Sophia Joseph Vellilamthodukayil
Sophia supports the implementation of Preferred by Nature's Mission-driven Projects in India by coordinating project activities, building partnerships, and contributing to the development of new initiatives. Her work advances sustainable land management and responsible business practices that benefit people, nature, and climate.
Sophia is a Project Manager with Preferred by Nature's Mission-driven Projects team, where she supports the development and implementation of projects that strengthen sustainable land management through responsible business practices, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and community engagement. She works closely with partners, donors, government agencies, and local communities to plan, coordinate, and deliver projects while also contributing to the development of new project opportunities.
Before joining the Mission-driven Projects team, Sophia served as PBNC Programme Technical Lead and as an Agriculture Specialist within Preferred by Nature's Certification Division. She has extensive experience in sustainable agriculture, forestry, certification systems, and responsible sourcing, having led and coordinated audits and technical projects aligned with internationally recognized standards, including FSC, Rainforest Alliance, and UEBT. Her expertise spans project management, stakeholder engagement and sustainable natural resource management, with a particular focus on delivering practical solutions that create lasting environmental, climate and social impact.
"Working with Preferred by Nature gives me an excellent opportunity to be part of a multicultural team that provides sustainable solutions which are rooted in safeguarding social and environmental values - benefiting both people and the environment."
- Project planning, implementation and coordination
- Technical reporting and project documentation
- Stakeholder engagement and partnership development
- Sustainability standards and certification systems (Lead Auditor – FSC CoC, UEBT, RA CoC, Auditor in training – FSC FM, SRP Farm & CoC)
- Languages known: English, Tamil, Malayalam
