THE GOOD CASHMERE CONFERENCE

The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), the umbrella organization of The Good Cashmere Standard, was founded in 2005 by Prof. Dr Michael Otto, an entrepreneur from Hamburg, Germany, whose pioneering philanthropic work is characterised by his desire to help others help themselves. The AbTF leverages trade to help people by creating sustainable value chains.

Tina Stridde was appointed by the AbTF Board of Trustees in 2015. As Managing Director, she is responsible for both the operational and strategic leadership of the Aid by Trade Foundation as well as the achievement of its objectives, which are defined by the Foundation’s statutes, and resolutions made by the Board of Trustees.

Stefan Schurig currently serves as the Managing Director of the Toni Piëch Foundation (TPF) and is a Member of the Supervisory Board of the Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC). Before, Stefan co-founded the Foundations 20 Platform (F20) and served as their Secretary General for some 8 years until end of 2023. F20 is a network of more than 80 Foundations from all parts of the world supporting the alignment of the G20 decision making with the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. From 2007-2017 Stefan was a member of the Executive Board of the World Future Council Foundation (WFC). Before he was the spokesperson for Greenpeace for some 10 years.

Reinhard Stuth has been Honorary Consul of Mongolia since 2022. He has also been Managing Partner at HanBao Neu Energien GmbH, Hamburg, since 2009 and is a member of several political advisory committees for climate, energy and environmental issues on federal and regional level.

Figo Li is an animal welfare expert with a focus on cashmere goat husbandry and improving animal welfare in China. As part of his academic career, he conducted research into ruminant nutrition, animal welfare during transport and slaughter and worked on animal welfare assessments. He is also an experienced animal welfare auditor and has been working as a Good Cashmere Standard® representative in China since October 2024, supporting the implementation of the standard on site.

Dr McElligott received his BSc in Zoology from University College Cork, PhD (Zoology) from University College Dublin (Ireland), and carried out postdoctoral research at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. After serving as a faculty member at the University of Nottingham, Queen Mary University of London, and the University of Roehampton, he joined City University of Hong Kong in 2020. His research group is focused on understanding how evolution, ecology and domestication affect animal behaviour, cognition and welfare. The current main species for his research are: feral cattle and water buffalo, goats, and chickens. He also actively promotes higher ethical research standards.

Franz is a Director at enomyc GmbH, a Hamburg-based consultancy specializing in turn-around management, as well as performance optimization for SMEs. With well over a decade of experience in integrating technical solutions, executing special projects, and has led notable initiatives, including driving award-winning business development in telematics and AI-business integration initiatives. With a diverse background in International Economics, Law, and Technology, Franz offers a unique bi-cultural perspective shaped by his upbringing in the U.S. and Germany.

Sandra Joyce serves as Senior Manager of Sustainability at J.Crew Group. As the Product and ESG lead, Sandra focuses on the brands’ sustainable material goals, Fair Trade, circularity, ESG reporting, communications, and associate engagement. J.Crew Group is committed to having 100% of their key fibers, including cashmere, sustainably sourced.

Prior to joining the team, Sandra held denim sourcing roles at J.Crew, Gap Inc, and ANN INC.

John Liu currently serves as the Director and Executive Vice General Manager of Xinao Textiles. With over 20 years of experience in the wool and cashmere industry, Mr. Liu is responsible for the the overall operations and strategic decisions of the sales and marketing departments at Xinao Group. He is dedicated to advancing the development of environmentally friendly and sustainable wool and cashmere products. Additionally, he actively promotes Xinao Group’s application for GCS verification and works to introduce GCS-verified products to internationally renowned brands.

Global Nature Fund (GNF) is an environmental NGO focused on nature conservation projects around the globe as well as biodiversity management at the corporate level. For 15 years, we have been helping companies identify their biodiversity impacts, dependencies, and risks – from the value chain to their own operations.
Louisa coordinates these “Biodiversity Checks” assessments and the development of biodiversity actions together with business partners. Working on the project “Unternehmen Biologische Vielfalt” – currently the largest German project on business and biodiversity – she brings her expertise in certifications and biodiversity criteria, sourcing, and biodiversity due diligence (i.e., CSRD, CSDDD).
Prior to working at GNF, Louisa worked in international cooperation, focusing on biodiversity and business as well as workers’ rights.

Dr Cobb’s passion for plants, microbes, and soils emerged 17 years ago, in New Zealand. Since then, he taught numerous university courses, contributed to more than 20 research publications, and traveled to agricultural and ecological projects around the world. He's deeply committed to celebrating Earth's beautiful biosphere and recently started an online community to highlight the essential role of holobionts in land and soil management (https://www.holobionthub.com/).

Michaela Weber is the Group Manager for Environmental Management & Product Compliance at Marc O’Polo. She is an environmental expert specializing in chemicals management, pollution prevention, and biodiversity. Her profound understanding of sustainability and dedication to driving positive change underpin her efforts to promote sustainable practices in the industry. Her role is centered on the creation and implementation of environmental strategies, ESG reporting, environmental due diligence and compliance.

Brian Yu is the CEO of Artwell Cashmere, a leading vertical cashmere supplier dedicated to sustainability and traceability throughout the entire supply chain—from farm to yarn to finished garments. With a profound commitment to environmental stewardship, Brian has established a pioneering model that empowers fashion brands and retailers to source ethically produced cashmere.
Having cultivated a robust background in the textile industry, he boasts extensive experience in spinning, dyeing, and garment production, alongside a keen understanding of brand dynamics.

Elke Hortmeyer has served for the cotton industry for almost 20 years. She is member of the Panel on Social, Economic and Environmental Performance of Cotton Production (SEEP) of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) and representative of the Bremen Cotton Exchange in the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles. Currently she serves as Chair of the Discover Natural Fibers Initiative (DNFI) and Vice Spokesperson of the Make the Label Count Initiative.

Jack Wyse is a seasoned expert with over a decade of experience in sustainable retail. He has held key roles at the John Lewis Partnership both in the UK and internationally. For the past two years, Jack has served as a thought leader in traceability at TextileGenesis, where he spearheads advancements in supply chain transparency and sustainability innovation.

Maria is an expert in animal welfare for farmed animals at FOUR PAWS International, with a focus on improving animal welfare in the textiles industry. With a background in Agricultural Sciences, specialising in livestock production, she combines academic knowledge with hands-on experience. Prior to joining FOUR PAWS, she was working in a scientific research project with pigs and worked as a veterinary assistant with companion animals. Her diverse experience across various species, combined with a deep understanding of animal behaviour and welfare, drives her commitment to improving the lives of farmed animals globally.

Anna Heaton has worked internationally on animal welfare and sustainable livestock management for over 15 years and is now the Strategy Lead for Animal Materials at Textile Exchange. Textile Exchange’s key Climate+ Strategy aims to reduce the impact of the textile industry by 45% by 2030 and to achieve this for animal fibres and leather the key topics Anna is working on include regenerative land management, biodiversity interactions with farmed animal systems as well as animal management that respects the five domains of welfare.

Before joining Textile Exchange Anna gained experience in working in the U.S. and other countries where she was involved in the development and ongoing management of farmed animal welfare standards programs for retailers (the Whole Foods UK 5-Step Animal Welfare Program), fashion brands and charitable organisations (Good Cashmere Standard by Aid by Trade Foundation and Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World), as well as significant input in the standards for the UK Pasture Fed Livestock Association (PFLA) and work on standards development for Textile Exchange, Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network, Global Animal Partnership and other businesses.

Christian has over 35 years of experience in the textile industry and has held various positions in Germany, Turkey, and China. In 2007, Christian joined the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) to develop practical and reliable solutions for retailers and brands that integrate sustainable raw materials into global textile value chains. Trading companies can become part of the initiative as licensees, thereby not only supporting the foundation's work but also aligning their sourcing with sustainable cotton or cashmere.

Vanessa is a dedicated vet with a passion for ruminants and plenty of hands-on experience. For the last three years, she's been making a difference at the Aid by Trade Foundation, where she focuses on training and implementation. She played a key role in revising the Good Cashmere Standard by writing the goat welfare section. Vanessa's commitment to better animal care and sustainable practices reflects her passion for making a positive impact in the field.

Alexandra is the Head of Standards and Outreach at AbTF, bringing over 20 years of experience in sustainable fibers to her role. She plays a pivotal role in guiding the department responsible for the development and advancement of sustainable fibre standards. Her leadership ensures that partners effectively implement these rigorous requirements, while also overseeing robust processes of verification, monitoring, evaluation, and learning. Alexandra is deeply passionate about environmental protection, advocating for initiatives that benefit and empower local communities. Her commitment to sustainability and collaboration drives her efforts to create impactful solutions in the cotton and cashmere sectors.

Gudrun holds a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Science and experience in quality management and farm animal quality assurance systems. She is deeply passionate about animal welfare and believes that farm animals deserve respect, care, and compassion. As Verification Manager for The Good Cashmere Standard, she is committed to promoting animal welfare, addressing environmental aspects, and improving working conditions in the cashmere industry. She ensures standards are met, focusing on the well-being of goats and herder families while considering environmental impact, aiming to positively impact cashmere goat farming.