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- Strongly committed to corporate social responsibility (CSR);
- Possess a professional attitude and an ability to work effectively in a team or independently;
- Highly organized, capable of managing multiple tasks and working under pressure;
- Multilingual – English, French and Spanish;
- Experienced researcher with excellent analytical ability;
- Skilled writer and communicator;
- Strong background in cross-cultural experiences.
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Master of Arts, International Development Studies (2006)
Saint Mary’s University (Halifax, NS Canada) |
- Completed a master’s thesis on whether companies’ CSR programs can contribute to the local sustainable development of the communities in which they operate;
- Awarded the IDS Gold Medal (Morrison Medal for excellence in fieldwork research);
- Cumulative GPA 3.90/4.00;
- Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research Fellowship;
- Research Fellowship;
- International Mobility Award;
- Faculty of Graduate Studies Travel Grant.
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Bachelor of Commerce, International Business (2000)
University of Calgary (Calgary, AB Canada) |
- Achieved 3.63/4.0 Grade Point Average
- Kelly Gibson Scholarship for International Studies
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CSR Advisor (February 2007 – Present)
Canadian Business for Social Responsibility |
- Assessed mining companies’ stakeholder engagement and community relations practices in Canada and overseas;
- Conducted social risk assessments for international mining companies;
- Organized and facilitated workshops on social risk assessment, NGO Engagement, and the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights;
- Assisted companies in the design and development of their CSR policies, practices, and strategies;
- Reviewed companies’ sustainability reports.
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| Senior Research Assistant (October 2004 – November 2006)
Dr. Chris MacDonald, Saint Mary’s University |
- Authored and co-authored papers on corporate ethics in the biotechnology industry;
- Conducted bibliography searches, literature reviews, and book reviews;
- Presented papers at national conferences in Canada and the United States;
- Helped review and edit a special issue of the Journal of Business Ethics.
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| Consultant (February-March, 2006)
Nova Scotia Business Inc. |
- Conducted market research for trade missions to Portland, Maine and Wales, UK.
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| Consultant (Fall 2005)
MedMira Laboratories |
- Prepared market research reports on the political, economic, social and technological environment in Chile and Argentina for a Canadian diagnostics company wanting to enter the Latin American market.
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| Micro-Credit Officer, DFAIT Intern (August 2003 – February 2004)
Foundation for International Community Assistance (FINCA), Ecuador |
- Designed a questionnaire used to determine the disposable income of FINCA’s clients;
- Conducted interviews with communal banking clients from FINCA branches in Ecuador;
- Compiled and analyzed survey data;
- Improved the credit approval process by developing a standard credit approval system to be used by FINCA credit officers.
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| Business Analyst (July 2002 – April 2003)
Petro-Canada |
- Researched and made recommendations to improve the company’s Human Rights policies;
- Aided in the coordination of the corporate responsibility gap closure plan;
- Aided in the coordination and development of international integrity training;
- Planned events and created a brochure for Petro-Canada’s 2002 United Way Campaign;
- Coordinated the development of HR and EHS business plans and operating budgets.
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| HR Staffing Analyst (Feb – June 2002)
Petro Canada |
- Represented and promoted Petro-Canada at career fairs;
- Mapped hiring process and made changes to increase efficiency in recruitment procedures;
- Developed a standard company orientation presentation for co-op and summer students;
- Worked with the Legal department to standardize offer-of-employment letters across the corporation.
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| Human Resource Coordinator (2001)
ENMAX Encompass Incorporated |
- Coordinated and organized the employee survey day which resulted in 73% participation;
- Planned special events for Enmax Encompass as leader of the Spirit Committee;
- Researched and made changes to improve the Rewards and Recognition program;
- Screened resumes, conducted initial phone interviews, and checked references.
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| Manager of Accounts Receivable (1995 – 2000)
Springbrook Manufacturing Ltd. |
- Improved accounts receivable by 95%, saving the company $35, 000 in the first year by doing collections;
- Generated $4000 in additional revenue collecting warranty claims from suppliers of Springbrook Manufacturing;
- Created promotional offers to clear outdated merchandise;
- Controlled inventory to maintain optimal levels for seasonal business.
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“MedMira Laboratories: The U.S. OTC Decision” (with Julia Sagebien). Ivey Publishing. (November, 2006).
“Guarded Optimism about Positive Examples” [Review of the book Rising Above Sweatshops: Innovative approaches to global labor challenges] (with Chris MacDonald). Business Ethics Quarterly, vol.16, no.4, October, 2006.
“Key Issues in Corporate Social Responsibility”, in Gene Marks (Ed.) Streetwise Small Business Book of Lists, Adams Media Corporation (2006).
“Review of the book Why Globalization Works”. Canadian Journal of Development Studies, vol.27, no. 1, March 2006.
“Greenwashing” (with Chris MacDonald), in Robert Kolb (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society, Sage (In Press, 2007).
“Corporate Decisions about GM Food Labeling” (with Chris MacDonald). Journal of Business Ethics, vol.75, no.2, October 2007.
“The Approval of Over-the-Counter HIV Tests: Playing Fair when Making the Rules”. Journal of Business Ethics, vol.77, no.1, January 2008. “Corporate Ethics and GM Food Labeling” (with Chris MacDonald). 6Degrees.ca Newsletter, Jan. 2005. |
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- Atlantic Regional CASID/SMU IDS Conference – organizer 2005 & 2006;
- Cacee – Freelance writer for Career Options magazine;
- Samaritan’s Purse – Operation Christmas Child volunteer;
- UNICEF – Christmas campaign volunteer;
- Junior Achievement – Taught grade 6 students a four week Business Basics course;
- Taught grade 12 students about cultural diversity and corporate responsibility as a guest speaker at Central Memorial High School;
- Taught fly casting at a weekend fishing retreat for survivors of breast cancer.
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- Conducted community investment and stakeholder engagement work in Honduras, Slovakia, and Peru;
- Conducted research for master’s thesis in Peru and Bolivia;
- Lived with families and studied Spanish in Costa Rica;
- Worked in Ecuador and Australia;
- Participated in two student exchange programs to South America;
- Backpacked throughout India, South East Asia and South America;
- Traveled throughout Japan, Mexico, Cuba, England, France and Monaco and various parts of Canada and the USA.
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Melissa works at Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) Advisor for the extractive industries. She has conducted extensive research on global mining companies’ community investment and stakeholder engagement practices, particularly in developing countries. She has worked on various projects with CBSR’s member companies in the areas of community stakeholder engagement, social risk assessment, multi-sector partnerships in community development, stakeholder mapping and analysis, CSR training for employees, and CSR performance measurement and reporting. Melissa has also assisted a number of CBSR member companies to develop CSR strategies, policies, and programs in Canada, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.