Del Hudson
SVP Market Impact
“Change always requires vision, but complex change also demands a common language and scaleable solutions. That’s what Higg is building. I’ve never been more excited by an opportunity to participate in creating the future we want."
Before Higg, Del spent 20 years in external relations and sustainability leadership roles in the US, UK and New Zealand. Her communications, CSR and ESG experience includes Fortune 500 company, agency and non-profit organizations and the consumer goods, leisure, fashion and health industries. She has worked for leading global brands including WPP, AstraZeneca and Nike.
Del first became involved with the fashion industry’s efforts to unify sustainability measurement while at Nike, where she supported the gifting of Nike’s Materials Sustainability Index data to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, helping to build the first version of the industry’s shared Higg Index.
At Nike, Del held various leadership roles; first in Global Corporate Communications then Sustainable Business Innovation, where she was responsible for external partnerships, brand integration, sustainability reporting and ESG disclosure. During her earlier years at Nike Del worked with Harvard Business School and the Stanford Graduate School of Business to develop publicly available case studies tracing Nike’s journey as one of the first companies faced with global supply chain issues to one that now pursues sustainable innovation as part of the company’s long-term growth. Under Del’s leadership Nike was also a founding contributor to the New Textiles Economy Initiative and was named Multinational category winner of The Circulars business awards at the 2017 World Economic Forum.
After that, Del led North American engagement efforts for UK-based circular economy think-tank, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and remains a strong advocate of regenerative and circular business models as an alternative to today’s extractive, linear economy.
Del graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Media Studies and Communication from Massey University in New Zealand. When she’s not helping Higg build its brand and tell its story, she studies the concept of “food as medicine” and enjoys time with her family on Oregon’s coast – the closest reminder of New Zealand in the Pacific North West.
