Jennifer Gootman

Biography

Jennifer Gootman is a senior executive in values-based business strategy, sustainability, and social and environmental impact. A trusted leader with a proven track record advising C-Suite and Boards, Jennifer has spent the last decade building global teams and multi-stakeholder initiatives in public and privately-held consumer brands, including Tory Burch, Williams-Sonoma, Inc., and West Elm. Jennifer drives business-critical ESG strategy and innovation from concept to execution, bringing an in-depth understanding of supply chain sustainability issues including raw material transitions, supplier engagement, human rights, climate, circular economy, and regulatory readiness. Her work earned Williams-Sonoma, Inc. a spot on Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies list for 5 years running and inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

Jennifer has taken a leading role in piloting and scaling industry-changing initiatives throughout her career. She launched the first Fair Trade-Certified factory program in home retail, was a founding partner of the Nest Standard for Ethical Handcraft, and pioneered a partnership with nonprofit VisionSpring to provide vision services to hundreds of thousands of factory workers. Prior to her career in the corporate sector, Jennifer spent more than a decade with nonprofits and social enterprises in New York, Nicaragua, and India, working within design-driven industries to create impact through supply chain innovation.

Jennifer is an Aspen Institute First Movers Fellow and an advisor to NYU Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business. She has presented her work at the Fast Company Innovation Festival, National Retail Federation, InnoLead, SxSW, FIT, Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute, Georgetown University, and The School of the New York Times.

Research Interests

• Strategic value creation through sustainability

Courses Taught

• Sustainability for Competitive Advantage

Academic Background

MBA, 2010
NYU Stern School of Business

BA, History and Women's Studies, 1998
Harvard University