Balaji (Bala) Soundararajan serves as Senior Director of Verité’s Data Resources Center, where his work centers on bridging the gap between complex data science and practical human rights protection, enabling organizations to make evidence-based decisions that improve working conditions and strengthen supply chain integrity.
Bala brings more than 20 years of specialized experience spanning financial payment systems, data analytics, supply chain risk management, and international trade. Before joining Verité, he served as Product Manager and Data Architect with Fair Factories Clearinghouse, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing fair labor conditions in the apparel industry.
His expertise in supply chain auditing is backed by doctoral research from North Carolina State University, where his thesis examined auditor bias in supply chain assessments. Balaji’s thought leadership extends beyond Verité through his service on the advisory boards of the Ethical Apparel Index and NC State University, as well as his role as chair of the Technical Advisory Committee on Data Analytics with the Social and Labor Convergence Program (SLCP).