Amy Benstead

Dr. Amy Benstead is a Senior Lecturer in Fashion Management at the University of Manchester, affiliated with the Department of Materials and the Faculty of Science & Engineering. Her work centers on ethical and sustainable supply chain management, particularly addressing modern slavery and promoting worker-centric practices. She has contributed to the world’s first national standard on modern slavery (BS 25700) and leads a Leverhulme Trust-funded project on worker voice in garment factories. Her research has won multiple awards, including first place at the 2023 Business and Modern Slavery Research Conference.

Benstead’s expertise bridges academia and industry, informed by her prior role as a Senior Merchandise Manager at Li & Fung. She teaches Business Ethics, Sustainability & CSR, and Operations Management, integrating her research into pedagogy. She launched the European Operations Management Association’s mentorship program and collaborates globally on cross-disciplinary sustainability research. As a Visiting Researcher at the University of Bergamo (2022–2024), she advances socio-technical systems approaches to supply chain justice.

Her outreach includes STEM education initiatives with the Manchester United Foundation, empowering youth to address global sustainability challenges. Benstead’s work aligns with UN SDGs, emphasizing justice, transparency, and sustainability across global supply chains.

Awards:

• Emerald and EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Award: Highly Commended (2018)
• Emerald Literati Award (2019)
• University of Manchester Faculty of Science & Engineering Distinguished Achievement Award – Teacher of the Year 2021 (Highly Commended)
• Finalist, Inspiring Women Awards (Sustainable Award for Women Making an Impact – 2024)

Grants & Projects:

• Leverhulme Trust-funded research on worker voice in Leicester’s garment factories
• BSI committee member for modern slavery standards development
• EurOMA mentorship program founder (2021–2024)