Dr Zaina Gadema

Dr Zaina Gadema is an accomplished interdisciplinary academic, researcher, and advocate for environmental and social justice, with over two decades of professional experience across multiple sectors. Her expertise spans sustainable supply chain management, ethics, disaster management, public health, climate change, and decolonisation studies. She has dedicated her career to advancing justice-based sustainable development, becoming a leading voice in creating ethical, transparent, and accountable supply chain transitions.

Currently an Assistant Professor (Senior Lecturer) at Northumbria University, Dr Gadema has been with the institution since 2012, during which time she has made significant contributions to both academia and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). She has led the university’s undergraduate Logistics and Supply Chain Management programme for nearly eight years, while also serving as the EDI Director for the Marketing, Operations, and Systems Department from 2020 to 2022. During her tenure, she spearheaded efforts to decolonise the curriculum, leading innovative reforms that reshaped the university’s approach to sustainability and ethics. Her pioneering work has solidified her reputation as a trailblazer in academia.

Dr Gadema's research is at the cutting edge of sustainability and social equity. Her PhD in food chain carbon footprinting, awarded by Northumbria University in 2018, examined life cycle assessment-based carbon footprinting tools, supply chain management, and food policy. She has since published widely in esteemed journals such as Food Policy and Disaster Prevention and Management. Her expertise is also recognised beyond the academic sphere, having been invited by the BBC to discuss her work on carbon footprinting and food for their Climate Question programme in 2021.

Beyond Northumbria, Dr Gadema serves as an External Programme and Subject Examiner for the Executive MBA Programme at Sheffield University Management School, overseeing critical courses like Corporate Strategy and Global Challenges in Ethics and Sustainability. Her role ensures that future business leaders are well-versed in ethical sustainability practices, underscoring her influence in shaping both academic and industry standards.

Before embarking on her academic journey, Dr Gadema gained valuable industry experience in the corporate legal sector, working with prestigious firms such as Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and Slaughter and May. During her decade-long tenure at Cleary Gottlieb, she provided paralegal and executive-level administrative support, gaining in-depth knowledge of corporate governance and commercial law, which now informs her work on sustainable supply chain management. Her early career also included significant roles at Willis Corroon in the aerospace insurance sector, demonstrating her versatile professional background and deep understanding of corporate and legal frameworks.

Dr Gadema’s commitment to education and sustainability extends to her supervision of doctoral students at Northumbria University, guiding research in areas such as sustainable real estate solutions in Europe and palliative care supply chain resilience in the UK. She is also an active member of Northumbria University’s Decolonisation Network, reinforcing her dedication to social justice and inclusive practices in academia.

Dr Zaina Gadema is a highly respected academic and advocate, whose extensive career has been marked by a relentless pursuit of justice, ethical leadership, and sustainability. Her profound impact on education, research, and professional development makes her an exemplary candidate for recognition in the professional category of this award.