The World Trade Association of Utah has awarded Melissa Sevy, founder and CEO of Ethik, International Businesswoman of the Year. She was recognized at their largest yearly event–the Women in International Business Conference. Through Melissa’s leadership at Ethik, a Utah-based social enterprise, she helps thousands of people escape poverty–including human trafficking survivors, single mothers, and widows–through fair wages and dignified employment in creating ethical handcrafts.

The WTA of Utah annually seeks a woman who has contributed significantly to international business, acts as a cultural ambassador and promotes international relations. “Their team has been able to accomplish some remarkable and extremely worthwhile accomplishments for women and girls in the state of Utah and across the globe. It was an honor to present Melissa with the award this year, and we applaud her success in Ethik,” said Scott Bell, WTA of Utah President.

Since its inception in 2020, Ethik has employed over 2800 artisans worldwide–including groups in the US, Guatemala, Palestine, India, Nepal, Vietnam, Rwanda, and Uganda. These artisans supported over 10,500 family members and worked nearly 1 million fair-pay work hours to create hundreds of thousands of handcrafted items.

WTA of Utah secretary MacKenzie Leavitt also remarked, “Melissa was selected by the board of the WTA of Utah because of her extraordinary global and humanitarian relations. She has shown that you can have a compassionate AND successful business. At her core, she has shown every example of a leader in business and for women everywhere.”

Honored to receive this recognition, Melissa Sevy remarked, “In accepting this award, I am here as a proxy for hundreds of women worldwide. These women are incredibly bright, talented, and capable. However, due to the coordinates of their birthplace, they have previously lacked one thing that I was just born into–opportunity. So from all of us, we express gratitude for receiving this award from The World Trade Association of Utah–a leader in our state for championing women. They have gone beyond mere rhetoric and have been one of the first organizations to create spaces that support, connect, and bring women in international business together.”

Ethik identifies and empowers handicraft artisans by paying an above-average wage that allows them to look beyond basic survival needs and invest in education, healthcare, and long-term assets—creating a brighter future for themselves and their families. To learn more, visit https://ethik.co/

The World Trade Association of Utah is the state’s longest-standing non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and advancing international trade and commerce. The WTA of Utah provides a monthly forum for exchanging ideas and information through workshops, seminars, publications, and special events with leading government, business, academic, and international trade organizations. As a Champion for Women, each year, the WTA of Utah bestows the International Business Women of the Year Award at the Women in International Business Conference. For more information, visit wtaofutah.com.