Summit Strategy Group is inspired by the ambition, drive, and teamwork necessary to reach the highest peaks, and by the clarity and perspective attained when you get there. We understand that every ascent is different and requires unique experience, tools, and planning.
About us
At Summit Strategy Group, we turn challenges into opportunities and strategies into action. Specializing in issues management from corporate reputation, crisis communications, ESG, and sustainability, Summit Strategy Group stands at the forefront of strategic consulting in California and beyond. Our founding principle is that every client deserves and requires a custom-built team of the best talent: Agile thinkers prepared equipped with precision tools that yield crucial insights necessary to navigate and succeed in today's constantly evolving landscape.
Our unique business model allows us to deploy bespoke client teams of world-class talent when and where they are needed, and to scale according to client requirements.
Our Story
Summit Strategy Group was created in 2017 by Michael Law. His founding principle was to bring perspective, insight, and world-class talent to organizations on the issues that matter most to their business.
Michael brought together top experts across major industry sectors, including environment and natural resources, land use, energy, healthcare, agriculture, higher education, and transportation and infrastructure to bring this vision to life.
Since starting the firm, the growth has been tremendous both in client diversification and talent.
A Focus on the issues that matter
The Summit difference is the caliber of the people we employ and the intellectual rigor of the work we produce for our clients. We bring a wide range of expertise to create solutions with and for our clients that address the issues that matter most to their organizations and to society. We specialize in issues management, offering a broad spectrum of support and outcomes for our clients, including enhancing reputational resilience, managing crisis communications, providing technical and strategic counsel, and fostering business innovation and sustainable value creation. Our deep expertise spans across vital sectors such as energy, higher education, food and agriculture, natural resources, and industrials and manufacturing, enabling us to offer specialized and impactful solutions tailored to these key industries.
Identifying the "Issues That Matter"
At Summit, our approach to issue identification follows a systematic methodology that combines both quantitative and qualitative research. We guide clients through a structured process of issues mapping and materiality assessment. This process helps clients identify, evaluate, and prioritize the issues most important to them and their priority stakeholders, such as investors, employees, customers, business partners, and communities. Central to our work is understanding how these issues impact the long-term success of our clients and devising strategies to influence better outcomes.
CORPORATE REPUTATION
Corporate reputation plays a critical role in achieving business results and navigating times of controversy. From Fortune 500 industry leaders to cutting-edge start-up companies, Summit Strategy Group helps business leaders define, manage and protect their corporate identity and reputation.
Sustainability & ESG
Consumer demand, regulatory change and investor expectation have made corporate sustainability more than just a nice-to-have addition to business strategy. Sustainability is about a triple bottom line approach to success. Today’s companies need to balance financial success with environmental impact and social progress. Summit Strategy Group offers a range of consulting services to help our clients develop relevant sustainability strategies, identify and engage stakeholders and communicate a powerful narrative. Click here to read more.
Political & Issue Advocacy
The dynamics of political influence are constantly evolving and successful businesses need to be prepared to engage in political and issue advocacy at the local, state and federal levels. The Summit Strategy team offers veteran state and federal policy advocates who are ready to help our clients navigate today’s political and issue landscape.
Workplace Transformation
Gallup estimates that actively disengaged employees cost businesses nearly $500 billion a year. Keeping employees motivated and engaged may well be the biggest challenge facing businesses as the world grapples with new realities of managing public health in the workplace.
Summit Strategy Group decades of experience helping companies understand and improve workplace culture and morale and build high-performing workforces. We have joined forces with Dr. Deborah Gilboa, a resilience expert, family medicine physician and clinical associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, to help companies design and execute tailored campaigns to maximize employee and team resilience, particularly in times of crisis, social and organizational change.
Narrative & Message Development
Every organization has a story. The only question is whether it’s the one you want or not. Narratives shape perception and behavior and affect your reputation, revenue and valuation. The Summit team includes award-winning specialists in messaging and narrative development who use time-tested messaging techniques and persuasive communications strategies to reverse potentially game-changing narratives.
Management & Executive Coaching
The last yard of any successful communications strategy lies between your spokespeople and your audience. Your purpose and conviction must shine through in your spoken and written communications in order to be effective. Whether addressing reporters, analysts, customers, employees, investors, regulators or all of the above, Summit Strategy Group offers group and private executive coaching to help you find your voice and achieve your desired results.
Crisis Preparedness & Response
Every organization is vulnerable to a crisis. Anticipating and preparing for potential crisis scenarios allows for greater focus on recovery and restoration of stakeholder trust if a crisis does occur. Our experts help clients anticipate, prepare for, respond to and recover from any crisis situation.
Digital Strategy
Digital communications are now a fundamental part of how individuals, companies, and governments engage and interact with priority stakeholders. Whether through social media content, promoted campaigns, email marketing, or SEO optimization, the Summit team is experienced in sharing our clients’ messages to the audiences that matter most. Digital strategy is carefully integrated into our principal areas of expertise including corporate reputation, public affairs, ESG and sustainability. The Summit team is ready to execute digital strategies to drive your business goals.
Research & Data Analytics
Dramatic changes in data storage technology have enabled unprecedented access to information and the ability to uncover valuable insights in real time. Summit teams with Unearth, a full-service agency offering strategy, data-drive audience targeting, analytics, and social media consulting. Unearth specializes in public affairs and political campaigns, with experience managing scores of public education, grassroots mobilization, legislative advocacy and crisis management issues.