BCI announces the appointment of Lena Staafgard, formerly Programme Director-Global Supply, as Chief Operating Officer reporting to Alan McClay, CEO. In her new role, Lena will oversee the global operational effectiveness of the organisation, including the supply programme.
Lena Staafgard joined BCI in 2010 as Business Director overseeing membership, fundraising, finance, HR and operations. In 2015, she transitioned to the role of Programme Director-Global Supply and was responsible for national government engagement and implementation of the Better Cotton Standard at field level in all countries of operation. Lena developed a new global fund, the BCI Growth & Innovation Fund, in partnership with IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, which supports Better Cotton projects in eight countries around the globe. Prior to joining BCI, she worked for many years at Forum for the Future in London, advising the private sector on how to integrate sustainability into their business models and strategies.
“The fast expansion and ambitious plans of BCI have prompted us to strengthen the management structure of the organization with the creation of the new role of COO, overseeing global operations. We are delighted that Lena is stepping into this role, where she will be applying her skills and experience to strengthen organisational efficiency and accelerate the growth of BCI,’ commented Alan McClay, CEO of BCI, on the new appointment.
ABOUT BCI
BCI exists to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector’s future, by developing Better Cotton as a sustainable mainstream commodity. In 2015, BCI trained 1.5 million farmers who produced 2.7 million MT of Better Cotton lint, equalling 12% of global cotton production.
