Ruth Newsome is the Chief Product Officer of RA, responsible for the design, development, and scaling of market-based solutions that deliver measurable impact while responding to evolving market and sector needs. She oversees the organization’s product portfolio across certification, data-enabled services, and scalable programs, ensuring integration, quality, and economies of scale.
Ruth brings over 20 years of experience in the consumer goods sector, with deep expertise in sustainable sourcing, supply-chain optimization, data systems, and environmental assurance. Prior to joining the Rainforest Alliance, she held senior roles at Unilever, spanning global procurement transformation, sustainable materials sourcing, price forecasting, and operational excellence across complex, multi-country supply chains.
Within the Rainforest Alliance, Ruth has led functions covering supply-chain excellence, markets transformation, revenue and innovation, and most recently data and technology, giving her a unique end-to-end perspective on how standards, data, and implementation models translate into scalable impact.
She holds Master’s degrees in Sociocultural Anthropology (Columbia University) and Decision Sciences (University of Westminster), and a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Biology.