUT
Conscience is a change agency – In a world in transition, we believe in the positive impact of ethical advocacy and climate diplomacy. We build bridges for inclusive sustainable societies. We convene coalitions and design campaigns that drive positive change. We are driven to innovate, committed to integrity, delivering influence. We’re working to help shape a world that is environmentally sound and socially just.
We convene policy pioneers in progressive partnerships to drive ambition and action on the EU Green Deal. We consult with the architects of the Green Deal and the activists in EU Institutions. Our perspective on possibilities and power enable businesses to transform in partnership with civil society and policymakers.
Conscience has longstanding relationships with independent experts in Brussels and is the founding partner of a global network of independent sustainability consultancies with affiliates in Berlin, Buenos Aires, London, Paris and San Francisco.
OUR PARTNERS
Our partners are respected sustainability leaders with unparalleled insights and networks.
United Kingdom: Jo met Brendan May founder of Robertsbridge back in 2012 while building a pan-European team for a new client. They partnered together to create a pan-European network of sustainability agencies.
Germany: Jacob Bilabel is founder of Thema1 a Berlin-based think-do-tank. Jo and Jacob share a passion for bringing people together around green music and green energy.
France: Founder of Transitions Bruno Rebelle is former number two of Greenpeace International and architect of the ecological transition in France.
United States: Together with Future500 founder Bill Shireman, we created global sustainability network Transition500 in 2013. Jo and Bill reunited at the 2020 Impossible Summit.
Argentina: Guillermo Schulmeier and Pedro Tarak founded Emprendia as the first B-Corp in South America. Jo met the inspiring team in Buenos Aires in 2013.
OUR CLIENTS
We carefully select the clients we want to work with. We have crafted narratives, messages and slogans for 100s of campaigns to build support for global goals.
WORK
At Conscience we believe in purposeful communication to reach positive policy outcomes. Our theory of change anchors our work and enables clients to achieve advocacy ambition.
As a client you benefit from our unique experience, insight and perspective, as well as new tools of ethical advocacy and climate diplomacy.
Working with us means stepping up to become an essential policy partner.
We have done a lot of meaningful work and focus on these five major areas. Please click on a box below to find out more.
GREEN DEAL ADVOCACY
SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNICATION
STRATEGIC COALITIONS
CAMPAIGN NARRATIVE
CAPACITY BUILDING
GREEN DEAL ADVOCACY
At Conscience, we believe in ethical advocacy. Our Green Deal advocacy helps policy makers reward sustainability trailblazers with opportunities to collaborate as strategic policy partners and to level up policy ambition.
“Jo has been a huge asset to the organisation, knowing her way around the Brussels arena. She has been able to open doors in the EU Commission and in the NGO network and has helped the Association build a network of organisations with similar interests to support our work. Jo is proactive, provides insight and builds connections. She always goes the extra mile.”
Jennifer Lewis, Executive Director, International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association
“Jo transformed our plan into a coherent and compelling strategy in just a few days. Pure agility. A joy to work with.”
Seda Orhan, former Partnership Manager, Pesticide Action Network
SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNICATION
We have been communicating on sustainability policy issues for more than 20 years. We focus on crafting messages, storytelling and linking your specific issues to political priorities. Essential to success is effective writing, independent evidence and professional pitching to policymakers and to the press.
Some examples of our press releases:
- EU aid gap puts sustainable development at risk
- Murky world of Golden Visas puts EU at risk of corruption
- Grassroots engagement holds the key to development in Afghanistan
- Europe’s development budget should be spent on people not on “barbed wire and checkpoints”
- Large-scale tax avoidance: EU must now act on tax dodging
- Increas
ing inequality plunges millions more Europeans into poverty
“Jo brings life to technical and complex issues putting the human voice at the heart of communication.”
Rachel Owens, former Head of EU Office and Corporate Accountability Campaign Lead, Global Witness
“Ahead of a major conference in Brussels I was somewhat worried about how we’d secure media coverage of a story with diminishing interest (Afghanistan). Having Jo on board relieved all such worries – not only did her media expertise and contacts ensure we got positive messages across a wide range of international media, but her calm and methodical working style with me, colleagues and visiting delegates from Afghanistan made that our project so less stressful and ultimately more enjoyable. I could leave all media activities and decisions with Jo, certain they were being delivered effectively. The impromptu press conference was fantastic and impressively pulled off.”
Jenny Humphreys, former Programme Manager, Afghanistan Group (BAAG) for Afghan Civil Society
STRATEGIC COALITIONS
We are widely reputed at Conscience for our climate diplomacy, building bridges between leaders of NGOs, Institutions and Business into effective partnerships for advocacy and communication.
Convening roundtables that bring together knowledge partners with industry and policy partners proves effective for constructive dialogue on the complexities of policy intersectionality and to strengthen policy partnerships.
“Jo Sullivan is an inspiring agent of change. She is an expert partnership builder who works round-the-clock to push the boundaries towards a more inclusive and sustainable society. I have personally enjoyed our conversations where she has challenged me to think bigger and more boldly.”
Mustan Lalani, Global Director Public Affairs, Tetra Pak
“Jo and I have worked together on campaigns and coalitions around the Green Transition. I very much admire Jo’s standing, integrity, e-intelligence and substance expertise: a winning combination and a magnet for multiple players of all backgrounds.”
Robert Madelin, Chairman, FIPRA International
CAMPAIGN NARRATIVE
A core component of our theory for change is a bold narrative. We have worked with 100s of organisations to develop narratives that go beyond key messages.
Our narratives are compelling calls to action, anchored in immutable principles – inspiring, influential and integral to effective campaigns, coalitions and advocacy.
“We have been working with Conscience Consulting for years on a variety of projects. With the support of its creative, inspiring and impact-led team, we have been able to increase our exposure and create new partnerships.”
Céline Charveriat, as Executive Director, Institute for European Environmental Policy
“Jo’s breadth of knowledge and experience in EU public affairs and communication is remarkable. She has been instrumental to the success of our Europe-wide campaign and helped us formulate the narrative connecting the story to the messaging. We are delighted about our collaboration with Jo and would highly recommend her services.”
Tetiana Sykes, as Communications Manager, Mental Health Europe
CAPACITY BUILDING
We share 30 years of know-how in bespoke training sessions that build the capacity of people, teams and whole organisations to be effective policy partners in EU Green Deal and UN SDG ambition.
Honing essential skills of narrative and strategy, the Conscience Masterclasses equip you for ethical advocacy and climate diplomacy – the new way of doing policy in Brussels.
“Jo is a wonderful guide in discovering your potential for improvement!”
Prof. Dr Maja Göpel, former Director Future Justice at the World Future Council, now Scientific Director, The New Institute, Germany
“Thank you so much for the fantastic advocacy and communications strategy training. Jo opened our eyes to the importance of investing time into an integrated advocacy and comms strategy to ensure maximum and long-term impact. Jo made the theory tangible by providing a user friendly tool box that we can now apply to take forward our strategic work. We found the point on working with others who may not work on our issues insightful and inspiring – it is so true that everyone and everything is interlinked, and this nugget will help us to break out of our bubble, and ultimately to better protect refugees in the EU and globally.”
Maeve Patterson, Communications Officer, UNHCR the UN Refugee Agency
“Jo is a charismatic trainer and team leader. During our collaboration Jo has always been extremely responsive, flexible and understanding of new challenges while always maintaining a positive and solution-oriented attitude. Her professionalism, knowledge and warm personality make a great coach in professional group settings. Highly recommended!”
Elina Baltatzi, as Outreach Officer, European Cyclists Federation
TESTIMONIALS
TESTIMONIALS
Please click on the logos below to read the testimonials.
“Jo Sullivan is an inspiring agent of change. She is an expert partnership builder who works round-the-clock to push the boundaries towards a more inclusive and sustainable society. I have personally enjoyed our conversations where she has challenged me to think bigger and more boldly.”
Mustan Lalani
Global Director Public Affairs, Tetra Pak
“We have been working with Conscience Consulting for years on a variety of projects. With the support of its creative, inspiring and impact-led team, we have been able to increase our exposure and create new partnerships.”
Céline Charveriat
Executive Director, Institute for European Environmental Policy
“It was great to have Jo in the team, she brings good vibes 🙂 thanks for taking the opportunity.”
Natalia Alonso
Head of Oxfam International EU Office, now at UNICEF
“It has been a true pleasure working with Jo Sullivan on developing the core narrative for our democracy and climate work at Democratic Society. Within a short timeframe, she grasped complex concepts, united team members behind a joint narrative for our work, and enabled us to communicate our messages clearly and concisely.”
Nadja Nickel
Programme Director Climate, Democratic Society
Jo is talented, insightful and experienced. The training session she conducted for UNHCR Regional Communicators provided the team with an excellent grounding in how to use the tools of strategic communication to shape the public agenda and build support. Her passion, patience and performance mark her out as a true professional.’
Nicholas Van Praag
Director External Relations, UN Refugee Agency, now at the World Bank
“Jo / Conscience Consulting provided the IRC with valued support on EC proposal development. Her commitment and interest in tailoring services to our needs and demonstrating flexibility was very much appreciated.”
Elinor Raikes
Regional Director, Europe and North Africa, International Rescue Committee
OUR EVENTS
SPEAKING AT EVENTS
Recent speaking engagements
- Game changers for food systems transformation – Sustainable Food Summit July 2022 Amsterdam
- Making sustainable products the norm – Tacton Conscious Manufacturing Summit May 2022 Sweden
- Crisis Communication in practice – EU Committee of the Regions February 2022 Brussels
- Using digital to tell stories and communicate with purpose – Public Affairs Council Digital Conference December 2021 online
- How can we help manufacturers shape and build the future more sustainably? – November 2021 Sweden
Getting sustainability communication right – Global Biocontrol Industry Congress November 2021 Basel
In a key note speech to kick off the Global Communication Summit, Joanna reflects on how the Covid crisis provides important lessons for policy makers and communicators to better address other crises facing humanity, notably climate change and biodiversity loss.
Joanna spoke at a panel debate From Circular Economy to Climate Change: Getting Sustainability Communications Right with experts from Greenpeace and Solvay.
Point of view
NEWS & VIEWS
In the days, following the US elections in 2016, Joanna felt compelled to lend solidarity to Brussels-based activists and co-founded a new NGO network. The aim was simple – to provide solace and support to NGOs, and build their capacity to face growing threats of populism. The first event with a leading member of the Brussels press corps gathered 80+ people and many stayed long after discussion to network. Newsandbooze was born.
In the following years, we hosted 10+ events per year on the rooftop of the European Environmental Bureau, always with a guest speaker. Here’s an article on the crisis communication event where Joanna was speaker: How to keep calm and carry on communicating during a crisis
The last event before lockdown heard from the head of strategic communication for the European Commission, who laid out the then new Green Deal strategy.
During lockdown, we continued with online events. Here’s an interview with the Financial Times Brussels correspondent:
News & Views | WITH THE FINANCIAL TIMES on Podbean, check it out!
Since 2022 we resumed live gatherings at the Brussels Press Club and our first events welcomed journalists from POLITICO and staff from the Cabinet of Executive Vice President Timmermans of the European Commission.
If you want to hear about upcoming events, connect with Joanna on LinkedIn.
THINK ACT CHANGE
In 2020 as the pandemic set in, we hosted a series of silo busting events on sustainability. Hosts Jo Sullivan and David Labi gathered friends from California and Chile, Paris and Berlin, Stockholm, London and Brussels, some truly inspiring movement founders, business leaders and decision making officials.
We discussed how to burst bubbles and build bridges in society, together with audiences of 1000+. Watch this space for more radical collaboration workshops to THINK ACT CHANGE.
See you there!
