Fairtrade America is pleased to announce that Amanda Archila is joining the organisation as its Executive Director, bringing with her more than 15 years of experience working in a range of industries, from natural food to e-commerce retail and consumer electronics. She also brings an extensive fair trade advocacy background and passion to the organisation.
In her new position as Executive Director, Archila will support Fairtrade America as the organisation enters an “exciting chapter of growth” marked by increased consumer awareness of the Fairtrade Mark and its impact on global farming communities. This recognition is thanks to the 2021 Fairtrade Consumer Insights report, conducted by Globescan, which revealed that 41% of Americans recognise the Fairtrade Mark, and 57% said they trust the Mark, up 48% from 2019.
Having spent much of her time as an undergraduate 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 – a new role that has come “full circle”.
Amanda returned to the US and spent five years in marketing and sales within Divine Chocolate. During her tenure, she was inspired to earn her MBA from Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, which helped her to pivot to retail vendor management at Amazon.
As a result of her 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, which she will use to deepen the organisation’s retailer relationships, strengthen license partnerships in key categories and increase consumer awareness of the impact of choosing Fairtrade products.
“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.”
“My history with the fair trade movement has fueled my passion for supporting farmers and workers, including ensuring they can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods and have meaningful representation at each level of decision making,” said Archila. “I am honoured to join the talented team at Fairtrade America and to support the organisation as it builds on its legacy as the globally most recognised and most trusted ethical label in the world. The future has never been brighter for Fairtrade America, and I am dedicated to keeping the bar high for Fairtrade certification and creating a fairer future for and with farmers and workers.”
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