Kathryn Higgs & Associates is a small team of award-winning and internationally recognised professionals.
We have qualifications in law, psychology and executive coaching and experience in ethics and compliance, governance, legal and regulatory, corporate affairs, stakeholder engagement, investigations and investigative journalism. Our team members bring hands on experience and broad and deep perspective to our work having worked in leading multinational corporations, NGOs and the United Nations.
In everything we do, we are focused on results and impact - we care about both substance and form. We believe in providing our services in a principled but solution orientated and collaborative way.
CORE TEAM
KATHRYN HIGGS
Founder &
Team Leader
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Kathryn has conducted both internal and external investigations for companies and worked with law enforcement. She understands how whistleblowing and investigations affect both companies and individuals. Kathryn has deep subject matter expertise in anti-bribery and fraud, human rights, responsible supply chains, modern slavery, DEI, bullying and harassment, and retaliation. She has extensive experience in crisis response and has helped numerous organisations implement, improve and embed world-class programmes and achieve meaningful change. Kathryn is known for her commercial savvy and pragmatism - balanced with a keen sense of corporate responsibility. She leads the ethical culture work within the firm. Her passion for people and human nature - combined with university qualifications in psychology and coaching - mean she is accomplished at enabling cultural change.
Kathryn began her career as the clerk to Justice Margaret Beazley AO. She then worked at leading law firms Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Baker McKenzie.
Having completed a Master of Laws at the University of Cambridge early in her career, she returned to the UK in 2014 to become Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at Balfour Beatty plc and Tesco plc. Kathryn has also worked extensively in purpose-led organisations - as a member of the executive leadership team and Director of Business Integrity at Transparency International UK and serving as a Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at the United Nations. Kathryn is admitted as a solicitor in two jurisdictions and is an accredited mediator.
In recognition of her expertise, Kathryn’s views have been sought by No.10 Downing Street and she has given evidence at the House of Lords on business ethics. She has received several awards, including Compliance Specialist of the Year (2014) and being named in the 'Hot 100' in The Lawyer Magazine UK which recognises extraordinary lawyers for groundbreaking work and the impact they have on business
TOM MACFARLANE
Junior Associate
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Tom studied law because he wanted to equip himself with the skills to work in areas where he can make a substantial difference. He combined his legal studies with a Bachelor of Arts focusing on politics and psychology. Tom's academic background makes him well equipped to consider the key ethics risks which arise and bring the human touch to the way we case manage. Additionally, he has previously worked in a number of business roles which have required him to have good project management and logistics skills and to be responsive and adaptable.
He is drawn to Ethics Triage work as he believes the way a company handles whistleblowing has a material impact on the companies operations, its culture and ethics at the same time as protecting public interest and providing transparency.
From the outset of his career, Tom has blended his interest in the corporate world with his desire to make a difference in society - studying and working in the business world, whilst supplementing that work with volunteering activities for a variety of initiatives in the ESG space.
Tom studied at the highly regarded University of Otago and was awarded a New Frontiers Scholarship to support his studies. He then broadened his global perspective by including an exchange semester at the University of Copenhagen focusing on international politics.
PANEL OF EXPERTS
We collaborate with a group of like-minded individuals who are specialists in their fields to provide our clients with the best advice and support.
Ethics & Compliance
Investigations
Diversity Equity & Inclusion
Safeguarding
Bonnie Green
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Bonnie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy) at age 20. She then worked full time in the legal sector, whilst pursuing her Master of Arts in International Affairs at George Washington University, followed by her Juris Doctorate. While in law school, she was Articles Editor on the Journal of International Law, studied overseas, and interned for a Congressman on Capitol Hill.
Bonnie was Vice President & Associate General Counsel at Sodexo Inc where she established the only standalone Office of Ethics, Compliance & Privacy in the company and led these programmes in North America. During her tenure, Sodexo received the prestigious recognition as being one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere in consecutive years.
In 2014, Bonnie joined the United Nations - serving as a Director and Chief Ethics Officer for the World Food Programme (WFP). During her tenure with WFP, requests for ethics advice increased tenfold, reflecting confidence in her practical and extensive insight. Some of Bonnie’s key contributions at the UN include serving as Corporate Focal Point for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation & Abuse; representing WFP in the UN Global Pulse, the innovation initiative on big data and AI for sustainable development, humanitarian action and global peace, which led to the adoption of the UN’s Privacy Principles; a member of the Ethics Panel of the UN, Alternate Chair of the Ethics Network of Multilateral Organisations (ENMO) and Chair of the 20th Annual ENMO Conference.
Bonnie thrives on establishing ethics and compliance programmes from scratch and enhancing existing programmes for the betterment of organisations - integrating internal controls, enterprise risk management and governance.She is experienced in evaluating the needs of an organisation in order to develop strategy and work plans - then supports on implementing efficiently and effectively. She does so taking into consideration the needs of the organisation, its employees and spectrum of stakeholders as well as the unique values and culture of the organisation. The upshot: Bonnie provides holistic, meaningful results.
ESG strategy & policy
Strategic communications
Stakeholder engagement
Tobin Postma
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Throughout his career, Tobin has been part of high-functioning teams that developed and implemented compelling visions and strategies designed to catalyse organizational and societal change.
In both the public and private sectors, Tobin has been a trusted internal advisor and strategic thought partner, providing counsel and business guidance to senior leaders, elected officials and Board members on a variety of sustainability issues as well as during times of crises. He has also held roles leading teams that provided strategic communications, anticipatory issues management and media relations services.
With experience working in North America, Europe, East Africa and Southeast Asia, Tobin has led inter-disciplinary working groups that developed and operationalised company-wide stakeholder engagement strategies and sustainability policies as well as ESG disclosure plans. In support of these initiatives, Tobin has implemented internal ecosystem development, capacity building and knowledge sharing programs.
Tobin has an educational background in Communications and an MBA specializing in Corporate Social Responsibility. He participated in the THNK School of Creative Leadership and Innovation, which helps global leaders master the process of breakthrough innovation and design thinking, and has studied Regenerative Economics and Futures Thinking.
Culture
Leadership
Change
HR Investigations
Emma Forsyth
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Her passion lies in shaping purposeful cultures, empowering leaders, and defining the moments that matter, to make work simpler, more human, and deeply impactful.
With a strong HR generalist foundation, Emma’s technical capabilities spread across HR investigations, culture and engagement analysis and action planning, change and transformation, strategic talent management and organisational development. She is a strategic change agent who is highly agile, commercially connected, and able to effectively engage senior executive stakeholders. She can navigate complex and diverse businesses and is collaborative team player. She develops innovative human resource solutions that create a culture and people experience to attract and retain the best talent.
Emma has experience coaching leaders across all levels of the organisation, from blue collar, through to global executives, utilising one of the several coaching and feedback tools she is accredited in. Her coaching style is grounded in authenticity and empathy which enables her to build trust quickly. She approaches all coaching conversations with genuine curiosity, and without judgement, enabling her to guide the coachee to deeper insights and self awareness. Emma holds multiple certifications in culture and leadership diagnostic tools including: Human Synergistics; Leadership Circle; Korn Ferry Leadership Architect Global Competency Framework; Gallup - Certified Strength Coach and DISC Advanced.