Safia Minney MBE

Safia Minney MBE, FRSA is the Founder of People Tree, the pioneering Fair Trade and sustainable fashion and lifestyle brand.

Safia developed the first organic and Fair Trade clothing supply chain, helping to create social and organic standards improving the lives of over 5,000 economically marginalised people in the developing world.

She is recognised by the World Economic Forum as an Outstanding Social Entrepreneur.

Minney established Fair Trade supply chain, ethical branding solutions and is seen as a thought leader in defining ethical business.

Safia brings ethics, creativity and passion to deliver social impact, sustainability and sets the agenda.

She has authored 8 acclaimed books, including ‘Slow Fashion – Aesthetics meets Ethics’, and most recently ‘Slave to Fashion’ raising awareness of modern slavery in the fashion industry, bringing her expertise and experience to help businesses embrace sustainability and transparency in their operations and branding.

She is currently MD of the award-winning sustainable footwear brand Po-Zu.

Safia Minney MBE – Background

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 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, featuring high profile international designers and celebrities in 2007.

Safia worked closely with Emma Watson to design the first-ever Fair Trade fashion range for young people.

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.

Safia’s work has brought sustainable livelihoods and social welfare to over 5000 economically marginalised farmers, artisans and tailors.

True Cost movie features Safia as a leading spokesperson of the fashion industry and her pioneering work in delivering social change.

Awards include:

• 2014 – Top 5 Ethical Retailers in the UK as voted by Ethical Consumer.
• 2013 – Best Organic Textile Product at the Natural and Organic Products Europe Awards.
• 2012 – People Tree Highly Commended in the Sustainable Fashion category at the London Sustainable City Awards.
• 2010 – High Street Fashion Week Awards – Eco Warrior Award.
• 2010 – WGSN Global Fashion Awards – Shortlisted for Most Sustainable Brand.
• 2010 – Cosmopolitan Best Ethical E-tailer Award.
• 2009 – MBE for services to the Fashion industry and Fair Trade.
• 2009 – The Observer Ethical Awards – Fashion.
• 2008 – Cosmopolitan Best Ethical E-tailer Award.
• 2008 – Finalist in the Triodos Bank Women in Ethical Business Awards.
• 2006 – Social Entrepreneur of the Year in the Edge Upstart Awards in Britain.
• 2005 – Community Award at the annual Asian Business Awards.
• 2005 – Safia Minney selected as one of the world’s most ‘Outstanding Social Entrepreneurs’ by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.

Speaking Topics include:

Modern Slavery: The Modern Slavery Act, The Global Economy, Social & Technical Innovation.

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.

Other topics include:

• Entrepreneurship
• Ethics
• Globalization
• Innovation
• Human Rights
• Inspiration
• Marketing
• PR
• Retail
• Social Enterprise
• Social Development
• Trade and Industry
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Design