Safia Minney
Entrepreneur and Social Campaigner
Safia Minney MBE, FRSA is Founder and Director of People Tree, the pioneering Fair Trade and sustainable fashion and lifestyle brand. She developed the first organic and Fair Trade clothing supply chain and is recognised by the World Economic Forum as an Outstanding Social Entrepreneur.
As a speaker, Safia offers a broad range of speaking topics including but not limited to, Supply Chain Management and Transparency, creating Sustainable Business Models, Social Marketing, Media and Brand Building, creating Fair Trade and Social Impact as well as Women in Business, Slow Fashion, Modern Slavery and Sustainable Retail.
BIOGRAPHY
After working for Creative Review magazine in London, Safia’s travels in Asia brought the reality of social injustice and environmental devastation front of mind. She decided to use her experience in marketing and publishing to promote social, arts and environmental publications and organizations.
In 1989, she moved from London to Tokyo where she turned her interests into a campaigning organization, Global Village out of which People Tree Japan was launched.
People Tree became the highest profile Fair Trade company in Japan, with over 1,500 stockists and three flagship stores. In 2000, Safia launched People Tree in London and today the company sells throughout Europe in over 200 stores. Safia Minney drove the business as CEO, Creative Director, Head of Fair Trade supply chain development and led its promotion through marketing and PR in Europe and Japan.
After a long and successful career, Safia has taken a step away from operations to focus on promoting the ethical fashion cause beyond People Tree and sharing her knowledge and experience with others who want to put social impact and sustainability at the heart of their commercial or social business.
SOCIAL CAMPAIGNING AND MARKETING
Safia Minney is a proven and effective thought leader and campaigner for social justice and environmental impact. She initiated World Fair Trade Day, Rag Rage and is a Founder member of Ethical Fashion Forum, Fashion Revolution and Strawberry Earth Academy promoting Eco Design.
Safia’s unique practical experience and passion for social change together with her background in marketing and design has helped create a business that blends social change with great product and retail. People Tree is an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of customers and suppliers and sets a new bar for end to end Fair Trade and Organic fashion production.
Safia and her team have been responsible for the first Fair Trade designer collaboration with Vogue magazine, which featured high profile international designers and celebrities in 2007. She and People Tree have also worked closely with Emma Watson to design the first ever Fair Trade fashion range for young people as well as other collaborations with internationally acclaimed designers such as Orla Keily, Zandra Rhodes, Bora Aksu, have brought Fair Trade into luxury fashion.
People Tree was the first international fashion company to be certified 100% Fair Trade by the WFTO. Through her work she has brought sustainable livelihoods and social welfare to over 5000 economically marginalised farmers, artisans and tailors.
Safia is the author of 4 books about Fair Trade, sustainable design and lifestyle, By Hand, Naked Fashion and Slow Fashion. She is currently working on her forth to be entitled, Slave to Fashion. Safia is also featured in the movie ‘True Cost’ as a leading spokesperson on the fashion industry and allowing cameras to follow her for a year as she continues her pioneering work in delivering social change.
KEYNOTE SPEAKING TOPICS
Supply Chain Management & Transparency:
Partnering, innovating and capacity building with suppliers to create social impact and environmental best practice to comply with ethical standards. How to communicate to your customers and stakeholders to build sales and brand loyalty.
Creating Sustainable Business Models:
Building an operational plan and design to incorporate social and environmental best practice into conventional business models, products, services and marketing communications.
Social Marketing, Media and Brand Building:
Communicating best practice to customers and stakeholders to promote engagement and new environmental and social initiatives. How to create initiatives to deliver and show commitment to social value with examples of successful initiatives in Europe, Japan and Asia.
Creating Fair Trade and Social Impact:
Using design and business as an agent for change; what social impact can be expected and how do you measure purpose beyond profit.
Women in Business:
Building a pioneering social business and brand in Japan and Europe whilst juggling a family. Overcoming challenges through partnerships and collaborations and making bringing leadership and income opportunities to women around the world to create social change.
Slow Fashion. Aesthetics meets Ethics:
A look at the global ‘ethical consumer’ movement, the rise of the eco lifestyle store, social enterprise and sustainable design and campaigning for social change.
VIDEO