Santiago Gowland has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of Rainforest Alliance, a global not-for-profit focused on environment conservation, climate change, and human rights in rural regions.
Hailing from Argentina, Gowland is passionate about conservation and sustainability, bringing experience from The Nature Conservancy where he served as Executive Vice President for Latin America and Global Innovation.
At The Nature Conservancy, Gowland looked to introduce organisational sustainability through technology partnerships and lean methodologies. It was here he pioneered ‘The Agility Lab’.
According to The Nature Conservancy, The Agility Lab seeks to create an easy-to-access, go-to repository for people to get information on the impact of sustainable agriculture on different environments and food production.
Gowland has also worked in private sectors for brands such as Unilever, Nike, and Estee Lauder where he focused on sustainable transformation.
“I am thrilled to contribute my global conservation and business insights to accelerate the Rainforest Alliance’s vision of a world where people and nature thrive together,” says Gowland.
“It’s crucial that we leverage social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities without delay.”
The Rainforest Alliance operates across 70 countries, implementing change through focusing on transforming the way society produces, sources, and consumes on a global scale.
This includes focusing on products such as cocoa and coffee, with the alliance focusing on four areas of change: certification, landscape management, supply chain services, and advocacy.
In 2020, 6.8 million hectares of land were certified with the Rainforest Alliances sustainability standards, seeing 2.3 million farmers certified.
“The Rainforest Alliance is uniquely positioned to bring farmers, forest communities, companies, and consumers together to build a more sustainable and resilient future for people and nature,” says Gowland.
For more information on the Rainforest Alliance, click here.
