Molly Harriss Olson Biography

Ms. Olson has spearheaded Fairtrade's efforts to develop Asia-Pacific markets and regional Fairtrade supply chains, as well as to increase Fairtrade income and improve the system's environmental and economic sustainability standards. Ms. Olson previously served on the Board of Fairtrade International for over six years, the last two of which she chaired. During this period, she was instrumental in the passage of a new Constitution that gave Fairtrade farmers and employees 50% ownership and improved Fairtrade governance globally. For three decades, Ms. Olson's work has been at the vanguard of sustainable business and development leadership. Her previous positions include Director and Co-Founder of Eco Futures, an Australian-based international policy firm that works with business, government, and civic leaders to develop sustainable strategies, Founder and Convenor of the National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development, and President and CEO of The Natural Step USA, a non-profit environmental education organization that works with business, government, and civic leaders to develop sustainable strategies. She has organized, led, and participated in a number of corporate leadership and sustainability programs. She brought Al Gore to Australia for the first time in 2003 as the main speaker at the National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development, and she served on the steering council of The Natural Step International, a Swedish organization. Ms. Olson served as the Founding Executive Director of the President's Council on Sustainable Development during President Clinton's tenure. The 25-member council, which was appointed by President Clinton in 1993, was a groundbreaking collaboration that included high-ranking leaders from corporate, government, environmental, labor, and civil rights organizations. The Council was tasked with developing a broad-based national action strategy on sustainable development, and its report, Sustainable America: A New Consensus, was delivered to President Clinton in March 1996. Ms. Olson has previously served on the boards of The Australia Institute, Global Action Plan, the Green Building Council of Australia, the AMP Sustainable Investments Alpha Advisory Board, Australia 21, Clean up the World, Clean up Australia, "G" Magazine Editorial Board, and the Editorial Advisory Board of Ecos Magazine, as well as being the Founding Chair of the Editorial Advisory Board of Ecos Magazine (CSIRO Publishers). Molly has also served on the Queensland Premier's Climate Council, the Australian Building Energy Council, the Environment Management Industry Association of Australia, the Australian National Committee for the Earth Charter, the International Advisory Council for the Foreign Policy Association (NY), and the Australian National Committee for the Earth Charter. Ms. Olson was chosen as a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Leaders for Tomorrow at the age of 35, a group of persons from around the world who have distinguished themselves as recognized leaders in the global society. She was designated a "Woman to Watch into 2000" by Business Class magazine, and in 2014, she was honored with the Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Award in the Global Influence category for her contributions to international development and sustainability. Ms. Olson graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a joint bachelor's degree in economics and environmental studies. She received a Masters in Environmental Policy from Yale University's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies as a distinguished Bates Resident Scholar. Ms. Olson talks often to CEOs, senior corporate, government, and civic leadership groups about global business sustainability, including leadership and economic redesign, green building innovation, fair trade, population, environment, and development challenges. She was the sustainability expert for the World Economic Forum's Opening Plenary in Davos in 2000, and she has given several presentations on a range of international venues. She chaired King Carl Gustaf's Business Leadership and Environmental Symposium in Stockholm in 1996, taught at Harvard Kennedy School, and served as the Myerhoff Visiting Scholar for Global Civic Responsibility at Goucher College in Baltimore.

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