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Sandy Skees

EVP/Global Lead Innovation & Impact Practice
Porter Novelli

Sandy brings more than 25 years of management consulting and strategic communications experience to Porter Novelli. She believes there is power in leveraging purpose as a platform that helps companies, their employees, customers and investors create a regenerative and equitable world. She aligns purpose, sustainability and ESG (Environment, Social, Governance), DEI and social justice programs with compelling communications. Over the years, her work with corporations, nonprofits, and NGOs has been focused on LGBTQ and racial equity issues, climate crisis, recycling and waste, renewable energy, supply chain, and human rights issues.

A few of her clients: CVSHealth, Visa, Dicks Sporting Goods, LL Bean, Abercrombie & Fitch, Keurig Dr Pepper, Smithfield Foods, Liberty Energy, JUST Water, Equinix, Samsung, OXO, Carton Council, Cradle to Cradle’s Fashion Positive Initiative, and EcoAmerica’s Blessed Tomorrow climate initiative for faith-based communities. She sits on numerous boards including Sustainable Brands (currently as Chair), the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, and is an Advisory Board member of The Diversity Center. She is a seasoned speaker on brand, messaging and sustainability/ESG and DEI strategy. Awarded 2021 Purposeful Agency Pro / PRWeek Pronouns: She/Her

Sandy Skees is tagged in 18 assets.
Video
Doing Business Better: The Role of Purpose in a Pushback Era (Sponsored)

In this session, we will explore the latest findings from Porter Novelli’s seventh annual Purpose Premium Report. Amid economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and increasing ESG pushback, what is the future of purpose-driven business? This ses... View More

Video
To Act or Not to Act? Purposeful Brands Face A Wave of Resistance

Environmental and DE&I programs are good for the world, good for business, valued by employees and rewarded by consumers. But there is an opposing view that threatens both brands and progress. Over the last year, we’ve seen several brands hit with... View More

Article
Regenerating Local: Starting Small to Build Exponential Shared Value

This week at SB’23 San Diego, over 1K sustainability practitioners have converged to share insights, tools, inspiration and collaboration opportunities aimed at building a regenerative future for all. Here, our opening-night keynotes highlight the ... View More

Video
How Does Purpose Thrive in a Push-Back World?

Creating value in an anti-woke, anti-ESG era requires a new orientation from businesses – one that is more than communications and campaigns but is rooted in strategy. Hear from Sandy Skees, author and Conroy Boxhill, Porter Novelli President, whos... View More

Slides
How Does Purpose Thrive in a Push-Back World?

Creating value in an anti-woke, anti-ESG era requires a new orientation from businesses – one that is more than communications and campaigns but is rooted in strategy. Hear from Sandy Skees, author and Conroy Boxhill, Porter Novelli President, whos... View More

Video
Opening Remarks: Welcome to SB'23 San Diego!

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Video
Current Challenges in Corporate Political Responsibility: Explaining "Why" & "How" in an Environment of Distrust

As the political environment becomes increasingly challenging, brands are faced with urgent questions about whether and how to engage. What do stakeholders want and expect? What are the costs of action and inaction? How do companies simultaneously ch... View More

Slides
Current Challenges in Corporate Political Responsibility: Explaining "Why" & "How" in an Environment of Distrust

As the political environment becomes increasingly challenging, brands are faced with urgent questions about whether and how to engage. What do stakeholders want and expect? What are the costs of action and inaction? How do companies simultaneously ch... View More

Video
Examining The Gap Between Say + Do: The Sustainability Engagement Spectrum

Living more sustainably is an aspiration for almost everyone – study after study tells us consumers want to make choices that are better for people and planet. But there is a big gap between intention and action. In this session, Porter Novelli wil... View More

Video
Activating Social Media for Good

Social media has a unique and powerful influence on modern culture, and it can be a key tool for brands to drive sustainable behavior at scale and create positive culture change. In this session, we’ll discuss vital principles for purpose-led brand... View More

Video
Welcome, and a Call to Community

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Video
SB Webinar - Deconstructing Gender in Products & Marketing

As society embraces diversity in gender, so too must companies. This manifests as consumer expectation for brands to weigh in on the growing number of anti-LGBTQ+ state legislative efforts -- specifically those levied against the trans community. A g... View More

Video
Day 1-A1: Welcome to SB'21 San Diego!

Sustainable Brands Founder & CEO KoAnn Skrzyniarz will kick off the main-stage program by sharing highlights from a number of exciting conversations and projects the global Sustainable Brands platform has engaged in over the past year. Get set for a ... View More

Slides
Fresh Data Insights: Stakeholder Expectations of Just Brands Today Sponsored by Porter Novelli

2020 will go down in history as a defining moment and catalyst in the long fight for social justice. For some companies, change had been brewing for years. Yet, for many, 2020 put brands on check – some for the first time. Consumers, employees and ... View More

Video
Fresh Data & Insights: Stakeholder Expectations of Just Brands Today, Sponsored by Porter Novelli

2020 will go down in history as a defining moment and catalyst in the long fight for social justice. For some companies, change had been brewing for years. Yet, for many, 2020 put brands on check – some for the first time. Consumers, employees and ... View More

Video
Day One Opening Remarks

This session sets up key questions companies are facing around diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in business.... View More

Video
The Evolution of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts within the Sustainable Brands Platform and Community

In this session, leaders of the SB Advisory Board and its DEI Council share the trajectory of diversity, equity and inclusion work across the Sustainable Brands community, exploring how the organization uses its media platform and community of corpor... View More

Article
‘Yes, and ...’: A Framework for an Uncertain Future

For businesses navigating the coronavirus, prospects are daunting in this liminal space. While many are navigating the current “new normal” well by taking each daily (hourly) change one at a time, some are starting to look past now through the po... View More

Upcoming Events

October 13-16, 2025
SB'25 San Diego
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March 18-19, 2025
SB'25 Tokyo Marunouchi
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April 9-10, 2025
SB Member Network: Accelerating Good Growth Spring Member Meeting
Member Event
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