ABOUT US
Karunya Consulting is based in Botswana (established in 2009) and in the UK (established 2024). Maipelo Konopo is the Managing Director of Karunya Consulting Botswana, and Zoë Kennaugh is the Managing Director of Karunya Consulting UK.
Working on a professional basis in association with locally based environmental and social partners and specialists allows us to bring a range of specialist skills and national knowledge to projects. The partnerships enable local geographical knowledge and experience to be complemented with all necessary and relevant skills required to implement projects successfully.
Find our more about or values and our project footprint through the following links:
Maipelo Konopo - Managing Director, Botswana
Maipelo is a registered Principal Environmental Assessment Practitioner, with the Botswana Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association (BEAPA 2013:0057) and has been practicing as an environmental specialist for over 18 years. She has skills in team coordination, project management, project scheduling, project budgeting, preparation of technical and financial proposals. She is experienced in preparation of different compliance reports, including Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)s, and Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) for brown and greenfield mining projects, infrastructure development, tourism developments. She is also experienced in preparation of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEAs) that inform different planning requirements, management of conservation areas.
As an environmental assessment practitioner, she participates in stakeholder planning engagement, stakeholder consultations and feedback and related activities, which has given me the opportunity to interact with different stakeholders including civil society, non-governmental organisations and government officers.
She graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science Degree, specialising in Zoology and Environmental Science. She also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Wildlife, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health from the University of Edinburg. She also has training as part of continuing professional development (CPD) in social issues, basic mapping, climate change, project management and strategic management.
Zoë Parr Kennaugh - Managing Director, UK
Zoë is a social and environmental sustainability advisor helping companies identify, avoid and minimise risks while establishing and operating capital projects. She has extensive experience in corporate and non-profit organisations, ranging from Anglo American to small projects and operations, in director, leadership and operational roles.
She has more than 20 years of practical experience from living and working in Africa, across a variety of sectors including finance, mining, exploration, energy, agriculture, tourism and conservation. She is conscientious and determined individual with track record of mentoring and capacity building, fundraising, marketing, project management, strategy development and general problem solving in challenging contexts.
The scope of Zoë’s core experience includes design, planning, implementation of large-scale capital projects covering a diverse range of elements. These include risk assessments, baseline studies, management plans and systems, impact assessments, due diligence, audits, stakeholder engagement, social investment programmes, and resettlement action plans. Zoë has a sound understanding of the IFC Performance Standards and the Equator Principles.
VALUES
FOOTPRINT
Although based in Botswana and the UK we have experience of working throughout Africa including Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe (indicated in green on the map).
