Meet the trainer: Elaine Jones

What's your background?

I have been involved with ETI in one form or another since it was founded in 1998.  I was then a member of the Ethical and Community Fair Trade team (later Head of Ethical Trade) at Body Shop International, representing the corporate sector on the ETI Board until I left in 2004. 

I then became Programme Director of WIEGO (Women in informal employment: globalizing and organising)’s Global Trade programme in 2005 in a consultancy capacity, and went on to represent the NGO sector on the ETI Board. 

I became an ETI trainer in 2005. In 2018, I developed ETI’s training materials for the gender training module in my capacity as an Associate of WISE Development, which specialises in gender and development.  I also worked with ETI to undertake gender analyses of selected ETI members’ gender initiatives.

Which ETI courses do you teach?

I deliver Essentials 1 and 2, Gender in global supply chains, and bespoke training courses for ETI members both in the UK and internationally in sourcing countries.

One of the most satisfying outcomes of bringing people from diverse companies, NGO’s and trade unions together is the learning that participants gain from each others’ experiences.  People tell us time and time again that this is what they valued most from their experience of attending ETI training.

Why is it important for companies to learn about ethical trade, and human rights due diligence?

Companies need to understand the complexities of the global supply chains they are sourcing from and how these are continuously evolving to become ever more challenging, especially with the growth of global migration and modern day slavery. In order to assume an analysis of risk in global supply chains, companies need to be able to apply multiple lenses including gender to be able to mitigate and remediate factors which threaten workers’ lives and working conditions.

What’s unique about ETI’s training?

One of the most satisfying outcomes of bringing people from diverse companies, NGOs and trade unions together is the learning that participants gain from each others’ experiences. People tell us time and time again that this is what they value most from their experience of attending ETI training.

What do you most enjoy about delivering training for companies? 

In spite of having been an ETI trainer for 15 years, I always come away feeling fulfilled that people leave with a sharper understanding of how to tackle the challenges they face in building their work in ethical supply chain management.

The next Gender in global supply chains training session is on 24 March. If you book before 31 January, you'll get 10% off the usual price (£400 for non-ETI members, £300 for members). Booking details here.