Sustainable Chemistry for the Textile Industry (SCTI) has appointed Dr. Isabella Tonaco as executive director, effective November 1, 2022. Dr. Tonaco is expected to lead SCTI to drive change in the textile and leather industries.
Launched two years ago by seven of the world’s leading chemical companies, the SCTI Alliance aims to enable brands, retailers, and manufacturers to apply cutting-edge sustainable chemistry solutions that enhance the well-being of factory workers, local communities, consumers, and the planet, according to a press release by SCTI.
Dr. Tonaco will oversee SCTI activities to implement this mission. Based in Germany, she will work with SCTI member companies and stakeholders across the textile and leather value chain to help the industry achieve the highest levels of sustainability. Dr. Tonaco will report to the SCTI executive committee.
“With its start-up spirit and support from the world’s leading chemical companies, SCTI will play a pivotal role in the ongoing transformation of the textile and leather industries. We are pleased to bring on board a leader of Dr. Tonaco’s caliber. She is a proven changemaker with a passion for the chemical industry and the ability to motivate and inspire others with her sharp vision,” said Dr. Wolfgang Anton Schumann, SCTI chairman.
“As the world moves increasingly toward a circular economy, now is a critical time to transform the textile and leather industries,” Dr. Tonaco said. “I share SCTI’s vision of a global network of empowered industry players who are able to balance environmental, social, and economic imperatives while implementing sustainable business strategies that lay the foundation for a new and better future for us all.”
Dr. Tonaco has more than a decade of experience in sustainability and has held various strategic and commercial roles in the chemical industry. Most recently, she was vice president of strategy execution and marketing for renewable polymers and chemicals at Neste, a global leader in renewable and circular solutions. Previously, Dr. Tonaco worked for BASF, where she established and executed the company’s global leadership position in certified sustainable palm-based ingredients for the personal care industry, added the release.
Before beginning her career in business, Dr. Tonaco was a research associate at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. She holds a PhD in biological sciences from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and a master’s degree in plant genetics from Lavras University in Brazil.