James Steagall
@jamessteagall
Purpose-driven sustainability director delivering ESG strategy, impact, and collaboration that mitigates risk.
United StatesWhat I'm looking for
I’m a purpose-driven sustainability executive and Director of Impact with a proven track record of driving corporate ESG strategy and pioneering pre-competitive industry collaborations. I lead complex sustainability work across regenerative agriculture, aviation, food & ag, and finance—turning sustainability into a core business driver through rigorous frameworks, B Corp certification oversight, and absolute transparency in environmental claims.
In my current role, I oversee comprehensive B Corp certification alignment, partner with C-suite leaders to architect foundational brand purposes and sustainability frameworks, and provide specialized claims guidance and greenwashing avoidance. Previously, as Manager, Collaborations at BSR, I optimized $900,000+ budgets, served as lead SME for transportation logistics and Scope 3 emissions, directed 15+ projects delivering an average 20% carbon footprint reduction, and mentored 10+ staff to improve delivery timelines and performance outcomes.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Director of Impact
BarkleyOKRP
Aug 2025 - Present (10 months)
Led the end-to-end B Corp certification process, aligning governance, workflows, and environmental policies to global impact standards. Partnered with C-suite leaders to define brand purposes and ESG strategies and provided claims guidance to reduce greenwashing risk, including launching the pre-competitive service offering “Snackable Truths.”
Board Appointee
Compass Science Communication Board
Jul 2025 - Present (11 months)
Serves as New Business Chair, driving strategic growth by identifying and pursuing high-value grant and partnership opportunities to support organizational revenue.
Board Appointee
Fort Lauderdale Sustainability Advisory Board
Jul 2023 - Present (2 years 11 months)
Advised the municipality on localized sustainability policies covering green transportation infrastructure, maritime shipping regulations, and ocean resource management.
Managed and optimized $900,000+ budgets across 6 multi-stakeholder climate initiatives with 100% financial compliance, improving transportation and logistics client satisfaction by 30% and securing 3 long-term corporate contracts. Directed 15+ sustainability projects that reduced client carbon footprints by an average of 20% and helped align 100% of participants with science-based net-zero goals,
Orchestrated 3 global collaborations across aviation, maritime shipping, and road freight, using staffing strategy and Gantt-based project management to deliver 100% of milestones on time. Drove sustainability portfolio execution across ESG strategy, port sustainability, and fleet electrification, delivering an average 15% improvement in client sustainability metrics with 98% satisfaction across 1
Partnership Strategy Intern
C2ES
Mar 2021 - Feb 2022 (11 months)
Strengthened alliances with 40+ Fortune 500 Leadership Council members, increasing active participation by 25% and collaborative climate initiatives by 15%. Conducted landscape analysis of public climate justice positions across 50+ NGOs and corporations and delivered strategic recommendations that informed organizational priorities.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Master of Arts (M.A.), International Environmental Policy
Earned an M.A. in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute, completed in December 2020.
University of South Carolina
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Mass Communications & Political Science
Earned a B.A. in Mass Communications and Political Science from the University of South Carolina, completed in May 2014.
Availability
Location
United StatesAuthorized to work in
Social media
Job categories
Skills
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