The Standards Committee

Matthijs’ (Masters degree in International Economics and Economic Geography) career is fully focused on the fashion industry. As deputy director of the Dutch fashion industry association MODINT he build up an important part of MODINT’s consultancy, specializing on trade policy, sourcing, export support and sustainability. 

He joined the International Apparel Federation in 2012 and since 2014 he is its Secretary General. The IAF has become a major force in the global apparel industry representing the interests of apparel industry associations and (large) apparel manufacturing groups from in total over 40 countries on all continents. Together with an IAF member organization and with the IAF’s sister federation ITMF, Matthijs every year organizes the influential IAF”s World Fashion Convention which acts as a major global industry meeting place and knowledge platform. IAF is co-initiator of the STTI, the 10 country, 13 association collaboration of garment manufacturing associations created to add the manufacturers’ voice and expertise to the crucial topic of the improvement of purchasing practices. 

Matthijs feels very strongly about the education of the industry’s future managers and, as much as he can, teaches and guides students at various Dutch fashion management schools. Passionate about the opportunity to help build an industry that takes better care of its people he has just joined the Board of Directors of Fair Wear. 

Silke Düwel-Rieth heads the “Economy & Markets” division at WWF Germany, bringing a master's degree in strategic sustainability management and another in cultural anthropology. Her focus is on creating a broader economic context that incentivizes responsible corporate behaviour, respects planetary boundaries, and secures long-term business stability and resilience. Her professional background includes work as a sustainability manager at Ernst & Young and in corporate partnerships at the UN Global Compact Network Germany. Her goal is to put sustainable business practices into action and help companies advance toward a resource-efficient, sustainable economy. She also advocates for policies that promote sustainable business models and support companies that operate in an environmentally friendly and resource-efficient manner. 

Dr. Sanchita Banerjee Saxena is a social scientist who works at the intersection of the social sciences and business and human rights. She holds a PhD in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles and has over 20 years of experience working on issues related to labor rights in global supply chains, with a special focus on the garment industry in Asia. She is the author of a number of books, articles, reports, commentaries and research briefs. Dr. Saxena is a sought out public speaker and moderator and regularly gives invited lectures globally.  Dr. Saxena teaches classes about business, labor and global supply chains at the University of California, Berkeley. 

She is currently a Faculty Fellow at the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE) and an Academic Fellow at the Berkeley Center for Law and Business. Dr. Saxena is currently a Senior Advisor to Article One, a specialized strategy and management consultancy with expertise in human rights, responsible innovation, and sustainability where she advises companies on responsible supply chains. She has also served as an advisor to a number of organizations including the Human Rights Measurement Initiative, Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic, Fundacao Getulio Vargas, GIZ Initiative for Global Solidarity, and the H&M Foundation. 

She is currently a non-resident Research Fellow at the IHRB and is a member of the Research Network on Sustainable Global Supply Chains. For more information, please visit sanchitasaxena.com.