Rachel Wilshaw

Experience

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  British Council

  Jan 1981 - Jan 1984

  Exhibition Assistant

  Assisted in the organisation of exhibitions of British art abroad. This included helping to instal the first exhibition of British art to be held in India, at the Lalit Kala Academi in Delhi, 1984: The Proper Study.

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  Whitechapel Art Gallery

  Jan 1984 - Jan 1987

  Exhibition Organiser

  I organised exhibitions including Whitechapel Open Exhibition, David Smith sculpture, From Two Worlds, Victor Willing, Jacqui Poncelet, Wolfgang Laib. I gave gallery tours, edited exhibition catalogues, and liaised with artists and lenders.

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  Oxfam

  Jun 1987 - Jan 1996

  Communications Officer, Oxfam Trading
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  Oxfam

  Jun 1996 - Jan 2008

  Led a cross-divisional group of purchasers to apply strategic sourcing approaches to goods and services needed by Oxfam GB. Responsible for procurement infrastructure, purchaser competences, procurement policies and procedures, covering £60 million Oxfam spend on goods and services sourced from the UK. I qualified as a procurement professional (MCIPS) with the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply in 2005; my dissertation was on sourcing ethically from China. I led Oxfam's Ethical Purchasing function and participated in an Ethical Trade working group for Sri Lanka garments, testing auditing approaches. Show less Responsible for labour standards in Oxfam's own supply chain, from retail and campaign products to cleaning services. Qualified as an ethical auditor in 2000 with Social Accountability International and led audits of teeshirt suppliers in the UK and gifts in India. Visited a tea estate and smallolders in Kenya with a UK tea brand to give the company suggestions to improve its auditing approach. Set up Oxfam's first environmental programme to reduce use of paper, electricity and air travel, known as Oxfam Green. Show less

  • Purchasing Strategy Manager

    Jan 2004 - Jan 2008

  • Ethical Purchasing Manager

    Jan 1998 - Jan 2004

  • Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for Fair Trade Programme

    Jun 1996 - Jan 2001
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  Ethical Trading Initiative

  Jan 2009 - Mar 2019

  Board member

  Engagement with NGOs, trade unions and companies in implementing codes of labour practice. Strategic oversight of the multi-stakeholder initiative. Representation of perspectives of NGO members and the workers they support.

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  Oxfam GB

  Jan 2009 - now

  Workers' Rights Senior Manager

  I undertake advocacy on labour rights in global supply chains, for Oxfam's campaigns and policy team. I lead on workers' rights for the Behind the Barcodes supermarket campaign. I have led studies on the lives of food and garment workers in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malawi, Kenya and the UK. I have written a range of publications including 'Workers' Rights in Supermarket Supply Chains', 'Labour Rights in Vietnam: Unilever's Progress and Systemic Challenges', and 'Steps towards a Living Wage in Global Supply Chains'. I was a Board member of the Ethical Trading Initiative for 10 years and serve on various steering committees covering human and labour rights and living wages. Show less

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  Oxfam International

  Mar 2016 - now

  Global Policy Lead on Workers' Rights for Oxfam's Behind the Barcodes Campaign

  In this role which runs alongside my substantive role of Ethical Trade Manager, I act as the global policy lead on workers' rights for Oxfam's Behind the Barcodes campaign. This includes developing indicators for the Supermarket Scorecard ssessing 16 major supermarkets in the UK, Germany, Netherlands and the US, developing Oxfam's Workers' Rights Recommendations for Food Retailers, engaging in advocacy with the companies on best practice, writing publications and blogs, and acting as Oxfam GB media spokesperson for the campaign. Show less