Leather Naturally members have just confirmed through voting, changes to the Management Board and Supervisory Council.

  • Debbie Burton is elected to the position of Chair, Management Board, moving from her position heading up the Communication team. Debbie is Director of Marketing at Pittards and has a background in product development and international consumer brands.
  • James Lang is elected to the position of Chair, Supervisory Council. James has been part of the Supervisory Council since 2019 and is a Director at Scottish Leather Group as well as holding several volunteer roles, including Leather UK.
  • Claudia Spahr is elected to the position of Team Leader, Communication, Management Board. Claudia is Global Head of PR & Communication for TFL, and has been connected to the communications team in an advisory role for four years.
  • Chad Jensen is re-elected to the Supervisory Council for a second term. Chad is Senior Vice President of the beef division of Tyson Fresh Meats in the USA.

The Management Board thanks outgoing Chairs, Egbert Dikkers (Management Board) and Jon Clark, (Supervisory Council) for their dedication, passion and energy. Their unwavering commitment was not only instrumental in launching and developing Leather Naturally, but in helping navigate the last two more challenging years.

Looking forward Chair, Debbie Burton commented, “Perhaps this is a good time to reflect on how far we’ve traveled and the resource that Leather Naturally has become for designers, consumers, journalists and educators. The industry is pulling together to counter the mistruths about leather and there is a sense that people are starting to look beyond simplistic and greenwashing headlines. There’s a long way to go, for every win, another frustrating article is around the corner, but it feels like a moment of opportunity and I’m both pleased and proud to represent the Management Board in this new role”

Businesses can find out more about supporting the work of Leather Naturally at:
https://www.leathernaturally.org/Our-Story/Join