Isabel B. Franco, PhD, MBAc 
​ Sustainability Strategist
Exceptional Woman in Sustainability

BIOGRAPHY

Languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese (CELPE-BRAS - Portuguese Language Certificate for Foreigners)
Full Name: Isabel (Buitrago) Franco
Preferred Name: Isabel B. Franco
Nationalities: Australian; Colombian; e-Resident of Estonia
​
I am an international leader in sustainability science, policy and practice interested in exploring the role of corporations in fostering overall inclusive and sustainable development. I do this through the development, refinement and application of sustainability assessment tools  methods, models and techniques. I have applied such tools to various industries namely, extractives (mining), gemstones, higher education, finance and banking, public sector,  international development, fashion and the third sector (NGOs), in geographical contexts as diverse as Australia, Japan, China, Thailand, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Zambia and Angola. 

​I am the Founder of the global connector ‘Exceptional Women in Sustainability – eWisely.org - the fastest-growing connector of women in sustainability. eWisely has 20 networks in Latin America, 11 networks in Asia-Pacific and 8 Networks in Africa. The network connects women in sustainability science, policy and practice across globe to succeed together whilst building  sustainable careers. We also engage in collaborative projects aimed to explore the nexus amongst women, sustainability and leadership. 

I have engaged in consulting, policy and research work on sustainability with various organisations, such as:

Private Sector: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China; AngloAmerican, Chile; Mineria Texas Colombia; Mineros S.A, Colombia; Continental Gold; Seafield Resources, Canada; CATOCA Diamond Mine;  Plataforma Norte; Natixis; KPMG; Macquire Infrastructure and Real Assets and Real Assets; Credit Suisse Group.

International Organisations: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and The Pacific (UNESCAP); ESCAP Business  Advisory Council (EBAC); United Nations University - Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability; British Council; International Mining for Development Centre (IM4DC) (now MEfDA).

Universities and Think Tanks: The University of Queensland; Griffith University; University of  New South Wales; University of Hiroshima; Waseda University; Delaware University; University of Tokyo; University of Western Sydney; University of Zambia; St Xavier University, India; New Mexico State University; Central St. Martins; Bunka Fashion Collage; Universidad Catolica del Norte, Chile; Universidad Nacional de Colombia; Hiroshima University.

Government organisations: Brisbane City Council; Ministry of Education of Colombia;  Ministry of Geology and Mines Angola; Ministry of Development Planning of Angola. 

Civil Society Organisations:  UN Global Compact Network, Social Innovation Japan, WIM Chile

W:drisabelfranco.com
E: connect@drisabelfranco.com
T: @DrIsabelFranco

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INTERESTS & EXPERTISE

• Corporate Sustainability Reporting and Performance 
• Sustainable Resource Development and Extractives (Mining, Oil, Gas and Gemstones)
• Governance for Sustainable Development, SDGs and Agenda 2030
• Gender Aspects of Sustainable Development 
• Impact Sustainability Science, Community Capacity-building and Education for Sustainable Development
• Sustainable Livelihoods and Climate Change
• Sustainable Entrepreneurship
• Sustainability and Leadership

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EDUCATION

• 2011- 2014

​                Ph.D ‘Governance and Sustainability’, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Sustainable Minerals Institute
​                 (UQ International Scholarship)
                The University of Queensland, Australia 

• 2020 

               Master of Business Administration (MBAc Leadership - 2020 Multicultural Scholarship (awarded by Brisbane Lord Mayor)
                CQ University, Australia 

• 2008-2010 
  MA Educational Management, University of Barcelona, Spain
• 2017

                Small Business Management, TAFE Queensland, Australia 

• 2010 
  Postgraduate Governance and Public Policy, The University of Queensland, Australia
• 2004 – 2008
  BA (Hons) Education and Languages, National University of Colombia, Colombia
• 2000- 2006
  BA (Hons) Public Administration, School of Public Administration and Political Sciences (ESAP), Colombia

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CAREER                                                                                                                                                                        

• 10/2014 – present
  International Consultant & Lead Researcher
  United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
• 09/2019 - present

             Research Fellow
             Australian Institute for Business and Economics 
                The University of Queensland

• 09/2017 – 2019                                                                                                                                                                               

               Sustainability Researcher
              'Project Lead: Global Stakeholder Networks for Impact Sustainability Education and Research - Funded by Postdoctoral Research    
               Fellowship JSPS-UNU-IAS. United Nations University, Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), Japan

• 10/2014 – 2019 
  Postdoctoral Research Fellow
  Keio University, Japan

• 05/2017 – 05/2018 
  Adjunct Research Fellow
  Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia
• 10/2015 – 04/2016 
  International Consultant
  United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• 12/2016 – 05/2017
  Researcher
  School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland
  Business School, The University of Queensland
• 2013-2016
  Fellow Member
  Global Change Institute, Australia
• 10/2012 – 03/2014
  Researcher
  Minerals and Energy for Development Alliance
• 11/2010 – 05/2014
  Research Scholar
  Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland
• 08/2008- 06/2010
  Government Advisor
  British Council – Ministry of Education of Colombia
• 06/2006 - 06/2008

               ​Lecturer
​               School of Human Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Colombia 

• 11/2000 -05/2006

               Research Assistant 
               School of Administrative and Political Science 
​               Escuela Superior de Administración Publica Colombia

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 PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS 

• 2018-present 

​                Contributing Author - United Nations International Resource Panel Report: Land Restoration for Achieving the SDGs Report
             United Nations International Resource Panel​

• 05/ 2017 – 05/2018 
  Adjunct Research Fellow
  Sustainable Minerals Institute, Centre for Water in the Mining Industry, The University of Queensland, Australia
• 2018
  Guest Lecturer in Education for Sustainable Mining
  University of Zambia
• 2018
  Guest Lecturer in Women in Global Mining and Sustainability
  Universidad Catolica de Chile
• 2015

​               Guest Lecturer in Mining and Natural Resource Management
               School of Mines, Universidad Nacional de Colombia

• 2013-2016
  Fellow Member
  Global Change Institute, Australia
• 2013-2016
  Guest Lecturer in Sustainable Resource Governance
  The University of Queensland, Australia
• 2015
  Guest Lecturer Sustainable Resource Governance
  Universidad Autonoma de Mexico
• 2014-2011
  Global Leader
  The University of Queensland, Australia 
• 2011
  International Ambassador
  Brisbane City Council, Australia

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RESEARCH GRANTS 

• 2017-2019 - Project: Global Stakeholder Networks for Impactful Sustainability Research and Education

​              Status: Concluded
              Dr. Isabel B. Franco,  Principal Investigator
              Funding Body: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Postdoctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researchers
              Funding: JPY 10,850,000
              Partners: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS); United Nations University - Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability; Keio University, School of Governance and Media

• 2017 - Project: Photo Documentary Research Grant: It is not just a Women's Issue 

               Status: Concluded
             Role: Dr. Isabel B. Franco,  Principal Investigator
               Funding body: Mineros S.A 
               Funding: US 3,000
               Partners: Mineros S.A, Exceptional Women in Sustainability (eWisely) 

• 2015 -  Project: Decentralisation, Corporate Community Development and Resource Governance: A Comparative Analysis of Two Mining Regions in Colombia

​                Status: Concluded
                Dr. Isabel B. Franco,  Principal Investigator
               Funding body: The University of Queensland, Sustainable Minerals Institute, Writing Fellowship
               Funding: AUD 5,000
               Partners: Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland

• 2012 – 2013 - Project: Artisanal Mining and Livelihoods

​                Status: Concluded 
             Role: Dr. Isabel B. Franco,  Principal Investigator
                Funding body: International Mining for Development Centre (IM4DC), Student Action Research Grant
                Funding: AUD 20,000
                Partners: International Mining for Development Centre, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland

• 2013 - Project: The Global-local interface: Governance Dynamics for Sustainable Human Capital Capacity-building in Colombian Mining Regions

​                Status: Concluded
               Role: Dr. Isabel B. Franco, Principal Investigator 
                Funding body: The University of Queensland, Field Research Travel grant – School of Earth and Environmental Sciences​
                Funding: AUD 3,000
                Partners: The University of Queensland, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences​ (SEES)

• 2011 - Project: Community Capacity-building and a Social License to Operate in the Mining Industry

​                Status: Concluded
               Role: Dr. Isabel B. Franco, Principal Investigator 
               Funding body: The University of Queensland, International Conference Grant, Sustainable Minerals Institute
               Funding: AUD 3,000
               Partners: Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland

• 2011 - Project: Socially Responsible Business: A Model for a Sustainable Future
  Status: Concluded

               Role: Dr. Isabel B. Franco, Principal Investigator 
               Funding body: United Nations ESCAP and The University of Queensland, Travel grant – SEES

               Funding: AUD 2,000
               Partners:  United Nations ESCAP, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences​​, The University of Queensland

• 2011-2014 - Project: Enhancing Human Capital in Resource Regions - The Colombian Case

             Status: Concluded
                Role: Dr. Isabel B. Franco, Principal Investigator 
             Funding body: The University of Queensland, UQ International Scholarship (UQI)
                Funding: AUD 92,000
                Partners: The University of Queensland

• 2010-2011 - Project: Education for CSR in Mining Regions

               Status: Concluded
               Role: Dr. Isabel B. Franco, Principal Investigator 
               Funding body: The University of Queensland, Sustainable Minerals Institute - Summer Research Scholarship
                Funding: AUD 3,000
               Partners: Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland 

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AWARDS

• 2017, 2020 
  Multicultural Scholarship, International Business, Brisbane City Council
• 2018
  Exceptional Woman of the Year (Awarded to Women Leaders in their fields)
  Women Economic Forum, India
• 2015
  TEDxUQ Talk Speaker: “Beautiful women: The Ugly Reality”, Australia
• 2014
  Best Sessional Lecturer
  Humanities and Social Science School (HASS), The University of Queensland, Australia
• 2014
  Global Leader Award
  The University of Queensland, Australia
• 2011-2012
  International Student Ambassador for Colombia
  Brisbane City Council (Appointed by Brisbane’s Lord Mayor), Australia 
• 2001 - 2005
  Honour Tuition 3rd, 5th & 10th Term (Highest GPA) 2001 and 2005
  School of Public Administration and Political Sciences (ESAP), Colombia