Meet our New Board Members

We are pleased that the process for recruiting new members to the True Origin Board has concluded very successfully and we will welcome new members France Villeneuve Pictured above right) and Colleen Tait (pictured above left) to their first True Origin board meeting in September. In our sector it can be difficult to find suitably qualified people who will give a Board level commitment. However, we are delighted to have found two such people who have skills that we need to help us on the next stage in True Origin’s journey. 

France Villeneuve joins us having already carried out an Impact Measurement project for True Origin in early 2024. With over 25 years of experience in multicultural environments, she specialises in sustainable growth, social impact, and ethical practices for international organisations. For the past 13 years, she has focused on fair trade certification and financial support for producers. 

Colleen Tait brings significant experience of developing and implementing marketing campaigns and communications in the third sector. This includes five years with the Scottish Fair Trade Forum where she was first introduced to True Origin and she has been a fan of Kilombero rice ever since. She is passionate about sustainability, equity and justice. 

As we are a small but complex organisation we take the view that a six month trial period on our Board is a good way for individuals and ourselves to make sure that we fit together. This reduces risks on both sides and so Colleen and France joined the Board on a trial basis on 1 July 2024. If you feel that you could give True Origin some of your time at Board level, please do get in touch.

See the full Board here.

Mary Popple, Chair, True Origin