About
I work with brands and manufacturers that source and manufacture consumer goods globally and are committed to ethical manufacturing, but are grappling with:
The complexity of implementing international labor standards.
The lack of progress in sustainably improving working conditions.
How to address the root causes that lead to persistent issues in factories that negatively impact workers’ lives.
Empathy & understanding are essential for effective work in social compliance
I grew up, lived, and worked in India for the first three decades of my life. Those years provide the most powerful perspective possible of life in a manufacturing country such as India – its people, culture, unspoken norms, strengths, social problems, and so much more.
From an early age, my orientation was to be of service to the underserved, an impetus that continues to run strong today. This impetus and my life in India created in me a natural understanding of and empathy for workers in manufacturing countries – when I am in these countries and with factory workers, I instinctively understand their struggles and desires and the realities they face.
Walking the “Social Compliance Walk” with companies
On the flip side, for a decade in India and now almost two decades in the U.S., I’ve worked with companies and organizations large and small, ranging from global leaders to start-ups. My big-picture orientation combined with my granular attention to detail allow me to excel at both strategy and implementation. Fifteen years of this professional experience comes from my full immersion in social responsibility at the Fair Labor Association, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
I have walked the metaphorical social compliance walk with companies. I deeply understand what’s needed for success and the challenges of developing and implementing global social compliance programs. Social responsibility is in my DNA.
Fueling Transformation & Growth
In parallel to my work on social compliance, over the past ten years I’ve also fully leaned into my core desires for transformation and growth and built my toolbox and skills to facilitate personal and organizational transformation. Each of the varied tools generate new ways of thinking about entrenched issues or pressing challenges.
Why does this matter in the social compliance field?
Because all behaviors and, ultimately, outcomes derive from mindset. Shifting mindsets can lead to significant positive shifts in behaviors and outcomes that help individuals, teams, and organizations achieve higher-order goals. Conversely, addressing a superficial symptom of a deeper issue is like applying a band-aid to an abscess.
See my perspective on mindset here.
Let’s envision thriving, humane global supply chains where workers in manufacturing facilities are honored and rewarded as co-creators of value in the products that are manufactured and consumed around the world.
This is my life’s work. I am excited to apply all that I’ve learned to making progress with solving some of the persistent issues impacting workers in the global supply chain. I believe we can make positive worker well-being the norm in global production.
Ready to start a conversation?
Professional Bio
Heeral Coleman is a social responsibility expert, master trainer, instructional designer, and workshop facilitator. She works to build the capacity of brands and manufacturers to translate their commitment to manufacturing and sourcing ethically into practical reality, on the ground in factories around the world. Heeral accomplishes this through strategic thinking and planning, step-by-step guidance, learner-focused training, and collaboration with individuals and teams throughout the company.
Prior to launching her own consulting practice, Heeral worked at the Fair Labor Association (FLA) in Washington, D.C. for fifteen years. At the FLA, Heeral led a team of program managers and assumed a range of responsibilities in areas as diverse as capacity building, training, communications, membership management, and development of technology systems to manage FLA’s factory assessment work. Heeral’s knowledge and skills include:
In-depth understanding of international labor standards and benchmarks, ILO conventions, and current and emerging regulatory requirements.
Deep knowledge of and expertise in the full spectrum of social compliance areas of focus, including responsible recruitment, forced labor/modern slavery, child labor, and grievance mechanisms.
Knowledge in building social compliance programs from the ground up and in further developing and strengthening existing programs.
Design and facilitation of learner-focused and experiential social compliance training and workshops for a wide range of audiences.
Heeral earned two Master’s degrees, one from the George Washington University in International Policy and Practice and the other from American University in strategic communication.
On a parallel track, Heeral earned a leadership coaching certification from George Mason University in partnership with Philosophy IB, and is a Certified Positive Intelligence Coach (CPQC), a Certified Points of You Practitioner, and a Certified Play Facilitator, including in LEGO® Serious Play®.
