Compliance Influencer of the Month of August
Archana Kotecha
Human Rights Lawyer and CEO & Founder of The Remedy Project
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Archana Kotecha and I am a human rights lawyer by profession. I am the CEO and Founder of a social enterprise named The Remedy Project. We work towards making justice and remedy more accessible to the vulnerable across global supply chains.
Why did you choose a career in your field?
I entered the human rights world quite by accident and was blown away by how much a career in the service of others was meaningful and intellectually challenging. I decided to pursue a career in this field because it gives me the opportunity to use my skills as a lawyer to make meaningful change and to touch the lives of many others. I was fortunate to find my purpose early on in my career and this purpose is not a career but my vocation and an integral part of who I am.
What has been the most important skill set you believe is necessary for a role in your field?
Resilience and adaptability, as this is a path littered with challenges and where the rewards and successes can be few and far between and there is a constant need to innovate and adapt to changing circumstances. I am always driven by the ambition to do better for the beneficiary group that I advocate for.
What is the best thing about your job?
I get to be my authentic self and to continuously evolve into a better version of myself. I am surrounded by the resilience and beauty of the human spirit demonstrated by fearless rights advocates and survivors of exploitation. This certainly dwarfs the ugliness of those who exploit and this is what drives me to be better and do better.
We all have learning experiences during our careers, what was your greatest learning experience (something you worked on, a career move or even something someone said)?
My greatest learning has been that failure is essential for learning and learning is essential for innovation and success. Many efforts fail but there is always something to learn and an opportunity to do better that presents itself with each failure or set back.
What has been your proudest moment(s)/achievement(s)?
Setting up The Remedy Project has been one of my proudest moments. I was able to conquer my fear of going it alone and pioneering new approaches that I had been working on. It was very much motivated by the desire to reach more people through my work and to take a more focused approach towards addressing issues relating to access to justice and remedy in global supply chains. On a personal level, I had to deal with my own fears and insecurities of failing and of course the dreaded imposter syndrome!
What is the biggest risk you've taken in your career?
Setting up The Remedy Project in the middle of a Pandemic! Having worked so hard to build up a name and a profile in the sector I was terrified that I would fail, and I had never considered myself to be a social entrepreneur so the thought of setting up and running a social enterprise was daunting. I had always been under the umbrella of an organisation and suddenly I was the umbrella.
Who has been your role model(s) during your career?
So many people have inspired me and continue to inspire me, so it would be remiss for me to focus on anyone in particular. I have over the years been inspired by the resilience of survivors of exploitation, guided by the wisdom of mentors, held up in dark moments by peers and spurred on to be more compassionate and giving thanks to the incredible values that I was raised with.
What inspires you?
Creating a legacy of compassion and giving. It is so much easier to raise successful children than it is to raise compassionate and giving children. We have very little hope of solving some of the major crises that face us today if we do not feel for the suffering of others and in turn use this to jolt us into action. Leaving a legacy of better people and a better world behind is what inspires me.
Work can sometimes be a 24/7 job. How and what do you do to make sure you switch off?
I don’t really need to switch off as long as it’s something I like and love to do. The key thing is to sort out how you prioritize work and family matters. I think they could co-exist.
What advice would you give to aspiring individuals in your field?
Being humble is important to learning and every opportunity to learn must be taken. A seat at the table is earned and is not an entitlement. Working honestly and hard may sound like old-fashioned advice but it is so important to be diligent so you can give your best. No one said that the world of making change was easy!
What is something people don't know about you?
I really enjoy lifting weights and once upon a time engaged in competitive boxing too.....watch out!
My name is Archana Kotecha and I am a human rights lawyer by profession. I am the CEO and Founder of a social enterprise named The Remedy Project. We work towards making justice and remedy more accessible to the vulnerable across global supply chains.
Why did you choose a career in your field?
I entered the human rights world quite by accident and was blown away by how much a career in the service of others was meaningful and intellectually challenging. I decided to pursue a career in this field because it gives me the opportunity to use my skills as a lawyer to make meaningful change and to touch the lives of many others. I was fortunate to find my purpose early on in my career and this purpose is not a career but my vocation and an integral part of who I am.
What has been the most important skill set you believe is necessary for a role in your field?
Resilience and adaptability, as this is a path littered with challenges and where the rewards and successes can be few and far between and there is a constant need to innovate and adapt to changing circumstances. I am always driven by the ambition to do better for the beneficiary group that I advocate for.
What is the best thing about your job?
I get to be my authentic self and to continuously evolve into a better version of myself. I am surrounded by the resilience and beauty of the human spirit demonstrated by fearless rights advocates and survivors of exploitation. This certainly dwarfs the ugliness of those who exploit and this is what drives me to be better and do better.
We all have learning experiences during our careers, what was your greatest learning experience (something you worked on, a career move or even something someone said)?
My greatest learning has been that failure is essential for learning and learning is essential for innovation and success. Many efforts fail but there is always something to learn and an opportunity to do better that presents itself with each failure or set back.
What has been your proudest moment(s)/achievement(s)?
Setting up The Remedy Project has been one of my proudest moments. I was able to conquer my fear of going it alone and pioneering new approaches that I had been working on. It was very much motivated by the desire to reach more people through my work and to take a more focused approach towards addressing issues relating to access to justice and remedy in global supply chains. On a personal level, I had to deal with my own fears and insecurities of failing and of course the dreaded imposter syndrome!
What is the biggest risk you've taken in your career?
Setting up The Remedy Project in the middle of a Pandemic! Having worked so hard to build up a name and a profile in the sector I was terrified that I would fail, and I had never considered myself to be a social entrepreneur so the thought of setting up and running a social enterprise was daunting. I had always been under the umbrella of an organisation and suddenly I was the umbrella.
Who has been your role model(s) during your career?
So many people have inspired me and continue to inspire me, so it would be remiss for me to focus on anyone in particular. I have over the years been inspired by the resilience of survivors of exploitation, guided by the wisdom of mentors, held up in dark moments by peers and spurred on to be more compassionate and giving thanks to the incredible values that I was raised with.
What inspires you?
Creating a legacy of compassion and giving. It is so much easier to raise successful children than it is to raise compassionate and giving children. We have very little hope of solving some of the major crises that face us today if we do not feel for the suffering of others and in turn use this to jolt us into action. Leaving a legacy of better people and a better world behind is what inspires me.
Work can sometimes be a 24/7 job. How and what do you do to make sure you switch off?
I don’t really need to switch off as long as it’s something I like and love to do. The key thing is to sort out how you prioritize work and family matters. I think they could co-exist.
What advice would you give to aspiring individuals in your field?
Being humble is important to learning and every opportunity to learn must be taken. A seat at the table is earned and is not an entitlement. Working honestly and hard may sound like old-fashioned advice but it is so important to be diligent so you can give your best. No one said that the world of making change was easy!
What is something people don't know about you?
I really enjoy lifting weights and once upon a time engaged in competitive boxing too.....watch out!