About
Purpose
HKc was founded on a simple idea: the most effective sustainability programs are grounded in clear policy insight, credible data, and authentic purpose. Today, organizations are navigating a fast-changing landscape of sustainability regulation, rising stakeholder expectations, and real market pressure—often all at once. We help leaders make sense of that complexity, understand what matters now (and what’s coming next), and build strategies that are both resilient and forward-looking. By embedding sustainability principles into decision-making rather than treating it as a parallel exercise, we support organizations in leading with clarity, confidence, and long-term viability.
Background
HKc draws on experience across industry, academia, and government—because sustainability challenges rarely sit neatly in one domain. Our work is informed by global risk analysis, public policy, and corporate governance, giving us a practical understanding of how sustainability expectations are shaped, interpreted, and ultimately implemented. We specialize in translating complex regulatory and policy developments into clear, usable guidance that organizations can act on. This interdisciplinary foundation allows us to deliver sustainability intelligence that is rigorous but never theoretical—grounded in evidence, realistic about constraints, and focused on creating lasting organizational value.
Approach
Our approach is built on the belief that strong sustainability strategies must be as executable as they are credible. We combine regulatory insight with analytical rigor and hands-on execution to help organizations move from intention to implementation. Policy intelligence is used to align strategy with evolving global regulatory systems, while data integrity remains central to ensuring information is trustworthy and decision-ready. We pay close attention to governance, organizational design, and communication—so sustainability is embedded into core operations and understood across leadership teams. The result is work that is structured, defensible, and designed to stand up over time.
Founder & Principal Consultant
Dr. Sarah Haley Knowles is a certified sustainability strategist and policy advisor with over 15 years of experience assisting organizations in navigating the intersection of sustainability, global risk, economic systems, and regulatory change. As an independent consultant, she collaborates with corporations, financial institutions, nonprofits, and public-sector organizations to tackle complex sustainability challenges, design strategies that enhance resilience, ensure data integrity, and foster long-term value creation.
With MBA and Ph.D.-level training in sustainable economics and geopolitics, her research and publications delve into the connections between climate change, corporate governance, social stability, and global political and economic systems. As the author of Diminished Prosperity (Palgrave Macmillan 2025), her work merges rigorous analytical methods with practical, real-world insights—bridging academic inquiry with strategic application informed by regulatory insight.
Previously, Dr. Haley Knowles served as Director of Corporate Sustainability and Regulatory Reporting at Freddie Mac, where she advanced climate strategy, disclosure readiness, and compliance frameworks across the U.S. housing finance ecosystem. She has also held leadership roles at Deloitte and Wells Fargo, supporting initiatives in sustainability strategy, human rights, natural capital, risk management, and corporate governance.
Through two decades of hands-on volunteer service, she has developed a community-centered perspective that shapes her approach to sustainability and social impact. This experience enables her to connect high-level strategy with real-world challenges and opportunities, bringing both empathy and practical wisdom to her work.
Dr. Haley Knowles is recognized for her ability to integrate sustainability principles into core business strategy—helping clients transform regulatory complexity and global risk into strategic advantage. Her approach is collaborative, data-driven, and rooted in a commitment to advancing resilient and equitable systems.
