New Delhi, 29 November 2022: Shahi Exports is thrilled to be recognized as the winner of two International Green Apple Environment Awards for 2022. Shahi has won a silver award in ‘Water Efficiency’ for denim production and a bronze award in the ‘Carbon Reduction’ category for mitigating carbon dioxide emissions.

The International Green Apple Awards are conferred by the UK-based Green Organization in a campaign to find the world’s greenest companies since 1994. The awards saw close to 500 nominations this year. Shahi’s environmental work will now feature along with the likes of Infosys, TESCO, and BMW. 

The fashion industry accounts for 10% of global GHG emissions and 20% of global industrial-water pollution. With global forces rallying to fight climate change, India has committed to mitigating 1 billion MT in carbon emissions by 2030. As India’s largest apparel and textile exporter, Shahi has developed a strong commitment to environmental sustainability in its operations to meet the national goal, industry demand, and the necessity for constructive climate action.

Silver Award in Water Efficiency

Shahi’s denim production factories are equipped with best-in-class technology to meet high water efficiency standards. Conventional production methods require about 75-85 liters of water to produce a pair of jeans. The denim operations at Shahi recycle 100% of its water to bring it back into the process and reduce freshwater dependence. Overall, a pair of jeans produced by Shahi effectively utilize less than 5 liters of water.

MA Prasad, COO of the Denim Division at Shahi Exports, said:

“Denim washing and production is a highly resource-intensive process. Through continuous efforts, we have achieved zero liquid discharge from our facility, and through various green initiatives, we have created one of the most sustainable denim operations. We are humbled and encouraged by this recognition. “

Bronze Award in Carbon Reduction

Since 2019, Shahi has reduced 448,000 MT of carbon emissions company-wide by moving away from conventional energy sources to environment-friendly renewable sources. Today, Shahi uses 70% of renewable electricity with an established setup of 84 MW solar power plants and 8.75 MW Wind Power Plants. Shahi is currently on the path of becoming 100% renewable electricity driven by 2026. 

Shridatta Veera, Assistant Vice President, Central Maintenance and Environmental Sustainability at Shahi Exports, said:

“Driven by our company’s sustainability vision and policy, we have realized the need to act against climate change. Moving towards green energy helps reduce carbon footprint, hence we installed 84 MW solar power plants all at once to meet our requirements. Receiving an award for this milestone is heartening. It motivates us to further on our mitigation journey.”

The awards were presented by Jayne Drant, Chief Commercial Officer of Nurture Landscapes, at a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament, London, on November 21, 2022. The judges of the award shared their thoughts on Shahi’s win,

“The textile industry is often in the spotlight for its social and environmental impact. Shahi Exports welcomes this attention as they support and contribute to India’s reduction targets of almost half a million tonnes of CO2 saved in 2 years and much more to come. As India’s largest clothing manufacturer, Shahi wants to be among the greenest. They have added sustainability to most aspects of the production system. The push to reduce water use is a prime example, using less than half the water typically consumed in the denim manufacturing process.” 

The Green Apple marks a milestone in Shahi’s continued journey towards sustainability excellence. Shahi Exports is proud to have the opportunity to uphold the title of a Green World Ambassador.