Fairtrade America appoints Amanda Archila as new Executive Director

Fairtrade America said in her new position, Archila will support it 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 recognize 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.

As well as a passion for the organisation, Archila also brings an extensive fairtrade advocacy background and her new role with Fairtrade America is a true full circle moment.

After dedicating much of her undergraduate time as a student activist for the fairtrade 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.

She then returned to the US 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 her to pivot to retail vendor management at Amazon, where she held a variety of senior leadership roles across multiple business units.

“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 US,” 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.”