Fashion Industry Sustainability - Policy, Education, and Business Innovation

IN THE EPISODE

In this episode, MBA candidate Erin Malaney interviews Michelle Gabriel, Director of Sustainable Fashion at IENYC, and Ken Pucker, former COO of Timberland and professor at Tufts University. They discuss why current sustainability approaches in fashion aren't working, highlighting business models that prioritize profit over planet, lack of regulation, and externalized environmental costs. Both experts emphasize that policy is essential for meaningful change, as voluntary corporate sustainability efforts have proven insufficient. They also address the critical need for fashion education to include business strategy, climate science basics, and policy understanding to create effective industry change.

Bard’s Graduate Programs in Sustainability cultivate leaders who break through existing systems, innovating solutions to critical social, environmental and economic challenges. 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of the first graduating class from M.S. in Environmental Policy degree at Bard CEP and the 10th graduating class from the Bard MBA in Sustainability program. The 2024 graduating MS EP, MS CSP, MEd and MBA classes brought the Bard GPS alumni community to over 500!

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Michelle Blair Gabriel:

Michelle Blair Gabriel is an educator, researcher, social impact and fashion sustainability strategist who speaks widely about the systems, strategies, policies and laws needed to establish widespread sustainable practices in the fashion industry.  She currently serves as the Program Director for the M.S. in Sustainable Fashion at IE New York College, where she brings her research and more than 15 years of industry experience in social business strategy, design, branding, product development, supply chain, and operations for fashion and consumer product brands.

She also is an advocate for the New York State Fashion Act, working on-the-ground to progress the groundbreaking bill and leveraging that experience to educate and produce research on the emergent area of fashion and global and national policy. Michelle is nearing completion of her doctorate in social policy and political economy at Glasgow Caledonian University in Glasgow, Scotland. Her research sits at the intersection of theory and practice and is focused on fashion system behavior, sustainability strategy, and political economy.

Ken Pucker:

Ken Pucker is a seasoned operator, investment professional, educator, advisor, and board member with a focus on sustainability and fashion. He has held executive roles in both public and private companies, including a 15-year tenure at Timberland where he served as Chief Operating Officer, leading the company through significant growth in revenue, profit, and operational efficiency. After Timberland, Ken served as Interim CEO of MBT in Switzerland, where he led a successful turnaround of the $200M footwear brand. He began his career at Goldman Sachs and The Brookings Institution, and holds a BA from Middlebury College and an MS in Management from MIT Sloan.

Ken has been an Advisory Director at Berkshire Partners since 2010, where he advises on ESG matters and investment strategy. He also teaches Sustainable Business Dynamics at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and the Fletcher School at Tufts University. A prolific writer, Ken has published in outlets such as Harvard Business Review, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Business of Fashion, with work focused on sustainability, ESG investing, and the intersection of capitalism and climate.

In addition to his executive and academic roles, Ken has served on numerous corporate and nonprofit boards including King Arthur Baking Company, Rag & Bone, Mighty Earth, and Green City Force. His board work centers on CEO support, strategy, sustainability, and team development. He lives in West Newton, MA with his wife Leslie, has two daughters, and enjoys reading, biking, and traveling.

Erin Malaney:

Erin Malaney is a fashion industry expert with experience ranging from building brands, product design & development, supply chain logistics, and business strategy to building successful teams & employee engagement.  She is currently pursuing her MBA at Bard College with a focus in sustainability and circular value chains. During her MBA she has focused on creating decarbonization business strategies, climate scenarios, ESG reporting, and researching sustainable education. She is passionate about bridging the gap between sustainability, business, and design education to equip the leaders of tomorrow with climate knowledge to support responsible resource management and sustainable innovation.

Renay Loper:

Renay is a Clinical Faculty in Organizational Leadership for the Bard MBA in Sustainability, where she focuses on justice-centered transformation in the workplace. Previously, she was the Vice President of Program Innovation at PYXERA Global where she served on the Executive Leadership Team, led five country offices, drove the development of new business and programs, co-led the organization's work on inclusive circular cities, and advised corporate clients on their social impact strategies. Renay also led the organization’s ARC (Antiracist Collective) initiatives, which included internal and external efforts toward dismantling unjust systems. To this end, Renay created Rhetoric to Action, a series of conversations to bridge sectors toward collective action around social and racial justice.

Prior to PYXERA Global, Renay led the grassroots exchange and education grant portfolio at the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership, and has served in a variety of leadership roles in higher education, nonprofit, and business prior to that. Renay is an avid speaker and facilitator, has authored and edited numerous publications, including a resource journal, Student Affairs Professionals Cultivating Campus Climates Inclusive of International Students (Jossey Bass). Renay serves on the board of directors of nonprofits including Community Change, Harpswell Foundation, and Girl Rising.