ZDHC Foundation Welcomes Francesco Pianca as Chief Programme Officer
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 27th September, 2024 - The ZDHC Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Francesco Pianca as its new Chief Programme Officer, effective 1st November, 2024.
Francesco Pianca brings over a decade of experience leading sustainability initiatives at global brands. He joins ZDHC after a 10-year tenure at Burberry, where he spearheaded the transformation of the supply chain’s sustainability and chemical management practices. Prior to that, he served in senior roles, including Corporate Sustainability, Environment, Product Safety, and Global Head of Quality Assurance at Benetton Group.
Throughout his career, Francesco has been a key driver of cleaner, safer and more sustainable practices across the fashion industry. His leadership has raised environmental standards and fostered a culture of continuous improvement within supplier networks and manufacturing sites.
Reflecting on his journey, Francesco remarked:
“The supply chain transformation we’ve driven together has been one of the proudest achievements of my career. We learned and grew together, proving we can achieve cleaner products and emissions with better chemistry. I look forward to continuing this mission at ZDHC, working alongside a community of dedicated and passionate partners that I always admired.”
Frank Michel, ZDHC’s CEO, added:
“Francesco’s visionary approach and commitment to sustainable transformation will play a key role in advancing our mission. I got to know Francesco well during his service on our Board of Directors, and I enjoyed his genuine passion for our work. His experience and leadership align perfectly with ZDHC’s goal to accelerate safer chemical management globally, and we are thrilled to have him join our team.”
As Chief Programme Officer, Francesco will play a pivotal role in advancing ZDHC’s 2030 Strategy, which will focus on cleaner chemistry for resource efficiency, carbon reduction, biodiversity protection, and circularity.