Sustainability for people and the planet,
with purpose and expertise
Leadership
Kristen Rowe
Founder, CEO, and Collaborative Visionary
Kristen is the founder and collaborative visionary at NextGen ESG.
In her 20+ year career as a seasoned sustainability and environmental compliance consultant, Kristen has consistently advanced corporate sustainability initiatives across a wide range of industries. Her experience spans organizations of all sizes, from emerging start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, both publicly traded and privately held. Kristen has worked across sectors including agriculture and livestock, food and beverage, restaurant and dairy, consumer goods, home and personal care, technology, manufacturing, building and construction, chemicals and specialty chemicals, oil and gas and petrochemical, pulp and paper, healthcare, automotive, aviation, and financial services.
Kristen’s distinctive approach is rooted in humanity, prioritizing trusted relationships with team members, clients, and professional partners. Her commitment to uplifting others complements her ability to deliver meaningful business value through the consulting engagements she leads. Forward-thinking, business-practical, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused, Kristen brings a thoughtful and results-driven perspective to every endeavor.
Recognized as a thought leader, Kristen specializes in climate strategy development and decarbonization advisory. Her expertise includes corporate greenhouse gas inventories, target setting, disclosures, and implementation of effective decarbonization solutions. She also brings deep experience in life cycle assessments (LCAs), Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), carbon footprints, corporate sustainability strategy, reporting, and supply chain and sustainable procurement design.
Beyond her professional work, Kristen is a devoted wife and mother of four. A passionate CrossFit athlete and food enthusiast, she values balance between a dynamic career and a full personal life. Her favorite moments include appreciating life’s small joys, sharing laughter, spending time outdoors, enjoying stand-up comedy and reality TV, and—when possible—recharging with a well-earned nap.
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Manisha Paralikar
Managing Partner
Manisha (she/her) is a culture-oriented strategic manager with 17+ years of experience in the field, both in-house and as a consultant.
Manisha has enabled myriad organizations across sectors to pursue sustainability strategy development, including materiality assessment, reporting, carbon accounting, target setting, and supplier engagement.
Manisha’s approach is centered in justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (JEDIA), respecting the individuality of each person she engages with, the context of our client work, and the potential holistic impacts of strategic recommendations.
In her previous role as a member of the North American leadership team for a global sustainability consultancy, Manisha led a team of early-career consultants to upskill on ESG topics, business expectations, and relationship building. This experience was one of the most fulfilling in her career. She managed the CDP service offering for over 5 years, training 100+ staff and supporting 40+ companies over time. A GRI-certified practitioner, she also co-led the materiality assessment and reporting working groups for 3 years, and co-developed a social impact service offering, during her tenure at the firm.
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What We Do
At NextGen, we’re pioneering future-focused advisory solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and life cycle assessment (LCA) challenges.
Our team provides bespoke guidance to help you:
- Strengthen your ESG programs with rigor and pragmatism, considering strategic interest and return on investment
- Align with rapidly evolving regulations, from managing for climate change to bolstering public disclosures
- Drive sustainable product design by implementing life cycle thinking throughout our engagements
- Address swiftly growing demands for ESG performance from your many stakeholders
- Upskill your teams on core ESG concepts through tailored, interpersonal coaching and training
Our Services
We offer a full suite of corporate sustainability services for a rapidly evolving landscape, including:
ESG Strategy & Communications
Business-aligned ESG materiality, strategy development, stakeholder reporting, and ESG training
Detailed service list
- Sustainability strategy, goal setting, and planning
- Sustainability reporting: GRI, IFRS, SASB, UNSDGs
- Double materiality
- Mandatory reporting
- ESG training
- ESG rater/rankers and surveys: CDP, DJSI, MSCI, ISS, CA 100+, Just Capital, etc.
- Marketing campaigns and claims
- Stakeholder engagement
- Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis
- Science-based targets for nature (SBTN)
Sustainable Products
Design for product sustainability, including life cycle assessment, ecological handprints, and circularity
Detailed service list
- Life cycle assessment studies
- Carbon footprint studies
- 3rd party validation support
- Sustainable product design
- Ecological handprinting
- Product sustainability certification support
- Cradle-to-cradle certifications
- Circularity advisory services
- Plastic footprinting
ESG Information Management
ESG data and software implementation facilitating regulatory readiness
Detailed service list
- National and international ESG and climate regulatory applicability assessment
- SEC and state-specific climate disclosure readiness and preparation
- Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) readiness and preparation
- ESG information management needs assessment
- Vendor bidding process support
- Integration and implementation support
Climate Strategy & Analytics
Tracking carbon emissions, climate risk, and creation of future-focused climate targets and strategies
Detailed service list
- Scope 1, 2 & 3 inventories
- Science-based targets and approval support
- Climate strategy & decarbonization plan
- Climate risk assessment
- Carbon credits and offset advisory support
- Carbon pricing
- Strategic supplier engagement & training
- Carbon transparency
Who We Are
NextGen is built on a foundation of meticulous attention to detail and a steadfast dedication to enhancing business value while upholding the highest standards of sustainability.
Led by seasoned sustainability experts, NextGen’s team brings deep technical expertise in greenhouse gas accounting and LCA, ESG strategy and reporting, and implementation across a wide range of industries. Our collaborative approach values relationships, reliability, passion, and optimism to facilitate systems change for our clients.
Our commitment? A sustainable future for our planet and generations to come, underpinned by cutting-edge consulting and technology.
Our culture is one of care — care for our clients, our employees, and the world we all share.
Our Mission
At NextGen, our mission is to empower sustainable change with expertise and care.
- We’re pioneering future-focused advisory solutions to the world’s most pressing ESG and LCA challenges.
- We believe in putting people first – prioritizing a just and equitable human experience, cultivating trusted relationships, creating a multiplier effect for knowledge, and forging intentional collaborations to uplift and unite communities.
- With the power of artificial intelligence and advanced tools, we are redefining problem-solving, fostering innovation, and driving unparalleled value.
OUR JEDIA COMMITMENT
NextGen is building a culture committed to Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility – JEDIA. We practice respect and continual learning about allyship to foster belonging and the creation of an inclusive space for all. We are grateful to recognize and welcome everyone, of all identities, to work with us.