ACT is a groundbreaking agreement between global brands and trade unions to transform the garment, textile and footwear industry and achieve living wages for workers through collective bargaining at industry level, freedom of association and purchasing practices.https://actonlivingwages.com/In September 2019, ACT adopted a joint due diligence framework for member brands to ensure that their purchasing practices facilitate the payment of a living wage as set out in the ACT Memorandum of Understanding. It is the first time in the history of the global garment and footwear sector that international brands have collectively agreed to be held accountable by a Global Union Federation for changing their purchasing practices.https://actonlivingwages.com/purchasing-practices-commitments-measurement-of-progress/

Protect the reputation of the brand for the longer term, ensuring the integrity of the global programme.Contribute to on-going development of ET Strategy and the development of global policy on audits and Codes. Provide technical expertise to Primark Cares Strategy - https://www.primark.com/en/primark-cares. Manages critical ET non-compliances with Primark Sourcing and on-going supplier reviews.Create processes on a global scale and related governance across multiple teams, to deliver the most effective and efficient processes in order to demonstrate robust procedures.Engage with wider ABF procurement / CSR community and represent Primark at industry level.Oversee the technology systems relating to the social, environmental and structural compliance programme, systems processes, performance and improvements ensuring business requirements are met. Lead team in building metrics and reporting on responsible sourcing trends providing “one version of the truth”.

Innovated tools for both compliance and “beyond audit” across all areas of sustainability to enable all members to get to the truth and interpret their supply chain data.Developed of products and services that support the overall business strategy with regards convergence, simplification, impact, reputation and membership & revenue growth.Responsible sourcing skill set and drive to push boundaries and a passion for delivering impactful solutions for supply chains for continuous improvement. Responsibilities• Managed partnerships and stakeholder team and ensuring delivery of Sedex strategy.• Guided data analytics team in building metrics and reporting on responsible sourcing trends.• Supported other internal business functions on responsible sourcing.• Represented Sedex on a global stage at events, discussion panels, committees, including UNGC both UK and UN (central) partners.• Recruited and developed new team to provide scalable responsible sourcing solutions.Achievements• Oversaw and led Sedex Stakeholder Forum meeting at annual conference• Created and implemented the first Sedex Awards presented at the 2017 Annual conference • Moderated Worker Voice panel at Sedex Conference• Translated ILO Forced Labour Indicators into issue titles and questions across SAQ and SMETA 6.0 • Sat on Advisory Stakeholder group for Transparency International for Business Principles for State Owned Enterprises.

Set human rights, children's rights and labour rights policy and strategy in the LEGO Group.Drive impact and value return from the UNICEF partnership.Owned the UN Global Compact relationship for LEGO.Communicate and engage stakeholders on the social responsibility agenda to ensure dialogue.Set global strategy and direction for organising and executing the global activities for the LEGO Group Code of Conduct. Influence and enable business partners to improve their Code of Conduct performance aligned to the LEGO Group.Responsible for setting the direction for global audit strategy.

In September 2013 the Commission launched a project to examine employment practices in the cleaning sector in England, Scotland and Wales (read our press release) We wanted to understand how employers comply with their equality obligations in the work place and respect human rights. We focused on standardised, non-domestic cleaning in the office, health, retail, transport and leisure sectors as these are the four largest users of cleaning services.We published our findings in August 2014. To support the sector to respect all workplace rights our report contains recommendations for the key bodies in the sector.Our recommendations focus on the most significant findings, and address the need to improve working conditions for cleaning operatives, raise awareness of employment rights and establish more responsible procurement practices.http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/our-work/key-projects/invisible-workforce-employment-practices-cleaning-sector

Designed strategy and Ethical Trade Programme specifically for goods and services not for resale. Developed and led the approach to new key areas including the recycling of clothes and electronics. Pioneered audit methodology for service and labour providers to enable businesses to get to the truth in their supply chains for some of the most vulnerable people. Work with multi-stakeholders to create and implement sustainable solutions to challenging ethical issues within a complex range of different industries.Understand the importance of integrating responsible sourcing into the commercial success of the business.

Represented Tesco at the SEDEX Associated Auditors Group championing better and simpler ways of working across a wide range of industries from cleaners and agency labour to construction and maintenance suppliers.Currently part of the Blue Sky Group looking at the next 10 years for SEDEX.

Managed both UK and Chinese technical teams introducing management tools and reporting to enable resources to be targeted at producing the most effective and timely results. Responsible for developing the Chinese team in order for them to support our chosen suppliers in both technical and ethical requirements. Ethical Lead for the group, sharing my in-depth knowledge and experience of both Chinese factories and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Challenged myself out of my comfort zone of textiles into the world of lighting and electrical products. Enjoyed the responsibility and the technical stretch. Implemented a systematic way of working for the complex world of testing and certification for lighting. Instrumental in setting up electrical testing for the launch of white goods for Next at their depots to ensure customer safety.

Mapped supply chain right from finished product all the way down to the cotton fields. Resided in China for 3 months initially to set up standards to achieve required quality and ethical compliance, whilst revising the company sourcing process.Managed teams across northern China and within the UK to work with suppliers in assuring technical, packaging,ethical and sourcing requirements. Set up sourcing assessment process to allow the company to carry out initial assessments on suppliers before placing business. Later expanded remit from the textiles side of business to the brush manufacturing both in the UK and in China.

Strategic thinking and planning for the Ethical, Technical and Sourcing aspects of international group buying for all textile products. One of the first Technical Mangers within Tesco to be trained in Ethical Auditing carrying out Ethical and Technical Audits on many factories across India, Pakistan, UK, SE Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe. Wrote and implemented a product approval process and introduced standard fabric standards allowing bulk buying of fabric. Represented Tesco at both BSI and ISO working groups on textile and labelling standards.

Put a struggling knitting / dyeing and finishing / printing division back on it's feet. Empowered my staff and all those who worked with me in marketing to be the best they could. Redesigned existing equipment so that it could funtion to international standards of quality and efficiency. Trained both laboratory and all production teams to the highest standard of commitment and quality so the company can perform well into the 21st Century.

Created an manufacturing unit from scratch in Zimbabwe's rural heartland. Trained all my employees and implemented production methods and processes for a world class textile company.Both the company and the processes are still in place today. Very humbled to have had the opportunity to impart my knowledge and experience to a wonderful team who were always so hungry to learn. It was great to give something back to such a beautiful country.