Ram Gidoomal CBE, former Chairman of CottonConnect Ltd, will serve as Chair of SHEIN’s EEAB
Regional Strategy and Corporate Responsibility Committees will provide independent advice to SHEIN’s leadership team
SHEIN, the global online on-demand fashion lifestyle retailer, has announced the establishment of two new advisory bodies comprised of seasoned global executives and experts who will provide SHEIN’s leadership team with insights and recommendations to assist the company in achieving its corporate responsibility objectives.
External ESG Advisory Board (EEAB) Will Counsel SHEIN’s Leadership Team on Sustainability and ESG Strategy
Composed of independent experts specializing in key areas of ESG relevant to SHEIN’s business and operations, SHEIN’s External ESG Advisory Board (EEAB) will provide advice on emerging trends, risks, and opportunities related to ESG. It will also provide feedback on the company’s ESG initiatives, policies, and practices. The members of the EEAB are:
- Ram Gidoomal CBE, a distinguished businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist, has been appointed as the Chair of the EEAB. Mr. Gidoomal served as Chairman of CottonConnect. His extensive experience includes serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Traidcraft plc and the London Sustainability Exchange, and Board Member of the International Justice Mission. He was also the UK Chief Executive of the Inlaks Group of companies operating in 15 countries, and founder of the Christmas Cracker Charitable Trust.
- Dr. Xiaohui Liang is a leading expert on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and business and human rights (BHR) issues in China. Dr. Liang currently serves as the Chief Researcher at the Office for Social Responsibility of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, where he worked on China’s first industry-based CSR initiative in 2005. He is also an adjunct professor on Business and Human Rights at Peking University Law School. In 2016, he was recognized by the United Nations Global Compact as one of the first ten Pioneers in Sustainable Development Goals.
- Robin Millington, who will serve as Vice-Chair of the EEAB, is a specialist on global issues requiring transformative change, with an emphasis on sustainable finance, corporate transition and supply chains, and with many years of senior management experience in philanthropy and industry. She is the founding CEO of Planet Tracker, a multiple award-winning sustainable finance think tank, from which she recently retired. She was founding Director of Wetlands International and a Director at the European Climate Foundation. Currently she is a Board member of Dunya Analytics and previously served on the Supervisory Board of the Capitals Coalition, the Supervisory Board of the Gold Standard Foundation, on the Technical Expert Group which established TNFD, a founding partner of NA100, and serves on various advisory committees.
- Christoph Wolff is an executive, board advisor and investor with a focus on net-zero transformation in mobility and energy industries. He was previously the Global Head of Mobility and Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum and oversaw the Forum’s work with Partners from the Automotive, Supply Chain, Aerospace and Aviation, Travel and Tourism sectors. Prior to his role at the Forum, Christoph served as Managing Director of the European Climate Foundation, delivering policy solutions for EU and Member State Governments in decarbonizing the energy, transport, cities and energy-intensive industries.
Donald Tang, SHEIN’s Executive Chairman, said, “We are pleased to have established the EEAB, which will enable us to draw on the knowledge and experience of these global-leading experts in their fields. Their insights in key areas including supply chain governance, circularity and decarbonisation will be important as we make progress on SHEIN’s sustainability journey.”
Regional Strategic and Corporate Responsibility Committees To Advise SHEIN Leadership
SHEIN also announced the establishment of Regional Strategic and Corporate Responsibility Committees that will provide independent advice to SHEIN’s leadership, with the first such committee focusing on the EMEA region.
Integrating the insights of experienced industry and sectoral leaders, the committees’ work aims to ensure that SHEIN’s operations and expansion in the countries where it operates contribute positively to the country’s economic and social fabric. The Committees will advise SHEIN’s leadership through Leonard Lin, SHEIN’s President of EMEA and Global Head of Public Affairs.
The first committee to be established will focus on Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It will initially be comprised of three independent members:
- Christophe Castaner, a key stakeholder in the international transport sector, is the chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Port of Marseille-Fos, France’s leading port and third most significant in the Mediterranean. Former Minister of the Interior, he is known for his significant experience in public administration, governance, and strategic planning, and his territorial knowledge.
- Nicole Guedj, a distinguished lawyer and former French Secretary of State for Victims’ Rights, is renowned for her humanitarian and legal affairs expertise. She brings decades of experience in public service and advocacy, focusing on innovative solutions for social impact, and an excellent knowledge of the Middle East region.
- Bernard Spitz is a prominent business leader and former President of the French Insurance Federation (FFA). His 12 years as Chairman of the International and European Commission of the MEDEF (French Employers’ Federation) have given him extensive knowledge of international relations.
Leonard Lin said: “The success of our business depends on the effective implementation of our evoluSHEIN sustainability and social impact strategy, and on ensuring that our growth strategy creates value for the communities where we operate. The formation of these advisory bodies reflects our commitment to benchmarking our efforts against global and local corporate best practices as advised by independent experts. We are confident that the insights and expertise that these distinguished executives will provide will continue to strengthen our business. “
Ram Gidoomal, Chair of SHEIN’s External ESG Advisory Board, said: “I am honoured to take on this role, and I look forward to collaborating with my fellow Advisory Board members and SHEIN’s leadership to help the company achieve its ESG goals. Our collective aim is to drive meaningful progress and ensure that SHEIN’s practices uphold the highest standards of environmental and social responsibility.”
APPENDIX: EEAB MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES
About Ram Gidoomal
Ram Gidoomal CBE FIC FRSA LLD (Hon) Bristol, D Litt (Hon) Southampton Business Institute, D Univ Middlesex is a businessman, social entrepreneur and philanthropist.
His extensive experience includes serving as Chairman of CottonConnect Ltd from 2016 until 2024, and of the Board of Directors of Fair Trade pioneers Traidcraft plc and the London Sustainability Exchange and was UK Group Chief Executive of the Inlaks Group, an international niche food production and marketing company with 7,000 employees in 15 countries.
He was a trustee of Forum for the Future, a Board Member of Washington DC based International Justice Mission, an external member of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee for the UK Equalities and Human Rights Commission, Crown appointee to the Court and Council of Imperial College, Honorary Charter Member of The Indus Entrepreneurs, a visiting Professor of Entrepreneurship at Middlesex University, a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute, and co-founder of the Christmas Cracker Charity Trust, which mobilised over 50,000 young people in the UK to raise over £5 million for good causes in the developing world.
He is the author of several books including ‘Sari n Chips’, ‘The UK Maharajahs’, and his recently launched memoirs: ‘MY SILK ROAD – The adventures and struggles of a British Asian Refugee.
Ram is a freeman of the City of London and an Honorary Vice President of the Advisory Council of the Institute of Business Ethics. He was awarded a CBE in 1997 for services to the Asian business community and to race relations.
About Dr. Xiaohui Liang
Dr. Liang was formerly the program coordinator of the Human Rights Master Program at Peking University, China’s first professional human rights education project before he joined the Office for Social Responsibility of China National Textile and Apparel Council as Chief Researcher, in charge of the development and promotion of CSC9000T, China’s first voluntary CSR initiative and social responsibility management system. Since 2008, Dr. Liang has been the lead expert in the development of various Chinese industry-specific CSR initiatives and social and environmental due diligence guiding documents, including for sectors of international contractors, ICT, communication, automobile, mining, forestry and internet technology. He also participated in the development of various international instruments on responsible business conduct and business and human rights initiated by the United Nations, the OECD and the ISO.
Since 2006, Dr. Liang has taught the course “Business and Human Rights” at Peking University Law School and he is the first Chinese scholar teaching this course in China. His book ‘Business and Human Rights: From Legal Regulation to Collaborative Governance’ (Peking University Press, 2019) is the first academic monograph on the topic of business and human rights in the Chinese language. In June 2016, Dr. Liang was recognized by the United Nations Global Compact as one of the world’s first ten Pioneers in Sustainability Development Goals.
About Robin Millington
Robin Millington, named Global Sustainable Business Leader of the Year 2023 by Environmental Finance, works with a NED & Advisory portfolio having recently retired as Founding CEO of Planet Tracker, a ground-breaking non-profit sustainable finance think tank working to embed the value of nature into global capital markets. Having dedicated nearly three decades to environmental causes including climate, biodiversity/nature and wetlands/water, Robin is an experienced senior director with an extensive track record including as a Director with the European Climate Foundation, Founding Director of Wetlands International and Managing Director of the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) in Brussels. Previously she spent many years in the private sector both in consulting and in multinational work. She has an MBA from INSEAD and her BA from Stanford University. She is currently a Non-Executive Director with Dunya Analytics and Vice-Chair of the ESG Advisory Board for SHEIN. Previously she served on the Supervisory Board of the Capitals Coalition, as Board Vice-Chair of the Gold Standard Foundation and serves on various advisory committees.
About Christoph Wolff
Christoph Wolffis an executive, board advisor and investor with a focus on net-zero transformation in mobility and energy industries. He was previously the Global Head of Mobility and Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum and oversaw the Forum’s work with Partners from the Automotive, Supply Chain, Aerospace and Aviation, Travel and Tourism sectors. He led the Forum’s System Initiative on Shaping the Future of Mobility which strives to achieve mobility of goods and people that is safe, clean and inclusive, and includes projects on the transition to Autonomous, Shared and Electric Mobility, Drones and Tomorrow’s Airspace and Security in Travel.
Prior to his role at the Forum, Christoph served as Managing Director of the European Climate Foundation, delivering policy solutions for EU and Member State Governments in decarbonizing the energy, transport, cities and energy-intensive industries. Christoph is a Chemical Engineer by training with 17 years’ consulting experience from McKinsey & Co., where he was a Senior Partner and Global Practice Head in Travel and Logistics. He worked with airlines and airports on digitization, operations management, customer experience improvement, retail optimization and the optimization of mobile resources on airport aprons. He was Member of the Board of German Rail, DB Schenker, for four years leading International Railfreight and served Ferrostaal and ABB in executive positions in renewables.
