We want to protect the planet by reducing industry's chemical footprint. That means working hand-in-hand with the entire value chain. We collaborate with global brands, chemical suppliers, manufacturers and other organisations that share our vision. Together we create a new way forward.
We believe in a world where things are made without harmful chemicals. Consumer demands can be met without depleting natural resources. Our goal is to make that happen. We connect, innovate and empower to change how products are made. Together we can protect the place we call home.
Collaboration is fundamental to our work. We've built a global ecosystem to bring organisations together. Our solutions and guidelines transform how chemicals are used. Our community spreads knowledge and ideas throughout the world. We want safer products to be the norm - everywhere.
By empowering every point of the value chain towards safer manufacturing, we are building a new status quo. Our dynamic, determined community helps to reduce the industry's environmental footprint. Step-by-step, we want to build a better future for everyone.
Our Mission is to enable brands and retailers in the textile, apparel, and footwear industries to implement sustainable chemical management best practice across the value chain. Through collaborative engagement, standard setting, and implementation, we will advance towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals.
Our Vision is widespread implementation of sustainable chemistry, driving innovations and best practices in textile, apparel and footwear industries to protect consumers, workers and the environment.
In the preservation of our planet
That production and nature can co-exist
That there is a new way forward
Connecting people in one holistic effort
Building a strong, collaborative ecosystem
Changing the model together
Being accessible and open
Sharing our knowledge for the common good
Spreading great ideas and best practice
Reinventing how products are made
Making safe chemicals the norm
To create long-lasting change
People will always follow fashion
Will always love new products
So let’s do it better
The ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme outlines our activities into the future. It provides a clear path to the safer outputs we all want to see. Key stakeholders helped to create this roadmap, so we know we are on the right track.
In 2011 it all began. The industry had been challenged to transform and it was time for new ideas. Our first 6 Signatory Brands committed to a joint roadmap, one that would transform their value chains. Work continued and in 2014 the first ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (ZDHC MRSL) was released. Since then guidelines and solutions have been created and implemented throughout the industry.
By now we're a global community with over 160 contributors. We've shifted the industry's mindset, from a focus on testing the final product, to managing input chemistry. The groundwork has been done, we have created a roadmap to advance towards the phase-out of hazardous substances. Now we accelerate progress towards our ultimate goals: cleaner water, cleaner air, and safer production.
The momentum will continue as we expand globally, innovate, and constantly improve our solutions. Updated versions are in play for the Wastewater Guidelines, the Chemical Management System, and the ZDHC MRSL. And there is more to come, with new Air Emission Guidelines on the horizon. We've even started looking beyond chemicals, growing the programme to cover man-made cellulosic fibres.
We know that connecting and supporting everyone's efforts scales up the impact. So the work continues to align manufacturers and brands around the ZDHC MRSL. This accelerates progress all round by reducing duplicated efforts. We also want to engage with neighbouring supply chains. This will help to tackle cross contamination from other industry segments sharing manufacturing facilities.
Our impact continues to grow in line with our increasing global footprint. The Signatory Brand Leader Programme has gained momentum and will continue to do so. We know that joint implementation is the key to success. With that in mind we will continue creating a supportive ecosystem, one that helps organisations to implement for purpose, while supporting an increased demand for safer chemistry.
Our work has been publicly noted for helping to make a significant improvement. But we won't stop there, our team are in this for the long term. We will continue educating the value chain to drive good chemical management beyond our community. Publicly available guidelines, training courses and international networking are some of the tools we use to spread the word and grow the impact.
Partnerships Director
Dr Ahmad coordinates ZDHC’s Contributor Management with the objective of growing the ZDHC Community and scaling up ZDHC’s roadmap driven objectives through multiplier effects. He advances ZDHC’s global stakeholder engagement and fundraising Strategies by solidifying current relationships and building up new partnerships on win to win basis for driving our common goals and accelerating the rollout of cleaner chemistry in the textile, leather and footwear industry. Before joining ZDHC, Ahmad worked for globally known professional service providers as European Business Manager (BDM) at SGS and as Senior Business Manager at KPMG for sustainability & supply chain solutions.
Senior Operations Director
Annie is responsible for building the day to day global operational structure and processes that are fundamental to bringing ZDHC strategic vision to life and that support the ZDHC vision of widespread implementation of sustainable chemistry and best practices in the textile, leather and footwear industries. Annie works closely with Frank, the Executive Director on the global operations of ZDHC overseeing legal, governance, financial, strategic and organisational planning matters. Furthermore, Annie oversees the development of the contributor model, contributor management and communications. After qualifying and practising as an environmental lawyer in the City of London, Annie moved to Nike Europe where she established the first environmental product and operations compliance programme. Her career at Nike developed into sustainable business and operations, capacity building programmes, community giving donation programmes for the donation of cash, products and employee time and skills. After 15 years at Nike, Annie joined TomTom as Corporate Social Responsibility Programme Director. There she developed and implemented a comprehensive strategy for corporate responsibility across social, environmental and community donations. Annie joined ZDHC in 2015.
Executive Director
As Executive Director, Frank is responsible for the strategic leadership and management of ZDHC. Working with the ZDHC Board of Directors he is responsible for executing the strategic plan for growth, impact and scale of the organisation and the work that it does. By understanding synergies, how to multiply efforts and scale impacts Frank develops the key partnerships, collaborations and other stakeholder relationships that support the achievement of ZDHC Mission and Vision. Frank also represents ZDHC Programme extensively on external events worldwide. For upcoming events, please go to Events. Prior to joining ZDHC Frank was the Founder and Executive Director of a Europe-wide Non-Food Retail Association deeply involved in government and non-governmental liaison and stakeholder engagement. He has a deep understanding of how to generate effective value chain collaboration as well as process engineering and chemical management expertise in the FMCG sector. Frank has degrees from Universities in England and Germany in both business studies and modern European languages.
Head of Collaboration
Taking the lead of collaboration with like minded organisation. Besides running the day-to-day operations, she is involved in developing all strategy to advance the collaborations. Working close with the rest of the team and contributors, all from varying walks of life, from diverse backgrounds, driving the translation of the vision and strategy into concrete results. What Janne does, in research, goes into action in reality. With over a decade of experience at brands, prior to joining ZDHC she worked at Mexx as the Quality, Trim & Colour Coordinator, G-Star RAW supporting where she supported the first Raw Organic Collections and moved later to Tommy Hilfiger (PVH) as a Quality Assurance and Technical Support Manager. Her last position before joining the team was the British Burberry, as part of the Sustainable Manufacturing.
Implementation Director
Representing the Implementation Hub, Klaas connects ZDHC committed brands and international organisations with the ZDHC platforms and solutions. He oversees project management on implementing ZDHC’s Chemical Management System for our partners. He works on building the IHUB’s network of solution providers and experts and support ZDHC’s Leaders to Zero Programmes. Klaas has a strong track record in social and environmental sustainability.
Senior Roadmap to Zero Programme Director
Scott is ZDHC Senior Roadmap to Zero Programme Director coordinating all focus areas and driving programme delivery. He is a point of contact and resource for ZDHC members, potential members and other major industry stakeholders in the Americas. Scott is an expert in sustainable materials and processes for the apparel and footwear industries. He has 30 years of experience in environmental chemistry and over 17 years of experience in textile and footwear product chemistry issues. Scott was part of the Nike Materials Science Innovation group and was the Environmental Manager for C&A Europe. Scott currently serves on the steering committee for the Outdoor Industry Association Chemicals Management Working Group (OIA CMWG) and is on the North Carolina State Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science (TECS) Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Scott is based in Portland, Oregon and holds a B.S and M.S degrees in Chemistry.
Southern Europe Regional Director
As Southern Europe Regional Director, Elisa is responsible for the representation and implementation of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme in Italy (primarily), as well as in Spain and Portugal. In her role, Elisa focuses on increasing the awareness of ZDHC, related stakeholder engagement and scaling the uptake and implementation of ZDHC guidelines, platforms and solutions across the Southern European countries. Elisa is also leading several pilot and special projects on textile and leather and she is contributing to the Programme for the creation of Standards and Tools. Elisa has a Master Degree in Environmental Science and a strong background in chemical products safety and chemical management. Over the last 16 years, she has worked in different global positions for international service providers such as ICQ and UL, developing technical and managerial skills as well as the ability to interact with different stakeholders such as brands, manufacturers, governmental institutions and technical committees.
East Asia Regional Director
As East Asia Regional Director, Lydia is responsible for leading the development and expansion of the ZDHC Programme in East Asia. Furthermore, Lydia leads efforts to scale up the use and implementation of the ZDHC tools and continuously refines the programme based on experience and evidence from Asia. Lydia oversees and develops the regional Implementation Strategy, communicates with relevant Stakeholders and represents the ZDHC Programme at events. Lydia worked as a Senior Environmental Chemist at C&A for four years, where she first got to know the ZDHC Programme, as one of her responsibilities was to take the lead role within Far East and maintain the relationship to the ZDHC Programme. Lydia is based in Shanghai and has a degree in Textile Machinery from the Donghua University.
South Asia Regional Director
As South Asia Regional Director, Prasad is responsible for the representation, promotion and implementation of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme in India (primarily) and also Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Prasad will focus on stakeholder engagement to increase awareness on ZDHC approaches, workshops and roadshows on the ZDHC tools and standards as well as tailored implementation support. Special focus is on the large chemical industry in India as well as textile dyeing & finishing mills, garment laundries, tanneries and industry associations to accelerate their commitment and participation in the ZDHC Programme. Prasad has a degree in Textile Chemistry and 28 years of experience in textile processing, dyes & auxiliaries manufacturing & marketing and chemical management systems implementation. He has worked with chemical companies such as IDI, Ciba and Atul. Prasad has also developed training modules and worked on chemical management projects with several apparel brands & retailers in his assignment at NimkarTek. Prasad is based for ZDHC in Mumbai.
Marketing and Events Manager
Alisa manages and interacts with the internal and external audience to deliver the organisation’s messages to the public and media. She develops and implements the marketing and communications strategy, including the ensuring of brand consistency among all materials and channels. Alisa manages the publications and website, facilitates marketing campaigns for ZDHC tools and helps to plan events. Prior to joining ZDHC, Alisa worked for brasi&brasi GmbH, where she managed the Customer Relationship Management and also the Internal Communication. Alisa holds a degree in Global Brand and Fashion Management with a major in communications from the International School of Management in Frankfurt/Germany.
Communications Project Management Associate
Andrew supports the development and implementation of the communication team goals and strategies by overseeing all incoming traffic and requests for the department and working directly with the creative producer and internal communications specialist to plan the year, weeks, and months and support priority projects. He also coordinates all ZDHC newsletters. Before joining ZDHC, Andrew served as an Americorps VISTA in Montana, helping rural communities adapt to the climate crisis. Prior to that, he worked as a student assistant at the German Marshall fund. Andrew has a Bachelor of Arts in History with a focus on the Atlantic World and a Master’s degree in British Studies from Humboldt-Universität with a focus on project management and contract law.
Implementation Associate
As the Implementation Associate at ZDHC, Any Alexandra Chiuaru is responsible for maintaining and further developing the ZDHC Solution Provider Platform. Her duties include managing the ZDHC Solution Provider application and approval processes. Before joining ZDHC, Any Alexandra served as a Sustainability Consultant at one of the Big Four consulting firms in Milan, Italy. In this capacity, she provided strategic sustainability consultation, supporting clients on their journey towards sustainability. This included assistance with disclosures and auditing in compliance with International and European Standards. Any Alexandra has earned a Master's Degree in Sustainable Development from the Università degli studi di Milano, Italy.
Customer Support Associate
Asawari Puranik is responsible for managing all customer queries related to ZDHC guidelines, platforms and services and is making sure the ZDHC Knowledge Base is up to date. Asawari completed her masters degree in Textiles and Clothing (Home Science) from Mumbai University and then worked in Texanlab Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., wherein she performed various physical and colour fastness tests on fibres, yarns, fabrics, garments and home textiles for 5 years. Later, she moved to a customer coordination position in TLPL wherein she was the key account person for buyers such as Ikea and Levis. She was responsible for offline training programs for Indian suppliers for physical and colour fastness tests and helped suppliers to understand buyer's requirements. In total, she is having 15 years of experience in the textile industry.
Stakeholder Manager
Cristina is based in Frankfurt/Germany, and as Stakeholder Manager, she organises and monitors the administrative, legal and financial relationships with our Contributors and Friends. Further, she manages the onboarding of new Contributors and Friends from the first touch point for interested potential partners to integrate them into the ZDHC Programme. Prior to joining ZDHC, Cristina worked for 17 years for a multi-stakeholder organisation where she managed labour and human resources as well as environmental topics. Cristina has a Master's degree in Economics from the University of Frankfurt and a Master of Arts in “European Politics and European Legal Studies” from the Europa-Kolleg Hamburg.
Sector Engagement Manager
As a Sector Engagement Manager, Dina is responsible for building and maintaining relations with sector groups engaging in the Roadmap to Zero Programme: Brands, Chemical Companies, Manufacturer Suppliers, and Solution Providers. In her role, Dina facilitates discussions in Advisory Groups, ensuring everyone’s voice is heard and answered. She also manages the Find Your Expert Platform and helps scale up the usage of the ZDHC MRSL SCM framework. Before ZDHC, Dina worked at Novozymes, building awareness about sustainable chemical alternatives in textile wet processing.
Customer Support Associate
Dipali Thakur works as a Customer Support Associate at ZDHC and is based out of the India Office. Dipali manages all customer queries related to ZDHC guidelines, platforms and services. Dipali also manages articles in the ZDHC Knowledge Base and ensures it is updated regularly. She completed her Masters in Textiles and Clothing (Home Science) at Mumbai University and has previous work experience with Texanlab and Unisource group as a textile testing executive responsible for the physical and colour fastness tests.
Human Resources Manager
As the Human Resources Manager for ZDHC Foundation, Elisangela oversees, guides, and manages HR with a focus on Performance Management and Talent Development. She meets the needs of our growing organisation with streamlined HR services, policies, and programmes. Over the past two decades, Elisangela gained a breadth of experience and honed in on global talent management across industries, holding positions at Next Venture, Jack Links, Nike, The Art of Vision Publisher, Foot Locker, and Braziltours.
Senior Strategic & Executive Planning Associate
Eniko works closely with the Executive Director, Frank Michel on various matters. She drives the agenda, arranges, and tracks the follow-up of key meetings and offsites with a wide variety of stakeholders. She collaborates across the ZDHC staff matrix within as well as outside the department and ensures everything runs smoothly and in a well-structured way. Her main focus is on Strategic Planning and Reporting. Eniko is facilitating the Strategic Plan 2023-2030 updating process. She participates in strategic discussions with internal and external stakeholders and provides the management, ZDHC Strategy Committee and ZDHC Board with analytics and insights on strategic development on a regular basis. Prior to joining ZDHC, she worked as a representative of the Danish Engineering Society, IDA. She is involved with various volunteering organizations to give back to the people and the planet. Eniko holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering specialising in geotechnics and groundwork.
Business Developer
Hein-Willem Blokland is overseeing the development and enhancement of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero implementation. He is involved in conducting research, developing and defining value propositions and business models, and supervise the design process of product solutions for new prospects and existing clients. Hein-Willem has cross-industry experience in technology consulting and business development, and holds a Masters in Advanced International Business, Management and Marketing.
Technical Writer
As Technical Writer, Helen is responsible for supporting the Subject Matter Experts in creating guidelines, knowledge base articles, newsletters and other communications. Providing a clear, consistent voice across all, ensuring the content is received by the target audience. Before joining ZDHC, Helen worked for brands and suppliers for over 15 years. Starting as a garment technologist, later moving to footwear and accessories, and finally stepping into chemical compliance. Most recently, Helen worked as Senior Compliance Technologist at ASOS, leading their chemical management strategy.
Junior Financial Controller
As a Junior Financial Controller, Jon will support all aspects related to finance and accounting. He has 3 years experience working as a controller in a trading company based in the United States. He finished his masters in Professional Accounting in November 2022.
Data & Business Analyst
As Data & Business Analyst, José is involved in the definition and implementation of the data strategy of ZDHC, in conducting data analysis and impact reporting and in driving continuous process improvements, while promoting the quality of information and the value of the same for stakeholders. José brings the experience from several years working at Bluwin\Sustainable Textile Solutions, where he was Business Analyst and, later, Global Controlling & Business Lead. In these roles he was involved in the implementation of sustainability projects for some of the main brands of the textile industry. José studied Information Management at the Faculty of Engineering - Porto University, in Portugal.
Financial Controller
José is the ZDHC Foundation's Financial Controller, responsible for managing accounting records, evaluating and managing risk, ensuring compliance with financial regulations, publishing financial statements, and overseeing accounting operations. He analyses financial data, monitors expenditures, forecasts revenue, coordinates auditing processes, and ensures the accuracy of all financial information. Jose also plays a role in budgeting, implementing internal controls, and organisational targets, and developing financial plans that support our organisational strategy. José has a substantial track record of managing, preparing, and analysing financial reports and budgets for a number of international corporations, such as Siemens, Exel Freight Management, JLG, and Getronics, prior to joining the ZDHC Foundation. José studied accounting at the Institute Vaz de Camoes in Lisbon, Portugal, and has a Bachelor of Business Administration (IBMS) from the (HES) Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.
Product Associate - Gateway
Katya is responsible for internal and external communications and managing internal and external feedback to continuously improve the user experience of the ZDHC Gateway. She creates and coordinates onboarding and training material for ZDHC Contributors and platform users, assists in data analysis and supports the ZDHC Gateway team in platform-related projects. Prior to joining ZDHC Katya has worked at Fashion for Good, and holds a degree in International Business. Her experience lies in communications, business development and facilitation of consumer behaviour change across different fields, from the tech industry to sustainable food to sustainable fashion, first as a generalist and later diving deeper into the dyeing and finishing part of the textile supply chain.
Senior Roadmap to Zero Programme Manager
Leading project management, Mani will assist the Programme Directors in executing strategy and support the continuous elevation of Roadmap to Zero. In his role he will be working closely with stakeholders from multiple organisations and align Brands and Suppliers. Mani brings experience working for brands, suppliers and trading houses. He has worked at apparel production houses in Tirupur, India, at G-Star RAW handling Operations in India and Bangladesh and as Senior Merchandising Manager for Li & Fung Bangladesh. For his last role, he moved to G-Star RAW headquarters in Amsterdam as their Global Quality Assurance Manager.
Senior Roadmap to Zero Delivery Project Associate
Marina is responsible for managing and coordinating multiple ZDHC projects from the start to the end, such as ZDHC Guideline releases and corresponding platform functionality adjustments. This includes coordinating and maintaining project briefs, timelines, tracking and reporting statuses, coordinating task teams and their specific documentation and keeping internal and external stakeholders informed on their responsibilities and on the statuses of the projects. She is also responsible for documenting processes and procedures, while continuously improving processes and project management practices. Prior to this role, Marina worked at ZDHC as an Office and Business Operations for 3 years and worked as an Office and Operations Manager for different startups in Amsterdam, and also ran her own Business English initiative in Brasil.
Office and Business Operations
Marina is responsible for delivering safe, healthy, and smoothly operated workplaces for the ZDHC global workforce. She also coordinates internal events and community-building activities. Working closely with the management team, Marina carefully monitors areas of improvement and acts to successfully execute them. Prior to joining ZDHC, Marina worked in the fast-moving consumer goods industry for 7 years in Brazil and The Netherlands. She holds a bachelor's degree in Nutrition Science, a Master's degree in Marketing, and a Fashion Business Diploma.
Legal Associate
Maryna assists ZDHC Legal Counsel in the conduct of daily legal operations. She is also responsible for managing, maintaining and developing the ZDHC contract administration through ZDHC’s online contract management system (Concord). Furthermore, Maryna manages ZDHC Contributors on an administrative, legal and financial basis and is responsible for overall management of the Services Agreements signed by all entities of the ZDHC Group. She holds a Master’s Degree in European Corporate and Data Law.
Knowledge Base Manager
Nina is driving the successful and efficient delivery of ZDHC’s business goals and milestones by ensuring cross-functional alignment and connectivity between critical activities and making sure departmental and individual objectives are set realistically and have the needed structure, resources and budget allocated. In addition, Nina is managing the global Customer Support Team. Prior to joining ZDHC, Nina has worked at Rainforest Alliance, where she held several positions, such as supervisor of the customer success team, project manager for digital solutions and innovation manager for process improvements and new business models. She holds a Master Degree in Politics and Economy of the Middle East and has a background in design thinking and lean and agile management.
Executive Management Support
As Executive Management Support, Polina provides organisational, administrative, and logistical support to the Executive Director and Executive Management team. She establishes effective communication and coordination between the ZDHC Regional teams and Executive team. Polina schedules meetings, supports operational reporting and works collaboratively within and outside the department to ensure everything runs smoothly. In addition to helping with day-to-day operations, Polina's focus is on aiding the transition to the new management structure and reporting setup. Prior to joining ZDHC, she worked as a Notary Public Administrative Assistant in Tenerife, Spain. Polina holds a Bachelor's degree in Organizational Management.
SCM-Technical Manager
As Technical Manager for Sustainable Chemical Management, Pushkar leverages his technical expertise to review, update, and develop guidelines for the ZDHC MRSL Framework. He also oversees the implementation of the framework within the chemical industry to ensure compliance with ZDHC MRSL standards. Pushkar takes an active role in engaging and managing stakeholder groups such as the ZDHC Task Teams, Advisory Groups, and MRSL Council, fostering effective communication and alignment around the ZDHC MRSL SCM Framework. Additionally, he supports innovative sustainable chemistry technologies and collaborates with the ZDHC Academy to develop new training modules focused on sustainable chemical management. Pushkar possesses extensive knowledge in organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical synthesis processes, with over 15 years of experience across various organisations. He holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the USA, and has conducted post-doctoral research in the field of green chemistry in Japan.
Implementation Manager
As Implementation Manager, Saket will handle the implementation and monitoring of ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme in the South Asia region. In his role, Saket will manage customer queries, oversee implementation projects with supply chain partners, liaise with industry stakeholders, and help to organise awareness workshops and regional events to accelerate the adoption of ZDHC. Saket is based in Mumbai, India. Saket has completed Masters in Technology in Textile Processing and has 7 years of experience in testing, chemical management, and eco-certifications. Saket has developed and implemented chemical management policy at Arvind Ltd. and also worked on Life Cycle Assessment projects. Prior to joining ZDHC, Saket worked for Hohenstein India and was managing Eco-Passport certifications for India and conducting ZDHC MRSL Level 3 audits.
Implementation Manager
As Implementation Manager, Shinne Li focuses on the ZDHC implementation in the Chemical industry and Leather industry in East Asia and is based in Shanghai. Prior to joining ZDHC, Shinne worked for Li & Fung as Detox Manager to implement Chemical Management in Home Textile, Apparel and Footwear industries. Before that, Shinne had roles as Programme Manager of Chemical Assessment and Technical Manager of Chemical Management in Intertek. Shinne also had rich chemical experience and worked for BASF. Shinne is a Senior Engineer and has a degree in Leather Engineering from Shaanxi University of Science & Technology.
Senior Impact Communications Associate
Sitwat is responsible for the creative content development initiatives and multi-media production, and communication processes across all ZDHC channels. Her primary focus includes copywriting and guarding ZDHC’s visual identity and tone across all creative content produced. Sitwat works alongside the Communications and Marketing team on production timelines, brand strategy, and marketing campaigns. Prior to her role at ZDHC, Sitwat worked as part of the United Nation’s External Relations team in The Hague and worked as an Audiovisual Journalist for Tertium where she conducted and produced interviews, trailers, social media content and a full-length documentary. She has also worked on several international shows like WWF’s Ocean Witness, and Comedy Central’s Stand-Up Asia. Sitwat holds a Masters in Political Science from Leiden University, Netherlands and a Bachelor of Communication from Monash University, Malaysia.
Subject Matter Expert Fibres and Material
Dr Smita is a Subject Matter Expert in the Fibres & Materials Competence Centre of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme. She is responsible for developing the Fibres and Circularity Strategy and creating and updating industry guidelines for various fibres and materials. She supports ZDHC’s collaborative efforts while also researching innovations in new, sustainable fibres and recycled materials. She is involved in developing training materials and ZDHC digital tools related to sustainable fibres and circular economy. Smita completed her Doctorate degree in Fibres and Textile Processing Technology from the Institute of Chemical Technology, India. She has over 13 years of work experience with the Wool Research Association (WRA), India, where she designed and managed R&D projects sponsored by various government agencies in the field of advanced textile processing technology, effluent treatment processes, CCM technology etc. Smita has experience in eco-testing and was the Internal Auditor at WRA. She is based in Mumbai, India.
Programme and Solution Quality Assurance Manager
Stefania works in collaboration with the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme and Implementation HUB teams to guarantee the quality and consistency of ZDHC deliverables regarding platforms, tools and solutions across the organisation. She is involved in ensuring quality and establishment and consistency of data and services delivered by external third-party organisations within the framework of the implementation of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme and Implementation HUB. Stefania holds a Degree in Chemistry and brings 8 years of experience in the Textile&Leather Sector, where she mainly has covered the role of Sustainability Manager, trainer and Auditor for many schemes specific for textile and leather both for product and process (in the fields of Chemical Management, Environment, Quality Management, Social Responsibility and Health and Safety). She was a trainer approved by ZDHC. Stefania had also experience in textile and environmental laboratories, both in regards of tests performed and quality management system following ISO/IEC 17025 Standard, for which she was the responsible person.
Environmental Expert - Water Competence Center
Thiwanka will be in charge of providing technical expert support to ZDHC's water stewardship competence center on all wastewater, waste disposal, and water use issues, with a focus on the textile, leather, and footwear industries. He will work on behalf of ZDHC with stakeholders, technical experts, like-minded organizations, academia, and training institutions outside the ZDHC Community on all water competence centre activities. Thiwanka currently resides in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He holds two bachelor's degrees, three master's degrees, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in sustainable business at Vern University, Croatia. He has over seven years of industry experience, working with various stakeholders such as manufacturers and brands.
Subject Matter Expert Sustainable Chemical Management
As a Technical Expert, Umesh will be responsible for providing technical expert support to all functions relating to the Roadmap to Zero Programme. He will be instrumental in supporting the coordination of global implementation projects. Based in Mumbai, Umesh studied at the Institute of Chemical Technology, India, to obtain a Doctorate degree in Fibres and Textile Processing Technology and specialises in polymer synthesis and characterisation, surfactant and textile auxiliary evaluation, textile wet processing application procedures, and the set-up of chemical database systems. Additionally, he has taught academically in different areas of textile wet processing, and facilitated research projects.
Systems and Solutions Manager
Valentin manages the development of platforms and tools for the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme. Furthermore, he implements and scales the knowledge base and customer support solutions as well as improving the cyber security of the online systems. Prior to joining ZDHC, Valentin’s work was to implement the assessment of social auditors and online trainings for AQM, performing some social audits around Bangladesh, China and Cambodia himself. Valentin holds an engineering degree specialised in technical textiles and advanced materials from ENSAIT, Europe’s leading textile engineering school in Roubaix, France.
Gateway Product Manager
As the ZDHC Gateway Product Manager Vanessa is responsible for internal and external communications. Vanessa works closely with ADEC Innovations, to ensure the continuous improvement of the ZDHC Gateway and CheckTools. Prior to joining ZDHC, Vanessa worked for CHT Germany GmbH in the Jeans & Garment Department as a Technical Service Engineer. In her role she was responsible for application-specific consultation, especially regarding eco friendly bleaching concepts. Vanessa holds a Master Degree in Textile Products - Textile and Clothing Technology from the Hochschule Niederrhein - University of Applied Sciences.
Senior Legal Counsel
Victoria is responsible for managing the legal affairs of the ZDHC Group, providing legal advice and guidance to staff members and senior management on a wide range of legal matters including contracts negotiation, regulatory compliance, and intellectual property. She oversees the organisation's legal affairs, and is responsible for drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts and agreements with third parties. Victoria develops and implements policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws, ultimately ensuring that the organisation minimises its legal risks. Victoria holds master degrees in International Environmental Law and Natural Resources Law from La Sorbonne University in Paris and from the University of Iceland.
Secretary, Manufacturer Category Seat
Brand Category Seat
Academia Category Seat
Board Chair, Brand Category Seat
Brand Category Seat
Chemical Supplier Category Seat
Brand Category Seat
Treasurer, Brand Category Seat
Chemical Supplier Category Seat
Manufacturer Category Seat
Brand Category Seat
Understand how ZDHC has helped to create a paradigm shift in the apparel and footwear industry and laid the groundwork for sustainable chemical management.
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