ZDHC Foundation appoints Stefan Seidel as its new Chief Impact Officer

Amsterdam, 1 October, 2026

ZDHC Foundation has announced today the appointment of Stefan Seidel as its new Chief Impact Officer. Seidel joined ZDHC in 2025 as Senior Director, Climate and Environmental Impact, leading the work on water stewardship and air emissions. His appointment brings together experience in environmental strategy, industry collaboration and the practical challenges of changing how chemicals are managed across global supply chains.

“Stefan understands ZDHC from both sides of the table,” said Frank Michel, CEO of the ZDHC Foundation. “He helped build the collaborative approach that brought the organisation into being, and he knows what it takes to put that approach into practice. As Chief Impact Officer, he will help us keep asking the question that matters most: how is our work making a measurable positive difference for people, communities and the environment?”

Before joining ZDHC, Seidel led PUMA’s corporate sustainability function for 10 years. He also held roles spanning environmental management, regional sustainability leadership and compliance auditing, while also co-chairing the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action for several years. As part of the PUMA team, he helped establish ZDHC and shape its collaborative approach. Seidel holds a degree in Environmental Engineering and a master’s degree in Environmental Management.

“I want to pay tribute to Scott Echols, who has spent 11 years as part of the ZDHC team, and helped develop the organisation’s impact strategy and its ability to measure the effects of sustainable chemical management. His work has connected the Roadmap to Zero Programme with wider questions of water stewardship, climate, biodiversity and circularity”, said Frank Michel.

As Chief Impact Officer, Stefan Seidel will build on that foundation, working with ZDHC colleagues and its Signatories, as well as the committed community to strengthen the connection between sustainable chemical management, implementation and measurable environmental outcomes.

“After many years on the ZDHC Board, I’m looking forward to working with the team to turn our shared ambition into measurable progress across the industry. As Chief Impact Officer, my focus will be on making sure our work delivers lasting benefits for people and the environment” said Stefan Seidel, ZDHC’s new Chief Impact Officer.