Organic Cotton From Female Farmers: Alison Ward, CEO of CottonConnect
Release Date: 08/26/2026
Uncertainty As Your Friend - with Jessica Li, Align Experience, Coach and Investor
Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
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Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
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Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
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Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
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Organic Cotton From Female Farmers: Alison Ward, CEO of CottonConnect
Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
“I've been particularly passionate about working with women in those communities to teach them about new techniques so they can understand how to run their farm more effectively, but also understand their rights as women in those communities so they have a stronger voice…. And because they were called an ‘ambassador,’ their status in the village rose.” Alison Ward on Electric Ladies Podcast If you're shopping for back-to-school clothes or a new fall wardrobe, you'll look at the labels a bit differently after listening to today's episode. Why? Because the cotton in your...
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Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
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Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
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Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
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Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
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Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
“The first one is own it…Your career…I'm constantly, even today having meetings with people that I don't know, requesting mentorship, reaching out through LinkedIn, going to events. I try to stay very connected and not just people in my close industry or even work type …Every single person you meet is a connection and could have an impact on your life and vice versa….When you meet somebody, keep the conversation going. …So one day if they need something or you need something, you have a connection….My second piece of advice is… you should always have a list of things that you...
info_outline“I've been particularly passionate about working with women in those communities to teach them about new techniques so they can understand how to run their farm more effectively, but also understand their rights as women in those communities so they have a stronger voice…. And because they were called an ‘ambassador,’ their status in the village rose.”
Alison Ward on Electric Ladies Podcast
If you're shopping for back-to-school clothes or a new fall wardrobe, you'll look at the labels a bit differently after listening to today's episode. Why? Because the cotton in your jeans might have been grown organically by a female farmer - and the tag could be a clue. Cotton is everywhere but this vital crop is now facing serious threats from climate change. Women farmers are transforming it.
One organization is working to change that. CottonConnect is training female cotton farmers in eco-friendly, climate-resilient farming practices – and tracking it. Listen to Alison Ward, CEO of CottonConnect on Electric Ladies Podcast with Joan Michelson and learn about the significant yet under recognized role of women in cotton farming. This episode originally aired last year.
You’ll hear about:
· How climate change is hitting female farmers the hardest
· The ways CottonConnect is bringing transparency to the cotton supply chain
· Innovative solutions in cotton farming, including a role played by the European Space Agency
· How CottonConnect is empowering women and transforming communities
· Plus, career advice for women navigating career transitions
“If you can combine something you're passionate about with something you're good at, and you can make that into a career, that is success. Find other women that will be prepared to give back to help careers and connect. We have a Women in CottonConnect group where we are really looking at how we can advance women in our organization.
“Not everything has to be an enormous career step. When I joined CottonConnect, it was a relatively small organization that has since grown into a much larger one. It was something I was passionate about, and I've been fortunate to have a great team and great advisors around me.”
Alison Ward on Electric Ladies Podcast
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You'll also like:
- JoAnna Abrams, CEO of MindClick, product intelligence company - on how to tell if staying in a hotel is good or bad for you
· UN Climate Week discussion on how some creative women are making sustainable fashion a reality, moderated by Joan Michelson.
· Kerry Bannigan, Managing Director of PVBLIC Foundation, on sustainability and social responsibility on the runway.
· Zainab Salbi, cofounder of Daughters For Earth, on the pivotal role of women climate entrepreneurs.
· Rosemary Atieno of Women Climate Centers International, on how she is transforming rural communities by helping women solve daily challenges in climate-friendly ways.
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