Audience:
Member only. This content is open to AAFA members only. For membership access, contact
membership@aafaglobal.org.
Description:
Join Avedis Seferian and Mark Jaeger from Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) for a timely discussion around the key developments of the 2025 social compliance landscape. Hear from these industry experts as they provide insights into WRAP noncompliance trends in India and Bangladesh and explore the latest guidance from AAFA and WRAP on responsible sourcing in the face of tariff uncertainty.
Attendees of this webinar will learn:
- About key developments in social compliance this year.
- About the latest trends around noncompliance from WRAP audit data for India and Bangladesh.
- To understand the updated guidance on responsible sourcing in the current trade landscape.
Speakers:
Avedis Seferian
President and CEO
Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)
Avedis H. Seferian joined WRAP in 2004 and became its President and CEO in 2012. He has extensive knowledge of social responsibility issues within the highly complex worldwide supply chains of the apparel, textile and footwear sectors. He often speaks on topics in this field at different forums around the world and has contributed to many leading trade publications and news outlets.
Mr. Seferian is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), the Chairman of the Board of Directors (and a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Board) of the Association of Professional Social Compliance Auditors (APSCA), and sits on the Impartiality Committees of several audit organizations; he also served on the Board of Advisors of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety.
Mr. Seferian began his career working for a business research and development organization before migrating over to legal research. Prior to joining WRAP, he was with a small law firm in Washington, DC. Mr. Seferian has also taught in various capacities in the business and legal arenas, including as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland University College (now University of Maryland Global Campus). He speaks five languages, has lived in four countries and holds three degrees from three continents – a Bachelor’s in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University in India; an MBA from the American University of Armenia; and a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center in the United States, where he was a Law Fellow and made the Dean’s List.
Mark Jaeger
Senior Vice President, Stakeholder Engagement
Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)
As Senior Vice President, Stakeholder Engagement, Mark Jaeger is responsible for engaging WRAP’s wide range of stakeholders and furthering the organization’s position as the world’s largest independent facility certification program focused on the apparel, footwear, and sewn products sectors. Even before becoming a member of our team, Mark was a longstanding supporter of our mission, and he recently concluded a 16-year term on our Board of Directors.
Before joining WRAP, Mark was Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Jockey International, a global, branded apparel company. Mark was part of the Jockey team for 27 years, where he oversaw legal, trade, and compliance matters.
Additionally, Mark has been a vital part of several industry organizations, including service as chairman with the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Textiles and Clothing (ITAC 13), the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA)’s Government Relations Committee, and the Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA). He currently sits on the Tippie Economics Advisory Board (TEAB) for the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business.
Mark completed his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in economics with honors at the University of Iowa. He also holds a law degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law.
AAFA Host:
Nate Herman
Executive Vice President
AAFA
Nate Herman took on the role of Executive Vice President in 2025, following more than 20 years at the association and from the position of SVP of Policy. In addition to steering the association’s strategic plan, Nate oversees AAFA’s Policy department, managing the association’s lobbying, policy, and regulatory affairs activities. Nate leads AAFA’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, formulating and implementing CSR policy and representing AAFA and the industry on CSR issues before governments, NGOs, and other key stakeholders. In addition, Nate develops all apparel and footwear industry data and statistics as AAFA's resident economist. Prior to joining AAFA, Nate worked for six years at the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration assisting U.S. firms in entering the global market. Nate spent the final two years as the Commerce Department's industry analyst for the footwear and travel goods industries. Nate received a Masters of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh in 1994 and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Economics from the University of Delaware in 1992.
Unable to join on November 10?
Register for the virtual training to receive an email containing direct links to access the recording and the PDF version of the presentation. The email will be sent 1-3 business days after the live session.
CONTACT | QUESTIONS
Stephanie Paendong