Shawn MacDonald is a leading expert in labor and human rights policy, with more than 25 years of experience advising multinational companies, governments, and international institutions in labor rights and multisector partnerships.
As CEO of Verité since 2016, he guides the organization’s global mission to eradicate the most severe labor and human rights abuses in global supply chains. Shawn joined Verité in 2003 when he led the organization’s research, program development, and policy initiatives before becoming CEO. His work has shaped policy approaches to forced labor prevention and legal enforcement frameworks across multiple government administrations.
His expertise in labor rights, social entrepreneurship, and multi-sector partnerships has been cultivated through diverse leadership roles including Director of Accreditation at the Fair Labor Association, Vice President at Ashoka, and Senior Advisor at Meridian Group International. As co-founder of the Development and Employment Policy Project, Shawn developed innovative approaches to worker protection and economic development.
Shawn’s early career includes serving as founding director of WorldTeach Poland and as a Rockefeller Fellow. His academic foundation includes a Ph.D. from George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, where his research examined conflict management between multinational corporations and civil society in labor and environmental disputes. He also holds an AB magna cum laude in History from Harvard University.