Audience:
Open industry. All apparel and footwear industry professionals, regardless of AAFA membership, are encouraged to participate.
Description:
As global supply chains face increasing scrutiny from regulators, investors, and consumers, apparel and footwear companies are rethinking how they manage responsible sourcing. Manual audit reviews and fragmented data make it difficult to identify risks and take corrective action efficiently.
In this session, Elm AI will showcase how artificial intelligence can help brands move from compliance to continuous improvement. Learn how companies like Reformation are leveraging AI to streamline supplier audits, automate CAP regrading, and create data-driven sourcing strategies that are transparent, scalable, and impactful.
Join us to explore real-world use cases and actionable insights that redefine how brands ensure ethical, sustainable supply chains at scale.
Attendees of this webinar will learn:
- How AI enhances transparency and accountability in supplier management.
- How to reduce audit review time, automate corrective action tracking, and generate actionable insights from various risk sources.
- Practical steps to build scalable, responsible sourcing programs using AI.
Speakers:
Aparajita Thakker
Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer
Elm AI
Aparajita Thakker is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Elm AI, bringing over four years of experience in operations, strategy, and marketing. She previously founded a travel startup and has held roles at companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Chewy. Aparajita earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Emory University and an MBA from Cornell University.
Advait Raykar
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Elm AI
Advait Raykar is the Co-Founder and CEO of Elm AI, bringing a rich background in AI and engineering leadership. Originally from India, he earned his master’s degree from Cornell Tech, specializing in the intersection of AI and supply chains. Prior to Elm AI, Advait played a pivotal role at Vernacular.ai (now Skit.ai), where he was the youngest engineering lead and contributed to scaling AI agents, leading to a successful $30M funding round.
AAFA Host:
Beth Hughes
Vice President, Trade and Customs Policy
AAFA
Beth Hughes is responsible for AAFA’s advocacy strategy on international trade and customs issues impacting the apparel and footwear industry. Beth oversees AAFA’s Trade and Customs Committee and leads the Coalition of Economic Partnerships in the Americas (CEPA). Beth also serves as a Cleared Advisor on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee 13: Customs Matters and Trade Facilitation advising the U.S Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative. Before joining AAFA, Beth worked at the International Dairy Foods Association and the USA Rice Federation covering agricultural trade policy issues. Beth earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at George Washington University and received a Master of Arts in international affairs from Florida State University.
Unable to join on February 25?
Register for the webinar to receive an email containing the direct links to access the recording and the PDF version of the presentation. The email will be sent 1-3 business days after the webinar.
CONTACT | QUESTIONS
Stephanie Paendong