RugMark Foundation (USA)

Mission

RugMark is a nonprofit organization working to end child labor in the carpet industry and offer educational opportunities to children in India, Nepal and Pakistan. The RugMark label is your best assurance that no illegal child labor was used in the manufacture of a carpet or rug. The organization was founded on a simple premise: If enough people demand certified child-labor-free rugs, manufacturers will only employ adult artisans and the exploitation of children in the industry will end.

Programs

RugMark USA is part of a global network, RugMark Foundation International, working to end exploitative child labor and improve labor conditions in weaving communities in South Asia. A public-private partnership, RugMark USA and other country affiliates are responsible for funding and operating schools and social programs, monitoring manufacturing sites, certifying the ethical production of handmade carpets, and building market awareness to increase the sale of RugMark certified goods.

Current Projects on GlobalGiving

Ending Child Slavery in the Carpet Industry

Personnel Overview

Nina Smith - Executive Director
Nina Smith is founding executive director of Rugmark USA. A fair trade campaigner for over 15 years, Nina was formerly executive director of The Crafts Center and President of the Fair Trade Federation. Nina received the 2005 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and is featured in articles and books, including Tactics of Hope (EarthAware 2008) for her leadership on market-driven social change.

Cyndi Janetzko - Director of Operations
Cyndi Janetzko is RugMark USA’s Director of Operations. With background in green products marketing, investment fund development and strategic planning, Cyndi has experience readying socially responsible businesses to compete in the private sector and attract both capital and clientele.

Sadia Hameed - Communications Manager
Sadia has devoted her career to human rights as a researcher and communications specialist. She has designed and lead campaigns for over five years at the Center for Women’s Global Leadership and Amnesty International.

Personnel Statistics

Nina Smith,
Executive Director
Founded in 1996
Employees: 6
Volunteers: 3

Financial Statistics

Budget (2008): $ 1,500,000
Budget (2007): $ 910,750
Maximum Budget: $ 1,500,000
Overhead: 6 %
Other funding sources: Skoll Foundation, Arthur B. Schultz Foundation, Woodbury Fund, Helena Rubinstein Foundation, New Initiatives Fund of the Rudolph Steiner Foundation, eBay Foundation, and Proctor & Gamble.
Religious Affiliation: none