Global experts (Selected)

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You have likely already benefitted from Karen’s leadership in mineral sourcing and not yet realized it. 

Karen Hayes is one of the foundational leaders of responsible mineral sourcing from high-risk environments. Active in the DRC and Rwanda since 2001, she became an early expert in tantalum, tin, tungsten, copper, and cobalt supply chains. Working alongside industry, mining communities, and NGOs, she co-developed early due diligence and practical traceability efforts focused on ensuring that artisanal miners were not excluded from responsible sourcing but rather could benefit from work security and market access. This early innovation and her contributions to the OECD’s Due Diligence Guidelines for Responsible Sourcing (such as through the early days of its actual practical implementation) and her work on commercial ASM-LSM coexistence, has shaped the responsible mineral field itself.

Learn more 

• Learn about the Mutoshi Project in DRC’s Copperbelt that Karen catalysed, launched, and oversaw whilst at Pact, a nonprofit organization where she was the longtime Vice President of Mining. The Mutoshi Project was a commercial effort of ASM-LSM cohabitation, and corporate, NGO, and government delegations came from around the world to observe it in action. Karen is featured in this video by Trafigura, one of the largest global mineral traders, which was a key partner. 
• Read more about the project’s direct community benefits in this independent report here. 

Want to team up with Karen? Message us through the “Contact Us” section of this website and we can discuss your precise needs. 

Eng. Cyrus Njonde is a Mining Engineer and Extractives Consultant with over a decade of experience in mining strategy, technical advisory, and ESG integration across Africa. He supports mining stakeholders, investors, and midstream manufacturers in building trust and deepening their investments on the Continent.

His professional background spans technical and leadership roles in mine inspections, equipment leasing, and mine project management for both industrial and artisanal mining operations. He has led mine audits, investor site visits, and ESG assessments in gold and gemstone mining. His work has consistently delivered improvements in safety, compliance, efficiency, and sustainable outcomes. He is available for assignments in sustainable mining strategies, artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) support, ESG risk assessment, and advancing mercury-free mineral processing technologies in Africa.

Cyrus holds a BSc in Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Environmental Management at The Open University, UK. He is fluent in Kiswahili and English. 

Want to team up with Cyrus on your supply chain? Message us through the “Contact Us” section of this website and we can discuss your precise needs. 

Nicole Perkins Baddou is a sustainability strategy advisor who works globally to help bridge corporate sustainability commitments with tangible, community-centered outcomes.

Fluent in English and French, Nicole brings grounded expertise to ESG frameworks and disclosure standards, including GRI, TNFD, CSRD/ESRS, and the Accountability Framework Initiative (AFi), translating them into practical, locally adapted action. 

Nicole holds a Master of Applied Science in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Denver, a Certificate in Forest Carbon Management from the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry, and is a GRI Certified Sustainability Professional.

Nicole’s background includes:

• Contributing to global initiatives, including the development of the Battery Passport through the Global Battery Alliance (GBA)  working groups, advancing traceability, human rights due diligence, and nature-positive supply chain practices
• Advising on affected community-related double materiality assessments, ethical sourcing strategies, and carbon and climate finance programs
• Leading inclusive stakeholder processes and resilience-building programs across forest landscapes, agricultural frontiers, and climate-vulnerable regions
• Mobilizing over $100 million in funding for green investment, climate resilience, and community-driven development initiatives.

Want to team up with Nicole on your supply chain? Message us through the “Contact Us” section of this website and we can discuss your precise needs.