Overview

Dr. Lorraine is a communication strategist who helps organizations align their mission, values, sustainability initiatives, business processes and work environments .

She consults with organizations through any or all phases of corporate sustainability, from the initial phase of establishing executive commitment through the final phase of communicating environmental policy and performance to customers and shareholders.

Who are Dr. Lorraine's clients?

Public relations or marketing firms who want to outsource sustainability projects to an expert

Large corporations with a sustainability officer and staff but have a need to outsource occasional projects

Small companies looking for ways to promote their environmental initiatives

Organizations or nonprofits who want to promote their mission and need help developing training materials or presentations

What services does Dr. Lorraine provide?

Develop Training Materials

It’s a great asset to have at least a few experts in-house who can speak to employees during new employee orientation and provide briefings for existing employees in preparation for certification audits. Dr. Lorraine assists organizations with planning customized curricula, developing training materials, and instituting methods to keep employees engaged year-round.

Hold Environmental Performance Workshops

Top management is responsible for ensuring that all persons are aware of the organization’s environmental policy and management system, and especially the activities, products and services most likely affected by their work. Awareness, knowledge, understanding and competence can be obtained through work experience, but it’s equally important to hold workshops periodically to review environmental management system performance, recognition and reward programs, and corporate communications. Dr. Lorraine facilitates results-driven workshops to continuously improve the standards, measures and programs that benefit the organization, its shareholders, the customers, and the community. 

Improve Work Environment

Plants, lighting, temperature, ergonomics and layout of furnishings are just some of the elements that affect employee performance, health and sense of well-being. Dr. Lorraine assists with designing infrastructure aesthetics and functionality to attract top employees and customers. She works with employees to incorporate LEAN principles, organizing resources to maximize workflow and process performance, and evaluating aspects of corporate inputs and outputs that may affect the well-being of employees or customers.

Develop a Corporate Communications Plan

Once the major elements of your environmental management system are in place, it’s time to prepare your communications plan, both internally and externally. The purpose of internal communications is to provide employees with an understanding of the environmental programs and what they can do to become active participants in specific activities. Internal communications includes regular work group meetings, bulletin boards, posters, displays and intranet sites. Although some employees may have been involved in developing the programs, objectives, and even the communications plan, these eventually need to be disseminated throughout the entire organization. Dr. Lorraine is available to assist with the design and delivery of internal communications components. She is also available to serve as a keynote speaker for events to help promote corporate sustainability activities.

Employees may be able to offer good suggestions for the external communications plan as well, particularly those who work directly with customers and suppliers. Because of their relationships, they have an edge on understanding customer and supplier needs, requirements and frustrations, and are in the best position to offer ideas to the marketing department. Dr. Lorraine facilitates such meetings between marketing and employees from other parts of the organization.

Document Sustainability System

One of the last, but most important steps is to demonstrate your commitment by making your environmental policy and performance available in writing, not only internally, but also to your customers, suppliers, shareholders, and other interested parties. This can be done in written form through your Web site, newsletters, press releases, advertising and annual reports. Dr. Lorraine assists with designing, writing or editing these documents.

Prepare and Deliver Speeches

Depending on the occasion, you may need a speech to inform, persuade, or possibly even entertain an audience.  Dr. Lorraine assists in writing speeches for executives or managers to give to community organizations, at corporate events or professional association conferences. She conducts interviews to get an understanding of the occasion, purpose, audience and the speaker. She can prepare speech notes that can be customized or she can write a full speech to be read verbatim.

It can be very beneficial for your top executives and managers to give presentations to your partner community organizations, local chambers of commerce and nonprofits letting them know, in person, what you’re doing to better the communities where your employees and customers live and work.

Contact Dr. Lorraine today to schedule a consulation.