Mark Kaplan
Co-Founder, Wholechain; Lead, UN Global Compact Ocean Stewardship Coalition Solutions Network
TEACHES:
ISEN 471 Sustainable Food (0.5 credit)
Mark Kaplan is an adjunct professor within Northwestern's Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability (MSES) Program.
Mark is a globally recognized industry leader in sustainability, consumer goods and telecommunications. Mark is Co-Founder and a Partner of Wholechain, a commodity neutral and blockchain based traceability system. Wholechain is the only FDA traceability award system to be verified capable by Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability and GS1 EPCIS data standards. Mark also leads the UN Global Compact Oceans and Food Systems Solutions Network based in Chicago that will focus on bringing together established startup with private sector members of the Global Compact to accelerate impact to help achieve sustainability goals.
Prior to Wholechain, Mark was Co-Founder and CEO of Envisible, a sustainable seafood sourcing company that won the 2023 Progressive Grocer Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain Transparency Award for its work powering Topco Associates’ Full Circle Market brand of seafood. Envisible was acquired by Arkk Food in December 2023.
Prior to Envisible, Mark was Global Vice President of Sustainable Solutions for Unilever; responsible for integrating technology across Chief Sustainability Office initiatives. Prior to Unilever, Mark was CEO of Tone Mobile LLC. Tone led the award-winning mFish Initiative with the U.S. State Department, Government of Indonesia and GSM Association, representing the world’s mobile operators.