Umesh Kuinkel serves as the Head of GoodWeave Nepal’s Inspection Team, bringing nine years of dedicated service to the organization since joining in 2015. In his current capacity, Umesh has led the inspections team since 2022, overseeing a team of inspectors responsible for ensuring importer licensees, distributors, and retailers comply with GoodWeave’s standards and license agreements. 

With a focus on maintaining integrity throughout the supply chain, Umesh directs ongoing surveillance efforts to uphold GoodWeave's stringent standards. He also plays a crucial role in developing inspection schedules and implementing quality control measures to ensure that all inspectors effectively fulfill GoodWeave’s mandate. Prior to his tenure at GoodWeave, Umesh gained valuable experience in the NGO/INGO sectors. He served as a Senior Counselor for a USAID-funded HIV project and later as a Training Officer for a Save the Children Funded Nutrition project. This background has equipped him with a deep understanding of social issues and community dynamics, further enhancing his contributions to GoodWeave's mission. 

Umesh holds a Master's Degree in Sociology and has also obtained a Master's Degree in Gender Studies from Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal. His multidisciplinary education enables him to approach challenges with a holistic perspective, incorporating social, economic, and gender considerations into his work to advance GoodWeave's mission of ensuring child-labor-free supply chains in the carpet industry.