Our team combines our collective passions and knowledge of the leather industry, environmental and political sciences. We are committed to supporting the leather value chain through our framework that provides transparent, inclusive and accessible mechanisms for sustainable improvement.
Deborah Taylor
Sam Taylor
Before joining the SLF team in 2022, he worked for BAT (British American Tobacco), the largest tobacco company in the world where he experienced multi-level outlets and suppliers., requiring intelligent communication skills to successfully work with different value chain stakeholders.
Earlier in his career, Sam worked within the public sector, for Warwickshire County Council's Library Division which gave him experience of communications at a very practical level and also taught him the importance of systems and procedures.
Sam is a qualified SA8000 lead auditor.
Zain Akber
Zain has worked in tanneries for more than 13 years and comes from a fifth generation leather industry family. His knowledge spans the full range of leather production and more latterly product manufacture, in addition to, a wide range of regions as a Sustainability Consultant since 2010 in India, Russia, Turkey, Africa, Bangladesh, Indonesia etc. His experience covers the full range of leather production from beamhouse to finishing process.
Registered with IEMA as a Principal Environmental Auditor, Zain is a qualified ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018 and SA8000 Lead Auditor and brings a wealth of experience to the team, particularly understanding the challenges from a tannery and an auditor perspective.
External Support
Elise Cawthorn
Diz provides SLF with IT development and support for the Transparency Dashboard.
Katie Kutskill
Katie has been supporting SLF since it's inception in 2020, first as an Advisory Board member, then as Technical Director before evolving to a Consulting role in 2024.
SLF Advisory Board
Our Advisory Board has been established to ensure that we have a fully rounded representation of the leather value chain providing input and specialist expertise for all our work.
The Advisory Board members along with our Specialty Experts have been selected based on their knowledge and experience in areas spanning the wider ecosystem of the industry; including farming and livestock, deforestation & land conversion, leather manufacture, chemistry, machinery manufacture & efficiency, policy & regulation, retail & consumer, leather technology, global representation and strategy.
This valued team of individuals will support the strategy, direction and tools of the Foundation to ensure we have a fit-for-purpose initiative that meets its vision to support the global leather industry and add value in an inclusive and cohesive way.
Hans Van Haarst
Ralph Arbeid
Kevin Latner
Chirag Patel
Rosie Wollacott Phillips
SLF Specialty and Regional Advisors
Our Specialty and Regional Advisors have been selected based on their knowledge and experience in areas spanning the wider ecosystem of the industry; including farming and livestock, deforestation & land conversion, leather manufacture, chemistry, machinery manufacture & efficiency, policy & regulation, retail & consumer, leather technology, global representation and strategy.
This valued team of individuals will support the strategy, direction and tools of the Foundation to ensure we have a fit-for-purpose initiative that meets its vision to support the global leather industry and add value in an inclusive and cohesive way.
Taj Alam
Dr Christine Anscombe
Claudia di Bernardino
Reiner Hengstmann
Leisha Hewitt
Ivan Kral
Thomas Yu
Our Patron
Suzie Fletcher
Suzie is a Master English Saddle Maker and member of the Society of Master Saddlers. She also specializes in the restoration and repair of saddles, leather goods and solid leather furniture from her workshop in Oxfordshire, England.