Fairtrade America appoints Amanda Archila executive director
pic: Fairtrade
Fairtrade America has unveiled Amanda Archila as the organisation’s executive director, as it continues its social justice goals within the region, reports Neill Barston.
As the movement noted, its latest appointee joins its ranks with more than 15 years of experience working in a range of industries, from natural food to e-commerce retail and consumer electronics sectors.
In her new position, Archila will support Fairtrade America as the organisation enters an exciting chapter of growth marked by increased consumer awareness of the Fairtrade Mark and the impact it has on farming communities worldwide.
According to the 2021 biennial Fairtrade Consumer Insights report conducted by Globescan, 41% of Americans recognise the Fairtrade Mark, an increase of almost 50% from 2019. Furthermore, trust in the Mark has also increased, with 57% of Americans agreeing they trust the Mark, up 48% from 2019.
Archila’s new role with Fairtrade America is a true full circle moment. After dedicating much of her undergraduate time as a student activist for the fair trade movement, including serving as an Oxfam America CHANGE Leader in 2005, Archila supported the development and launch of a domestic fair trade certification in India with cotton farming cooperatives. Archila then returned to the U.S. and spent five years in marketing and sales roles within Divine Chocolate, a leading Fairtrade company co-owned by cocoa farmers.
During her tenure at Divine, she was inspired to earn her MBA from Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, which helped prepare Archila to pivot to retail vendor management at Amazon, where she held a variety of senior leadership roles across multiple business units.
As a result of her comprehensive background in both the private sector and advocacy communities, Archila has a strong understanding of the role each stakeholder plays in the fair trade movement. Archila plans to leverage this expertise to deepen Fairtrade America’s retailer relationships; strengthen licensee partnerships in key categories; and increase consumer awareness of the impact of choosing Fairtrade products so that they further advocate for those options at the point of purchase.
“Amanda’s wealth of relevant experience throughout the supply chain, combined with her passion for Fairtrade, will be invaluable for the future of this movement in the U.S.,” said Dan Arnett, Chair of Fairtrade America’s Board of Directors. “We look forward to Amanda’s contributions and leadership as we continue to further engage with our retail and brand partners and consumers to change the way trade works through better prices, decent working conditions, and a fairer deal for farmers and workers.”