Natasja Wells Consulting
Natasja Sheriff Wells, PhD
I'm a business and human rights professional, specializing in human rights in global supply chains, with an emphasis on the seafood and agricultural sectors, apparel manufacturing, and the global energy transition.
I founded Natasja Wells Consulting to provide expert human rights-focused research and capacity building services to private sector and non-profit clients committed to advancing human rights in global supply chains.
About Me
I draw on more than two decades of research experience spanning fieldwork in Southeast Asia, investigative journalism, and expertise in open-source intelligence.
Before founding my consultancy, I served as a research analyst at the investigative non-profit Transparentem, and led the manufacturing and supply chains program at NYU’s Center for Business and Human Rights. These roles allowed me to deepen my knowledge of the drivers of human rights abuses in global supply chains. My research covered forced labor, trafficking, and responsible recruitment practices. Most recently, my work has focused on how purchasing and sourcing practices influence human rights outcomes in the apparel sector.
Previously, I specialized in fisheries and aquaculture research in Southeast Asia. I have a background in marine and freshwater science and began my research career in 1999, when I joined a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from Scotland and Vietnam as a qualitative researcher, to help understand the needs of fish farmers in northern Vietnam.
As Regional Coordinator and Research Scientist at the WorldFish Center in Malaysia, I led participatory research on community-based fish culture in rural communities in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Mali, and Vietnam. That experience continues to shape my commitment to inclusive, ground-level approaches to human rights and development.
Qualifications
I hold a PhD in aquaculture and sustainable livelihoods from the University of Stirling, an MPhil in Environment and Development from the University of Cambridge, an MA in Journalism from New York University, and a BSc in Aquatic Bioscience (First Class Hons.) from Glasgow University. (See below for further details)
Vision and Approach
My path has been unconventional but has a strong through-line: the belief that everyone has the right to live with dignity, to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and to provide for themselves and their families without fear of sickness or injury, violence or coercion, and to be compensated fairly for their labor.
Contact me today to learn more about how we can work together.
I believe that the private sector and non-profit organizations can do more to protect people and communities from human rights abuses and environmental degradation when they have a clear understanding of the relationship between business practices, human rights, and the environment. I aim to support them in this work by providing rigorous research and analysis, clear communication of complex issues and ideas, and interactive and participatory human rights training and capacity building. Every engagement is collaborative and context-sensitive, shaped by the needs of clients and the voices of rightsholders and stakeholders.
Qualifications
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PhD, Aquaculture and Sustainable Livelihoods, University of Stirling, Scotland.
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MA, Journalism, New York University, USA.
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MPhil, Environment and Development, Cambridge University, UK.
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BSc Aquatic Bioscience (Hon. First Class), Glasgow University, UK.
Countries of Work Experience
Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, France (resident 1 year), Germany (resident 3 years), Indonesia, Malaysia (resident 4 years), Mali, Thailand (resident 2 years), Vietnam.
Languages
English (mother tongue); German (advanced intermediate); French (intermediate).