Arlington, VA – Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) is pleased to announce that two eminent voices in the sewn products space, Susan Calvert and Mary Turner, as well as a prominent leader in the venture capital sector, Debra Langley, will be joining the organization’s Board of Directors in early 2021.
Ms. Calvert has been with U.K. retailer Debenhams since 1986. Currently, she serves as a Trading Director with Debenhams, responsible for the buying, merchandising, and design teams for women’s accessories, including footwear and lingerie. She also engages with all the company’s business areas, including working closely with sourcing, technical and CSR leaders. Ms. Calvert has extensive knowledge of the apparel supply chain’s challenges.
Ms. Turner serves as the president of Designer Brands Canada, which comprises brands such as The Shoe Company, Shoe Warehouse, and DSW Canada. Before joining Designer Brands, she spent much of her career with Hudson’s Bay Company and Holt Renfrew, serving in a wide variety of merchandising roles. During her time with Hudson’s Bay, Ms. Turner headed several successful efforts to revitalize the company’s fashion business.
Ms. Langley serves as a Venture Partner with Lyra Ventures, a global fund looking to encourage innovation throughout the global apparel sector. She also has a robust involvement with several major media conglomerates, including The Economist Group and the Hearst Corporation. Currently, Ms. Langley serves on the advisory board of Vogue Singapore.
All three individuals are excited to begin their terms, with Ms. Calvert stating, “I am thrilled to join the WRAP Board and look forward to supporting the strategic growth plans of such a fantastic organization.”
Ms. Langley sees joining the WRAP Board as an opportunity to increase industry awareness of best practices, saying, “Our industry often needs to be reminded that there are 3Ps to sustainability: People, Planet and Profit. WRAP leads the important conversation around social compliance in supply chains, ensuring that people remain a focus in any narrative about sustainable, economically strong business models.”
Finally, Ms. Turner outlined her desire to advance WRAP’s core mission when saying, “I am honored to join WRAP’s Board and to help further the goal of ensuring safe, responsible, and ethical production.”
Mr. Charles Masten, the Chairman of WRAP’s Board, detailed what the new Board members will bring to the organization, stating, “It is a pleasure to welcome these highly talented executives. They will help to strengthen an already wonderful Board by expanding the depth and range of expertise on it and by bringing greater balance across a host of factors, from geography to gender.”
WRAP President and CEO Avedis H. Seferian seconded Mr. Masten’s enthusiasm for the new board members, adding, “WRAP is blessed with an excellent Board of Directors, and one that recognized areas where it needed to improve further. Debra, Mary, and Susie bring to the Board the same kind of passion and commitment we’ve always been
fortunate to have, along with new skills and experiences that will make us even stronger and serve WRAP tremendously.”
For more information, contact Seth Lennon – Manager, Communications: 703-945-6209 or slennon@wrapcompliance.org.
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ABOUT WRAP: WRAP is an independent, objective, non-profit team of global social compliance experts dedicated to promoting safe, lawful, humane, and ethical manufacturing around the world through certification and education.
