Seyda Sonmez Celikel joins Fair Wear’s Board from Teksif as International Union Expert, bringing expertise in collective bargaining and global framework agreements, with a strong emphasis on gender equality and the advancement of women workers’ rights in global supply chains.
Seyda Sonmez Celikel currently serves as International Union Expert at the Turkish Teksif union, where she manages international and industrial relations, handles cases, contributes to organising strategies, and leads projects. She is a member of the national monitoring committee implementing the global framework agreement (GFA) between H&M and IndustriALL Global Union. Teksif; Turkey’s largest textile and garment union with nearly 50,000 members, has signed around 150 factory‑level collective agreements and is affiliated with Türk‑İş, industriAll Europe, and IndustriALL Global Union.
Seyda brings a uniquely versatile background to the Board. Before her union roles (including positions at Teksif and Deriteks) and serving as the GFA project manager at IndustriALL Global Union, she spent nearly two decades in the private sector across sourcing, buying, product management, and business development at Ayaydın‑Miroglio, Mavi Jeans, and Li & Fung. This cross‑sector experience equips her with practical insights into how purchasing practices and responsible business conduct can support workers’ rights in complex supply chains.
Turkey remains a key production country for many Fair Wear member brands. Seyda’s experience and leadership strengthen our ability to support effective social dialogue, robust collective bargaining, and meaningful worker representation in the region—advancing our shared commitment to fairness, transparency, and respect for human rights.