A closure case study with
Fashion revolution
LEading a responsible wind-down at Fashion revolution cic
A case study with Interim CEO Charlotte Timson
When Fashion Revolution CIC faced financial insolvency in 2025, the organisation was confronting more than a funding crisis. It needed to close a UK legal entity while protecting one of the world’s largest sustainable fashion campaigns.
The Board approached Interims for Impact, initially for advice on options, and then to look for an Interim CEO to lead the organisation through this complex transition. Three candidates were put forward, and the Board selected Charlotte Timson, a CEO experienced in transformation and crisis leadership, and a background in global justice, trade and ethical supply chains.
The challenge
Fashion Revolution had spent more than a decade building an international movement for transparency, accountability and justice in the fashion industry. With country teams in more than 75 countries and a global community of volunteers, its influence reached far beyond the UK-based Community Interest Company.
The global network wasn’t aware at this point of the severity of the CIC’s financial crisis and relationships internally were strained as a result of an incomplete transition towards a decentralised governance model. The challenge was to identify the funding to enable a responsible wind-down, navigate complex multi-stakeholder relationships, and transfer research, digital assets and institutional knowledge to the global network.
Establishing interim governance and funder support for closure
In the first two weeks in role, Charlotte met with the board, staff, contractors and funders. The organisation had been through a difficult 12 months, with many staff being made redundant and recent changes in leadership. The board was in a fragile position, with high turnover of board members, and the recent resignation of the board chair. Charlotte brought on a new board chair with the skills to oversee the closure process and worked with the other two board members to ensure they understood their legal roles and responsibilities in planning for wind-down.
In looking into the CIC’s financial forecasts, Charlotte realised an additional grant would be needed to enable an orderly wind-down. She and the board chair held urgent discussions with a core funder, who agreed to consider an application.
Developing a phased closure strategy
It was clear that Fashion Revolution needed a strong team of financial, HR and legal experts to create a structured wind-down plan that would be supported by detailed financial forecasting, governance oversight and risk management. Charlotte worked with Interims for Impact’s Director Felicia Willow to engage skilled wraparound support services including an experienced Finance Director, David Reynolds, an HR advisor, Liz Harding, and administrative and operative support for the Board from Sophie Brewer.
Working closely with the board, the team introduced stronger financial controls, developed a transparent consultation process for staff and contractors and established phased delivery milestones for an inclusive and fair closure process.
The CIC had a small, committed and talented team of staff with projects to complete. Stabilising the organisation and supporting them to complete their planned activities and submit final reports to donors was an important part of closing well.
The core funder approved the plan, and with one other funder also providing financial support, the CIC was able to move from crisis management towards an orderly closure, mapped out over the next eight months.
Supporting people through change
A central objective throughout the process was ensuring that staff, contractors and volunteers were treated fairly.
Charlotte oversaw a phased redundancy programme, introducing independent HR support and safeguarding measures, and offered career transition support for departing staff. Throughout the process, communication remained open and regular, helping reduce uncertainty during a particularly difficult period.
This people-centred approach reflected Fashion Revolution’s organisational values while reducing legal and operational risks during closure.
Protecting a global movement
Beyond the administrative closure of the CIC however was the most significant challenge: to ensure continuity of the global Fashion Revolution movement into the future.
Rather than focusing solely on organisational closure, Charlotte prioritised the transfer of knowledge, systems and leadership to the Global Network.
Working with country representatives across the movement, a Transition Committee and specialist working groups were established covering governance, communications, research, fundraising and safeguarding. These groups developed interim governance arrangements and created the foundations for future global leadership.
Charlotte reached out to an experienced GDPR consultant, who worked with the team to systematically document and transfer institutional knowledge. Research methodologies, policy resources, educational materials, digital platforms, communications systems and organisational data were handed over through a structured, GDPR-compliant process.
By the end of the process, responsibility for Fashion Revolution’s core assets had successfully transitioned from the CIC to the Global Network.
Delivering impact during closure
The organisation continued delivering significant public impact throughout the transition.
Fashion Revolution Week 2026 was successfully delivered through a collaborative global effort under the theme Collective Action. More than 130 events were organised worldwide, social media activity reached over five million people, and engagement with flagship research publications increased significantly.
The campaign demonstrated that the movement was already capable of operating through distributed leadership rather than relying on a central organisation. This also enabled Fashion Revolution to demonstrate that the closure was a transition of a movement rather than the failure of an organisation, and media coverage and stakeholder response remained overwhelmingly positive.
Navigating complexity
As with many organisational closures, the process presented unforeseen challenges.
Legacy governance issues required resolution, international employment obligations proved more complex than anticipated, and governance weaknesses meant the only legally robust route to closure involved petitioning for a Court led liquidation.
Charlotte worked closely with the Board, the team, legal advisers and funders to adapt the plan while maintaining compliance, managing financial risk and keeping stakeholders informed.
Despite these challenges, the organisation remained within its overall funding envelope and successfully completed the planned transfer of assets, knowledge and operational responsibility.
Lessons for the sector
Organisational closure does not have to mean the end of impact.
With experienced interim leadership, clear governance and a structured transition process, it is possible to protect people, preserve institutional knowledge and enable a mission to continue beyond the life of a single organisation.
For organisations facing significant financial or governance challenges, interim leadership can provide the independent expertise, objectivity and delivery focus needed to navigate difficult decisions while safeguarding long-term social impact.
In Fashion Revolution’s case, the legal entity entered its final stages of closure, but the global movement continues – led by the international network that had always been its greatest strength.
Fashion Revolution’s Chair Kathryn Packer said: “Charlotte handled a complex and sensitive situation with great integrity. As an incoming chair, she was great to work with, being clear, organised and strategic, in spite of lots of curve balls coming in during the transition process.”
