NEW YORK — Sean Carney has launched a strategic communications firm, Wentwell, after nearly two decades in the business. Carney was most recently manager of communications at McKinsey & Company. Before that he held senior roles at agencies including Dukas Linden and Brownstein Group.

SCOTTS VALLEY, CA — ROI Communication is giving employees the opportunity to buy a stake in the firm through an employee stock ownership plan. In announcing the plan, ROI said that launching the plan is in keeping with the 20-year-old firm’s confidence in its team while further enhancing ROI’s reputation as employee focused at a time when many organizations are challenged with retention and engagement.

NEW YORK AND LONDON — Corporate advisory firm Georgeson, has launched a dedicated global ESG Advisory Service to help companies improve their environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies. Georgeson will provide companies and their boards with both the insight and tools to understand their own unique ESG landscape, establish or advance their ESG practices and communicate effectively with investors.

WASHINGTON — APCO Worldwide has formed a preferred partnership with Frontier Design Group for monitoring, evaluation and learning. MEL tools and approaches enable clients to objectively measure their performance as they deepen reporting and storytelling around social and environmental impacts.