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Fair Labor Association welcomes new President and CEO Jeff Vockrodt 

Vockrodt brings record of innovative leadership, two decades of advancing labor standards 

WASHINGTON, DC, December 7, 2023 — The Fair Labor Association (FLA) today announced that Jeff Vockrodt will serve as its next President and CEO, effective December 11. He was appointed by the organization’s 19-member Board of Directors, which includes equal representation from companies, universities, and civil society organizations, with an independent chair.  

Vockrodt will succeed Sharon Waxman, who has served as President and CEO since 2016. Under her leadership, FLA developed award-winning living wage tools, expanded human rights due diligence programs across the value chain, and increased staff presence to 13 countries on five continents to meet the needs of a growing membership. 

“FLA has thrived under Sharon’s outstanding leadership, and now we are excited to have someone with Jeff’s background and vision lead the organization going forward,” said FLA Board Chair Michael Posner. 

“I am honored and excited to be taking on this role,” said Vockrodt. “There are so many good things to say about FLA. The team is exceptionally strong, the organization’s standards and processes are robust, the model of collaborative, concrete progress is incredibly important. Most of all, though, I am humbled by the mission—the number of people whose lives FLA can impact in fundamentally important ways that go right to the heart of quality of life, dignity, and respect. I look forward to diving in and advancing that mission, working with FLA’s members, board, staff, and partners to build on the organization’s many strengths.”  

“Jeff has an impressive record of advancing the rights and interests of workers. As President and CEO of FLA he will lead an incredibly passionate, talented, and committed global staff that is laser-focused on bringing human rights to work,” said Waxman. “I will always admire Team FLA, and I fully expect FLA’s impact to continue to grow under Jeff’s leadership.” 

Vockrodt has been working to advance workers’ rights and responsible business practices for two decades, as an organizer, attorney, policymaker, and executive. He has held leadership positions at organizations including the US Department of Labor and Climate Jobs NY and has advanced human rights in the workplace through his work with labor unions, the International Labor Organization, and the law firm of James & Hoffman. 

Vockrodt has been recognized as an innovative nonprofit leader, particularly for his work at the intersection of labor standards and climate action. Throughout his career, he has sought out opportunities to work closely with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including business leaders, investors, labor leaders, tech developers, academics, and public officials. 

Vockrodt graduated from the University of Minnesota with BSB, JD, and MPP degrees and completed an MBA at Columbia Business School. He serves on multiple boards, including the CHPE Green Economy Fund’s advisory board and the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable’s board of directors. He has also served on the Shift Commission, as a guest lecturer at Johns Hopkins University, and as a judge for MIT’s Inclusive Innovation Challenge. 

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The Fair Labor Association (FLA) promotes human rights at work. We are an international network of companies, universities, and civil society organizations collaborating to ensure that millions of people working at the world’s factories and farms are paid fairly and protected from risks to their health, safety, and well-being.  

CONTACT:  

Stacy Hope 
communications@fairlabor.org  

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