Benjamin F. Wilson, Environmental Justice Leader, Joins APCO Worldwide’s Board of Directors

Washington – October 13, 2021: Benjamin F. Wilson, renowned environmental justice advocate and chairman of Beveridge & Diamond—the largest and first national environmental law firm in the United States—joined APCO Worldwide’s board of directors, Founder and Executive Chairman Margery Kraus announced today.

“Ben is a very distinguished lawyer, environmental justice advocate and a respected community leader,” Kraus said. “I look forward to his guidance as we work to tackle challenges around ESG, climate and other critical issues of our time; we are lucky to have him join APCO’s board.”

Wilson has been lead counsel in numerous complex environmental litigation and regulatory matters involving major corporations, municipalities and developers. He recently completed work as Deputy Monitor – Emissions & Environmental in the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” proceeding (working under the corporate monitor, former Deputy U.S. Attorney General Larry Thompson). He also serves as an adjunct professor of environmental law at the Howard University School of Law and co-founded the Howard Energy and Environmental Law Society. Wilson offers deep experience with environmental justice representations and is a recognized leader on diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) issues in the legal profession. He has been recognized for his leadership by numerous organizations and publications—most recently, The American Lawyer announced it will present Wilson with its Lifetime Achievement Award in December 2021, he was listed among the “Most Influential Black Lawyer of the Decade” by Lawyers of Color, and in 2020, he was named a Washington Bar Association Hall of Fame Honoree. Previously, a profile by The Environmental Law Institute noted that Wilson “sees representing business and governmental clients not only as a mandate to achieve their goals but as an opportunity to benefit the environment and civil rights.”

As one of the first agencies to have a Sustainable Growth & Corporate Purpose practice, APCO has evolved with the changing world, continuously developing its social impact and sustainability capabilities to better serve its clients. Launched earlier this year, APCO Impact—a fully integrated offer that coordinates APCO’s expertise across climate and sustainability, corporate purpose and ESG, equity and justice, and philanthropy—was the culmination of this growth and expansion, and the addition of Wilson is the latest step in APCO’s continued journey.

“I have long admired APCO for its bold and global approach to finding innovative solutions and helping clients achieve their objectives,” Wilson said. “I am pleased and delighted to have been selected as the latest member of APCO’s board, and I look forward to working with other board members and colleagues to help identify opportunities for APCO’s continued growth as a catalyst for progress around the world.”

Wilson joins other prominent business leaders on the APCO board, including Erie Street Chairman and CEO Terry Graunke, Värde Partners Executive Chair Marcia L. Page, Wing Capital Group Founding Partner and Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.’s Corporate Practice Shareholder Peter Milton Sommerhauser and business consultant and private investor Joseph Zimmel, as well as Margery Kraus, APCO CEO Brad Staples and APCO President and Managing Director of Operations Evan Kraus.

For more than 37 years, APCO has been a trusted advisor and partner to private, public and non-profit clients as they try to identify and manage new and emerging issues, challenges and opportunities around the world. Established by Kraus as a single-person operation in 1984, APCO has grown to a global advisory and advocacy communications consultancy helping clients be catalysts for progress through its 900+ staff and International Advisory Council members in more than 30 markets, and having experience working in more than 80 markets globally, providing in-depth advice, perceptive guidance and creative approaches for its clients.