Building a Voice for Sustainable Finance
Who is the client?Sustainable Energy Finance Association (SEFA)
Where are they based? Brussels, Belgium
Project Type:Virtual Fractional CMO
About the Client
The Sustainable Energy Finance Association (SEFA) is a Brussels-based European not-for-profit founded in 2021. Its mission is to accelerate the transition to a net-zero carbon economy by advancing the development and financing of sustainable energy across Europe's built environment. SEFA serves a growing membership of companies and organisations working across sustainable energy finance, policy, and implementation.
The Challenge
SEFA had all the ingredients of a compelling organisation: a clear mission, a growing member network, and active involvement in EU policy. What they lacked was a coherent communications strategy and the internal capability to execute it.
With a junior marketing team member in place, they needed senior-level strategic guidance to shape their messaging, sharpen their visual identity, establish their digital presence, and confidently engage the stakeholders driving Europe's energy transition.
The engagement required both hands-on direction and a coaching mindset empowering their internal team to carry the work forward independently.
Scope of Engagement
1. Messaging Architecture
Developed a clear narrative framework — from mission statement to key audience messages — that could be used consistently across all channels and communications.
2. Brand & Visual Identity
Guided the development of a cohesive visual language: tone, look, and feel all aligned to SEFA's positioning as a serious and credible European voice in sustainable energy finance.
3. Website Direction
Provided strategic oversight on website structure and copy to ensure the digital presence matched the refined narrative and communicated clearly to key audiences.
4. Junior Team Coaching
Worked alongside SEFA's internal marketing person to build their skills, confidence, and judgment ensuring they could sustain and grow the communications work long after the engagement concluded.
Outcomes
• A refined, ownable narrative: SEFA moved from scattered messaging to a clear, compelling communications framework aligned to their strategic goals and audience expectations.
• Effective stakeholder engagement: With sharper messaging in place, SEFA began successfully engaging key stakeholders across their ecosystem from member organisations to EU policy circles.
• An empowered internal team: Through a coaching-led approach, their junior marketer gained the skills and frameworks to continue delivering high-quality communications independently.
Client Testimonial
“Cath has been a great aid in developing our company’s communication and visual narrative. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with her. In the span of our partnership, we were able to fine-tune our narrative and start effectively engaging key stakeholders with our ecosystem. I strongly recommend her for her ethic, diligence and vast knowledge.”
— Telvin Kulecho, Sustainable Energy Finance Association (SEFA)
How we Work: The Fractional MarComms Approach
• Strategic, not just executional: Senior-level thinking for organisations not yet ready to hire a full-time marketing director — without the overhead.
• Coach as well as do: Building capability in your existing team so they continue to create with confidence long after our engagement ends.
• Ethics & diligence first: Every engagement is led with genuine care for your mission, rigorous attention to detail, and a commitment to getting it right.
• Deep sector fluency: With experience across purpose-driven and sustainability-focused organisations, I understand the nuances of communicating complex, high-stakes missions.