Anisha Rajapakse
Member Board of Directors @Rainforest Alliance
Signup · Get unlimited contacts
WORK HISTORY
Member Board of Directors @Rainforest Alliance
EDUCATION
The University of Sheffield
MA, International Studies
Aquinas College of Higher Studies
Diploma in Journalism
University of Colombo
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Sociology, English, Economics
INSEAD
Executive Leadership Programme on Social Entrepreneurship (ISEP) - Singapore, Social Entrepreneurship
SKILLS
ABOUT ANISHA RAJAPAKSE
I am a senior international development and human rights specialist with over two decades of global experience and more than ten years of dedicated expertise in social sustainability and business and human rights. My career has been shaped by extensive lived experience across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, and further enriched by professional work across the Caribbean and Pacific, giving me a grounded, multidisciplinary understanding of the political, cultural, and community realities that drive complex development and human rights challenges. I have a strong track record of supporting organizations to embed human rights, strengthen social sustainability, and operationalize responsible business practices. My expertise spans human rights due diligence, ESG integration, stakeholder engagement, modern slavery, forced labour, gender-based violence, and protecting the rights of women and girls, with a proven ability to deliver meaningful economic, environmental, and social impact for communities and business alike. Known for translating complex risks into actionable strategies, I strengthen organizational credibility and performance across diverse geopolitical contexts. I bring an intersectional, locally informed approach to all mandates I lead, and approach every engagement with deep respect for cultural diversity and inclusion, a clear focus on impact, and a commitment to strengthening rights-holders’ voices within business and development ecosystems.I currently serve as a Non-Executive Board Director of the Rainforest Alliance, contributing to inclusive governance, risk oversight, and strategic direction.Key Areas of Expertise:• Strategic advisory on human rights, ESG, and sustainable supply chains• Design and implementation of human rights due diligence and risk management frameworks• Forced labour, child labour, migration, gender-based violence, early childhood development• Development communication: Shaping compelling narratives for policy and practice change• Monitoring, evaluation, impact measurement, and risk analysis• Grant-making, program management, and coalition-building for scalable solutions• Cross-sector leadership and trust-based stakeholder engagement
This profile is compiled from publicly available professional sources. Unifers is not affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn. Request removal of this profile.