My Network
Partnerships
As MEP I focused on Business and Human Rights. Now this experience allows me to continue working with many of the same partners but in different role, as advisor and ally.
amfori Stakeholders Advisory Council
“We are thrilled to welcome three remarkable changemakers to the amfori Stakeholders Advisory Council: Heidi Hautala, Bernardo Cruza and Lene Wendland. With decades of leadership across parliament, sustainability, and human rights, their insights and guidance promise to inspire bold progress and fresh perspectives.
Heidi Hautala has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament for 20 years and as Former Vice President of the European Parliament for 7 years. She is dedicated to advancing the Business and Human Rights agenda at all levels and shares amfori’s vision of a world in which trade serves a purpose.”
UN Global Compact Suomi
UN Global Compact Suomen hallituksen neuvonantajana aloitti syksyllä 2024 Heidi Hautala. Hallitus toivottaa Heidin lämpimästi mukaan järjestön kehittämiseen.
”Heidi Hautala tuo hallitustyöskentelyyn arvokasta kokemusta ja näkemystä yritysvastuun kehittymisestä Euroopassa ja globaalisti. Hänen laaja-alainen osaamisensa ihmisoikeus- sekä ympäristövastuun kysymyksissä tulevat auttamaan järjestöämme valmistautuessamme syksyllä 2024 pitkän tähtäimen strategiatyön. Heidi on toiminut useissa ainutlaatuisissa yritysmaailmaa ja yhteiskuntaa raamittavissa näköalapaikoissa vuosien ajan. Arvostamme suuresti, että saamme hänen laajan osaamisensa ja verkostonsa käyttöömme”, sanoo hallituksen puheenjohtaja Satu Kuoppamäki.
Fern
“We are delighted to welcome Heidi Hautala to Fern’s Board!
A recipient of numerous awards, and widely recognised for her outstanding contribution to European and Finnish environmental and social law making, Heidi’s work has focused on human rights, women’s rights, global justice, environmentally responsible legislation and sustainability. She is a former Vice-President of the European Parliament, representing the European Greens, during which time she authored countless reports and oversaw varied dossiers and committees. Notably, she established the cross-party Responsible Business Working Group and took part in drafting key legislation in this field, namely the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (#CSDDD) and the Deforestation Regulation (#EUDR).
Throughout her career, she has also served as a Member of the Parliament of Finland, where she chaired the Legal Affairs Committee, and was the country’s Minister for International Development and State Ownership Steering.
We look forward to benefitting from Heidi’s exceptional talent and insight as Fern prepares its work towards a new Parliament and Commission.”
The Global Business Initiative on Human Rights
“We’re excited to announce that Heidi Hautala has joined GBI as a Special Advisor. In this crucial role, she will help our members navigate the evolving landscape of EU policy developments through both the current volatility, and with a view to the longer-term direction of travel towards mandatory measures.
Given GBI’s deep commitment to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), Heidi’s extensive expertise will be invaluable in guiding our members to leverage the UNGPs as their “guiding star” in these uncertain times, ensuring they are best equipped to meet upcoming challenges.
Heidi joins our existing highly qualified and knowledgeable network of advisors – our Senior Advisors, Anita Ramasastry, Andrea Shemberg, Gerald Pachoud, Jonathan Drimmer, and our Regional and Thematic Advisors, including Beata Faracik, Alan Fine, Sean Lees, Malin Oud, Clara Serva, and Rishi Sher Singh.”
Fair Trade Advocacy Office
“Exciting news! We are thrilled to welcome Heidi Hautala to the Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO) Board!
Heidi brings a wealth of experience as a lawmaker, having served as a Member of the European Parliament for the The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament, where she founded the Responsible Business Conduct Working Group. She has been pivotal in shaping transformative policies, including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive hashtag#CSDDD and the EU Deforestation Regulation hashtag#EUDR. From 2017 to 2024, she also served as Vice-President of the European Parliament.
Beyond her European roles, Heidi has been a Member of the Finnish Parliament, Minister for International Development and Minister for State Ownership Steering of Finland from 2011 to 2013.
Her background reflects a steadfast dedication to human rights, sustainability, and ensuring public access to information. Heidi has also held prominent leadership roles in various civil society organisations and networks, including serving as Chair of the Board of the Finnish umbrella organisation of development CSOs Kepa (now Fingo). In her forward-thinking approach to sustainability, around 50 years ago she co-founded the first vegetarian restaurant in Helsinki.
✨ We are overjoyed to welcome Heidi to our Board and are eager to learn from her outstanding expertise. Together, we will continue to champion fair trade and sustainability!”
High Level Working Group on Environmental Consequences of the War in Ukraine
I have the honour to be to a member in the High Level Working Group on Environmental Consequences of the War in Ukraine, established by President Zelenskyy as a part of his peace plan, and co-chaired by Margot Wallström, former Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, and Andrii Yermak, Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine. In February 2024 in Kyiv we delivered the Environmental Compact to the Government of Ukraine. Its 50 recommendations to Ukraine and to the international community were very well received, with many references made.