For years, sustainability tools in the apparel sector have traveled down a strict one-way street: from brands and consultancies down to manufacturers. What they are missing are the variables and nuances that factory managers on the ground experience and must tackle to first prove the financial return on those upgrades to even begin the conversation with brands, banks, and their own leadership. But that can be fixed with a simple tool that no one built until now.
Shahi Exports co-commissioned and led the development of Bang for Buck—a collaborative project facilitated by the Fashion Producer Collective, alongside fellow manufacturers Elevate Textiles and Epic Group, with support from GIZ FABRIC and technical expertise from Grant Thornton Bharat. Quietly radical in its approach, this free, open-access tool covers 22 decarbonization technology measures. These are practical, proven interventions selected by suppliers to work within real-life constraints across diverse factory setups. The tool enables sustainability managers to calculate the exact emissions impact relative to financial ROI, giving them precise data and the language to justify green investments to stakeholders.
What makes Bang for Buck truly unique is the intensely collaborative process behind it. Suppliers weren’t brought in to simply “review” at the eleventh hour but were made co-designers from the very first page. Every assumption was named and debated out loud.
We didn’t just stop at asking how much a technology could cut emissions, but went on to dig deeper. Does this data actually exist within a standard manufacturing company? Who will own it? Is the output robust enough for a plant manager to stand in front of a CFO and win the argument? Even the final paper was written jointly, making sure the manufacturer’s voice remained primary.
The process ultimately revealed:
While technical realities like grid factors and local infrastructure vary by region, the core pressures manufacturers face are identical worldwide.
Whether in South Asia or Southeast Asia, suppliers grapple with accessing upfront capital, verifying technology performance, and communicating ROI. Bang for Buck engages with these realities and changes the traditional supply chain dynamic, proving that repeatable, supplier-led collaboration is not only possible but indeed essential for genuine industry transformation.
The inside of an apparel factory feels completely different depending on where you stand. In the raw fabric warehouse, the heat can be heavy, stagnant, and dry. Walk fifty paces into the finishing section, and the equipment adds humidity, driving up the wet-bulb temperatures (the metric thatdictates how effectively the human body cancool itself).
The variance in felt temperatures, coupled with the structural malleability of factories, presents a unique challenge: guidelines are everywhere but not uniformly applicable.
At Shahi, we have spent time mapping out the operational reality of modern manufacturing. With more than 50 manufacturing facilities and over 100,000 employees, we are treating thermal comfort as an operational baseline.
Understanding Baselines
Intense, dry pre-monsoon heat has always been a seasonal reality in northwestern and central India. However, climate change has fundamentally altered the baseline, requiring action to adapt to this new normal and to identify interventions across a diverse range of climates.
In April 2026, global interest in heat stress reached an all-time high. While Google searches for “what is heat stress” grew by 50% over the last five years, technical queries for “heat stress training” jumped by 140%. As global weather patterns continue to shift, what people are asking is “How do we deal with it?” and as the jump in the query really indicates: “How do we do it at Scale?”
The decade spanning 2015–2025 was the hottest on record for India, with 2024 tracking as the warmest year since 1901 (+0.65°C above the 1991–2020 average). As nighttime temperatures rise, it can also become harder for industrial buildings to dissipate the heat accumulated during the day. This creates a compounding thermal trap before the next morning shift even begins. A recent study in the Delhi-NCR region indicated a 37% increase in worker absenteeism during peak summer heatwaves. At Shahi, we ground our climate strategy in this internal baseline: mean factory floor temperatures can reach 35°C (95°F) during peak summer months.
Heat stress in India is not necessarily episodic; rather, it is the new, everyday reality we are grappling with. Hence, extensive contingency or extreme planning is necessary but not sufficient. Shahi’s focus is on driving year-round thermal comfort through a combination of measures.
Building Blocks: What are we working with?
Mitigating heat stress at scale requires balancing significant capital with daily operational friction.
Shahi’s newer manufacturing units are intentionally designed using built-in heat-reduction measures from the ground up.
These include high ceilings, a limited number of floors to avoid vertical stacking, greenery planning, and more. Our extensive campaign to replace conventional lighting with energy-efficient LEDs achieved up to 50% power savings and reduced average indoor shop floor temperatures by 2.4°C, directly improving worker comfort and productivity.
Retrofits and upgrades in older buildings improve heat reduction and air circulation. This includes applying high-grade heat-reflective roof paint and installing automated insulated panel sheets to block radiant heat in existing brownfield structures. We are rapidly closing the gap toward our goal of 100% renewable electricity, with 68% of electricity currently coming from renewable sources.
“It is clear to us that while a minimum threshold is set by the central policy; however, we must recognize that no two facilities or regions are identical. This is where a centralized guideline must have a high-agency-driven, decentralized flexibility to determine the right set of measures at each facility.” — Jayraman Ramesh, Head of Governance
Worker Wellbeing: Beyond Contingencies
With a clear baseline, we integrated mitigation measures directly into our Occupational Health & Safety Management (OHSM) framework.
Hyper-Local Microclimate Analysis
Ambient outdoor forecasts do not accurately reflect the internal dynamics of an industrial facility. Thermal conditions vary significantly across factory sections, including Sewing, Finishing, Packing, Cutting, Washing, Boiler rooms, and Effluent Treatment Plants. Shahi’s maintenance and engineering teams conduct targeted internal floor tracking systematically throughout the day across all operational zones. As temperatures rise, factory managers ensure that cooling systems are operational and that air circulation patterns and hydration supplies are in place.
“A thermometer measures the temperature, but our workers tell us the actual impact. By integrating heat mitigation into our existing Occupational Health & Safety Management (OHSM) and worker-voice platforms, we ensure that safety protocols are driven by real-time human feedback, not just static legal compliance.” — Chithra Prasad, Head of Social Sustainability
Access to Care and Work Protections
Besides technical controls in place to manage ventilation, our on-site Health Centers and rapid-response first-aid teams step in. Shahi training protocols require responders to know how to distinguish between Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke and treat them.
Importantly, all hydration and cooling breaks are flexible and entirely non-penalized, protecting workers from operational or efficiency pressures.Moving beyond just plain water to distribute Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), buttermilk, and traditional, nutrient-dense ragi malt via factory canteen interventions. Employees also participate in peer-monitoring networks to look out for early warning signs in their immediate teammates.
Vulnerable Profiles and Residential Accommodations
An effective heat management strategy should extend past active production lines to protect vulnerable individuals and cover residential facilities.
Housing Audits: We conduct rigorous audits of all residential facilities for migrant workers to ensure proper cross-ventilation and compliance with occupancy limits.
Maternal Health Management: Pregnant workers are proactively relocated away from heat-generating lines or high-density machinery, re-stationed directly under active cooling vents, and given extra, structured rest periods.
Creche Climate Standards: On-site childcare facilities must comply with thermal standards and ensure that children receive frequent water breaks, suitable food, are dressed appropriately, and are kept out of direct sunlight.
Outdoor Work: Workers follow shift limitations during high-temperature warnings and receive training on working in high-temperature conditions. Heavy physical outdoor work is avoided between 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
Amplifying Worker Voice through Digital Feedback
While technical logs provide helpful baseline numbers, capturing the direct feedback and experience of the workforce is critical for identifying localized operational issues. Shahi bridges this gap by leveraging Inache, our proprietary digital worker-voice platform. Using anonymized digital channels, Inache enables operators to directly flag real-time floor conditions such as a broken fan matrix, a malfunctioning water purification station, or localized stuffiness on a specific line. This combination of technical monitoring and anonymous reporting transforms heat mitigation from a top-down policy into an active, responsive feedback loop.
More than Mitigation: The Path Forward
Mitigating heat stress undeniably extends to broader macro-level issues the world grapples with. As our baseline establishes, for each region on a floor, the intervention to reduce heat generation at the source will require a host of innovative solutions. Shahi is partnering with our value chain to dive deeper and find solutions.
Let’s be candid: true partnership requires acknowledging what is difficult. When heat-stress metrics trigger safety protocols, it directly impacts the baseline mechanics of a factory.
The Operational Friction
Production Strain: With average working hours declining by 0.4 hours and overtime dropping by 32%, meeting strict delivery targets while maintaining mandatory rest cycles requires deep alignment with buyers.
Architectural Limits: Retrofitting older buildings presents physical limitations, facing a scarcity of scalable, commercially viable cooling technologies.
The Data Maturity Gap: The difficulty of tracking subjective, behavioral human outcomes with the same mechanical precision used for carbon or water data.
The true value of guidelines is their clear focus on joint accountability and shared responsibility. Upgrading heavy factory engineering infrastructure, installing large HVAC systems, or automated insulation retrofits requires significant capital. These expenses are long-term supply chain investments, not isolated supplier overheads.
An Integrated Approach for Brands and Suppliers:
Shared Capital Allocation: Executing co-investment programs to fund advanced structural cooling improvements and clean energy infrastructure.
Flexible Sourcing Timelines: Adjusting production metrics and delivery windows during extreme regional heatwaves so factories can manage safety adjustments without facing commercial or logistical penalties.
“Climate adaptation is one of the most complex challenges facing manufacturing today. Building resilience will require suppliers to reassess both operational costs and factory design, while working closely with brand partners to align on practical, long-term solutions. Adaptation cannot be treated as a traditional compliance exercise where investments are simply mandated. Meaningful progress will depend on shared commitment, coordinated action, and strategies that are both effective and economically sustainable.” — Anant Ahuja, Director ESG & Sustainability
Progress Over Perfection
As global trade policies adjust to new climate realities, international buyers and retailers must prioritize progress over perfection. There is a need to place a higher long-term value on verified operating logs, transparent development roadmaps, and honest, continuous improvement than on static, flawless data points.
At Shahi, our approach to heat stress guidelines is driven by proactive operational discipline and worker-centric sustainability beyond compliance. We view comprehensive frameworks as valuable references for benchmarking our internal progress, improving our data systems, and deepening our partnerships. Our ultimate commitment remains clear: to deliver world-class apparel products to the global marketplace without compromising the safety, thermal comfort, and fundamental dignity of the employees who drive our factory floors.
Bengaluru/ Delhi, May 12, 2026 — According to a new randomised controlled trial (RCT) at Shahi Exports, conducted by Good Business Lab (GBL), and published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, correcting the near vision of garment factory workers with glasses improved their productivity by 6%.
One in four sewing machine operators found to have uncorrected vision impairments
The intervention gave a 3x return on investment over a three-month trial period
Adoption of vision correction glasses grew by 24% over the trial period
Shahi Exports, India’s largest apparel manufacturer to expand the vision correction programme for 100,000 workers across all its factories
About the Study
The RCT undertaken across shopfloors of Karnataka-based factories operated by Shahi Exports provided free glasses to 344 sewing machine operators. These workers were experiencing Presbyopia, an age-related decline in near vision, affecting their work on the factory floor and their quality of daily life. This condition affects 1 in 4 sewing machine operators in the selected factories.
Implemented by VisionSpring, the intervention provided vision screening and free glasses at under ₹1,000 ($10) per worker. Factories saw a net benefit of ₹4,000 ($43) per worker in just six weeks. These returns in projection are equal to ₹15,000 ($162) over a year. The findings point to a clear business case:
A modest, one-time investment in worker wellbeing delivered measurable gains in factory performance within weeks.
Shahi Exports, India’s largest textile manufacturer, is committed to expanding vision correction programmes beyond presbyopia across its operations, with a target to reach 100,000 workers.
Workers also reported measurable benefits of improved vision, demonstrating significantly better visual function scores within 12 weeks of receiving glasses. Furthermore, adherence to wearing glasses increased significantly, from 41% in week 4 to 65% in week 12. This suggests that workers who experienced benefits were more likely to continue using the glasses consistently. Clearer vision also has direct quality-of-life effects: the ability to read a mobile phone, help a child with schoolwork, or manage daily tasks independently.
Achyuta Adhvaryu, Co-Founder, Good Business Lab, noted,
“When employers invest in something as fundamental as a worker’s ability to see, the returns flow in both directions, to the worker and the business. This study demonstrates that simple, low-cost intervention, such as providing vision correction glasses, can yield productivity results comparable to other proven, but significantly more expensive, performance-linked incentives or training initiatives. I am truly excited that Shahi Exports has decided to scale this program, and I hope other firms recognize that addressing such a basic physiological barrier is a powerful, yet often overlooked, way to drive both worker well-being and long-term business growth.”
Eye Health Impact at Scale
If scaled across the estimated 53 million garment workers in India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Cambodia, universal vision correction could add billions of dollars in annual output while directly improving workers’ quality of life. Globally, the study estimates a potential $27 billion annual productivity gain for the textile and garment sector.
Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG and Sustainability at Shahi Exports, added,
“Eye health is an imperative life function. The findings of the study are promising and signal a growing belief that strategic investment in worker wellbeing not only improves workers’ lives but also strengthens the business. We are now expanding the reach of this benefit to all workers across our factories.”
With the size and importance of the garment industry, especially in low- and middle-income countries where access to eye care is limited, a productivity improvement on this scale could be felt across entire economies. The garment industry is also an important source of employment for women, especially in South Asia. At under ₹1000 ($10) per worker, vision correction is among the lowest-cost, highest-return investments an employer in this sector can make.
About Good Business Lab
Good Business Lab Foundation (GBL) is a non-profit organisation that works to improve the lives of low-income workers. We design and test evidence-based solutions for well-being and economic stability, and promote the adoption of effective practices that create dignified and inclusive work environments. GBL’s work spans five focus areas: Climate, Health, Livelihoods, Gender, and the Workplace, and reflects a growing portfolio of evidence across labour-intensive sectors such as retail, automotive, construction, and platform work. To know more about GBL, visit goodbusinesslab.org
About Shahi Exports
Established in 1974 by Sarla Ahuja, Shahi Exports is one of India’s largest integrated apparel manufacturers and exporters. The company operates over 50 manufacturing facilities across eight Indian states and employs nearly 100,000 people. Serving leading global fashion and lifestyle brands, Shahi combines vertically integrated operations with a diversified product portfolio. Shahi continues to invest in manufacturing innovation, responsible sourcing, ethical operations, and environmental sustainability. For more information, visit shahi.co.in.
New Delhi, India [Date – April 21, 2026]: Shahi Exports, one of India’s largest apparel manufacturers and exporters, has partnered with US-based Innovo Fiber LLC to scale the Fibre52® cotton pretreatment technology across its integrated textile operations. This initiative at Shahi’s knits processing facility marks the largest industrial-scale deployment of the technology globally and a significant step forward in lower-impact cotton processing at scale.
Together, the partnership brings Fibre52®’s patented biochemistry platform with Shahi’s manufacturing scale to advance more resource-efficient cotton processing within large-scale textile production.
Cotton pretreatment is one of the most resource-intensive stages in textile manufacturing. Fibre52® introduces a drop-in, low-temperature pretreatment system that uses ZDHC MRSL v3.1 and OEKO-TEX®-approved chemistries. The process can preserve the natural wax and softness of cotton fiber while eliminating the use of caustic soda and reducing resource intensity compared to conventional pretreatment.
Since early 2024, Fibre52®’s trials at Shahi progressed through a structured validation process of 5MT, 20MT, and, more recently, 100MT fabric trials. The results demonstrated reductions of approximately 25% in water consumption and 49% in steam consumption compared to conventional pretreatment systems.
As part of the scale-up roadmap, Shahi plans to transition approximately 25% of its knit processing capacity to the Fibre52® pretreatment system, representing close to 3,000 tons per annum. Thismarks the shift from controlled trials to industrial adoption within a large, vertically integrated manufacturing environment.
Shahi and Fibre52® are advancing this collaboration as a long-term innovation platform. The focus is on expanding applications, deepening integration across product categories, and reinforcing scalable pathways for lower-impact textile manufacturing.
Laura Thornquist, President of Innovo Fiber, Fibre52®’s parent company, said:
“What makes this partnership unique is not just the technology, but the alignment of vision. Shahi and Fibre52® came together with a shared commitment to rethinking cotton processing at scale. When innovation capability and manufacturing discipline work in sync, real transformation becomes possible.”
Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG & Sustainability, Shahi Exports, said:
“This collaboration reflects the value of close partnership. The Fibre52® team brought a different approach, and Shahi focused on how it could work within our production environment. Together, this has progressed from early validation to measurable production outcomes. It is encouraging to see how sustainability and performance can come together at an industrial scale.”
About Shahi Exports
Shahi Exports is one of India’s largest integrated apparel manufacturers and exporters, supplying leading global fashion and lifestyle brands. The company operates a broad network of textile and garment manufacturing facilities and continues to invest in manufacturing innovation, responsible sourcing, and resource-efficient production.
Innovo Fiber LLC is a US-based technology company and the owner of the Fibre52® cotton pretreatment platform. Fibre52® is a patented system designed to prepare cotton for dyeing while preserving the fiber’s inherent qualities, while reducing the resource intensity compared to conventional cotton processing.
New Delhi, December 16, 2025: Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd., India’s largest apparel and textile manufacturer, today shared its sustainability progress for Fiscal Year 2024–25. The report underscores the company’s deep commitment to adapt, impact, and inspire sustainability throughout its operations and partnerships, successfully navigating rising global expectations for ethical practices, climate action, and supply chain transparency.
The FY 2024–25 progress report covers the period from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, and primarily focuses on Shahi’s operations in India.
Decisive Climate Action: A Major Shift in Energy
Shahi achieved significant milestones in its environmental journey this year. Driven by a crucial strategic decision to replace coal with sustainable biomass across its facilities. This move directly contributed to achieving a 51% carbon-neutral energy mix, up from 36% in the previous year, and surpassed internal targets earlier than projected.
Harish Ahuja, Managing Director and Chairperson, Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd., commented,
“Our transition from coal to sustainable biomass was a bold and necessary step, helping us achieve 51% carbon-neutral energy across the company, up from 36% just last year. This progress does not happen by chance. It is a result of detailed planning, relentless execution, and our firm belief that we can and must do better as we transition toward a more responsible energy future.”
Investing in People and Community Well-being
The company placed significant emphasis on social responsibility, delivering substantial progress in employee development, empowerment, and community engagement:
Upskilling and Training: The organization provided over 1 million hours of employee training and delivered technical skills training to 75,000 women.
Worker Health: More than 17,000 workers participated in the company’s health camps.
Worker Voice: Shahi ensured 100% access to Inache, its digital worker-voice tool, enhancing workplace communication and transparency.
Community Outreach: Initiatives dedicated to driving education, health, environment, employment, and empowerment outcomes in communities served over 475,000+ individuals.
Expanding Influence Through Collaboration
Recognizing that industry-wide change requires partnership, Shahi broadened its collaborative footprint this year:
Industry Innovation: Shahi co-founded the Fashion Producers Collective, an initiative focused on supplier-led research to drive systemic improvements.
Global Stewardship: The company continued its dedicated work within The Fashion Pact and further solidified its alignment with international governance standards by joining the OECD Advisory Group on Responsible Supply Chains and theCoalition for Reproductive Justice in Business under UNFPA.
As Shahi moves forward, its objective remains to drive people and planet-positive practices that secure long-term value for all stakeholders and establish new performance benchmarks for responsible manufacturing.
New Delhi, October 17, 2025: Shahi Exports today announced a partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) India, formalizing its commitment to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the workplace and its supply chain.
Anant Ahuja, Director ESG & Sustainability at Shahi Exports & CEO and Co-founder at Good Business Lab, and Andrea M. Wojnar, Representative for UNFPA India and Country Director for Bhutan, sealed the commitment at a ceremony held at the UN House in New Delhi.
A Strategic Investment in Workforce Resilience
This partnership marks our formal commitment to integrate sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) into our business policies and practices. It’s a declaration that investing in women’s reproductive health is a smart business decision that boosts workforce resilience, productivity, and gender equality.
The Coalition, a multi-stakeholder platform led by UNFPA, aims to mainstream the SRHR agenda within the private sector globally.
Anant Ahuja commented on the significance of the agreement:
“Joining the Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business is a great moment for us. This MoU reflects a core belief we hold: that the health, dignity, and autonomy of our women employees are fundamental to our success. We are excited to collaborate with UNFPA India to set a new standard for corporate responsibility and advance women across our workforce and the value chain.”
UNFPA on the Role of the Private Sector
The private sector, as one of the world’s largest economic forces, is uniquely positioned to drive positive social change through inclusive policies.
Andrea M. Wojnar highlighted the collaboration:
“The integration of women’s health and rights into corporate strategy is crucial for achieving gender equality and unlocking economic potential. Shahi’s commitment as a champion demonstrates forward-thinking leadership that directly addresses the barriers women face. We look forward to leveraging this partnership to drive measurable impact on critical areas like menstrual health, gender-based violence prevention, and access to comprehensive reproductive health information.”
Key Commitments Under the Partnership
As a champion of the Coalition, Shahi will undertake concrete actions, focusing on:
Policy Advancement: Implementing enhanced, family-friendly policies related to menstrual health, maternity and parental support, and flexible working arrangements.
Health Access: Working towards providing information and access to comprehensive reproductive health services and support.
Gender-Based Violence (GBV): Strengthening workplace mechanisms and zero-tolerance policies to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and harassment.
Measurement: Utilizing the framework to track, report, and continuously improve performance on SRHR indicators within the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting.
Shahi is committed to fostering a supportive, stigma-free environment. The goal is to enable every employee to exercise their right to make autonomous decisions about their bodies and futures.
About Shahi Exports: Shahi is India’s largest apparel manufacturer and exporter. The company operates more than 50 state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities across 8 Indian states. It has a diverse workforce of nearly 100,000 people. Their vertically integrated operations, diversified product range, and strong commitment to ethical operations and environmental sustainability have established Shahi as one of the most preferred garment manufacturers in the world.
About UNFPA India: UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services. UNFPA has been partnering with India for over 50 years, ensuring rights and choices for all and helping build a future where every woman and young person can thrive.
It began, as most great stories do, with a spark and a little bit of mischief.
Mrs. Sarla Ahuja (Didi Ji) often recalls how her younger child was so spirited and full of energy that she decided to start working from home to balance her responsibilities as a mother and a professional. In the 1970s, women’s participation in the economy was largely confined to agriculture and the informal sector. During this time, Mrs. Sarla stepped into the unfamiliar world of exports. It was a time of protectionist policies, and the idea of “working from home” was hardly imagined. She made a choice that was born out of care and necessity. It soon became the first stitch in the fabric of what would grow into one of India’s largest apparel manufacturers, Shahi.
A New Kind of Beginning
The India of 1974 was a time of transition, when women’s voices in business were still rare and often overlooked. Opportunities were limited, but so was the fear of trying.
Sarla Ji’s curiosity, determination, and willingness to think differently laid the foundation for something much larger than herself. It began as a personal venture and soon evolved into a platform for thousands of women to earn a livelihood, gain confidence, and redefine what leadership looks like in the textile industry.
Capturing Five Decades of Purpose
Fifty years later, that spark remains a defining part of us.
To commemorate this extraordinary journey, we are proud to launch ‘The Spark: 50 Years of Shahi’. The book is a visual and emotional chronicle that captures the essence of who we are and how we came to be.
The Spark retraces the beginnings of a small homegrown enterprise and follows its evolution into India’s largest apparel manufacturer. Inside, you get a peek into rare photographs, personal reflections, and memories from the people who built Shahi. It tells the story of a company that has always been shaped by its people. Their skills and ideas drove its success. Their persistence and dedication kept it growing.
The Story of a Generation, and Many More
The pages echo the voices of those who have been part of Shahi for decades. They hold the spirit of people who joined as young trainees and today lead teams of hundreds. Their stories of grit, innovation, and belonging remind us that progress never happens overnight. People build it slowly, stitching it together, one thread, one milestone, one person at a time.
This is more than a record of our history. It is a shared reflection, a chance for each of us, across eight states, to see ourselves in a story larger than our own.
A Book That Belongs to Everyone
The book is, at its heart, a collective memory and a bridge across time, departments, and generations.
Whether you have been part of Shahi for years or just joined, you’ll find the pages peppered with something familiar. They tell a story of perseverance, people, and purpose.
Today, we launch the book as both a tribute and an invitation. It asks us to remember where we began and to carry forward the same spirit and intent that started it all.
Read
‘The Spark’
Every milestone we’ve crossed, every story we’ve lived, and every value we’ve held close have shaped who we are today.
At Shahi, we believe in sharing our experiences and learning with all the stakeholders in the fashion industry and beyond. This is an ongoing post to share insights from our speaking engagements in 2025. Read insights from previous years’ engagements: 2024 | 2023.
18 November | Shaping the Fabric Forum 2025
At the Shaping the Fabric Forum 2025, voices from the factory floor took center stage.
Jyoti and Savitri, a Tailor and a Captain, respectively, in Shahi factories, shared what safe, dignified, and empowering work truly means for women who migrate, build new lives, and rise as leaders. They spoke about leaving home for the first time, supporting their families through illness and lockdowns, and managing studies alongside small jobs to fund their education. Both shared their journey of learning new skills on the job: operating machines, managing teams, and even opening their first bank accounts, while adjusting to a new city, a new language, and hostel life.
Representing Shahi, Chitra Prasad, Senior General Manager, Organizational Development, joined the ‘Women at Work’ panel to reflect on the realities women navigate every day. She highlighted the importance of empowering migrant workers through structured training, counseling, and financial planning. She also advocated creating pathways for career progression and leadership development within organizations. Chitra emphasized that supporting women in leadership, promoting vertical and horizontal mobility, and providing diverse career opportunities strengthen both the individuals and the workplace.
27 October | OECD Inclusive Platform On Due Diligence Policy Co-Operation
The OECD Inclusive Platform on Due Diligence Policy Co-operation held its second meeting on October 27-28, 2025, at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris, focusing on aligning global due diligence legislation and streamlining data exchange across supply chains. Representing the supplier perspective in Plenary 1, Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG & Sustainability at Shahi Exports, advocated for a shift from “risk avoidance” to “joint risk reduction”. During his intervention, he highlighted the growing burden of duplicative reporting and audit fatigue, urging governments to promote policy coherence through the OECD 6-step model and digital interoperability. Ahuja emphasized that for due diligence to drive real-world impact rather than just compliance paperwork, global buyers and regulators must reward transparency and prioritize collaborative remediation over disengagement.
22 October | Global Change Award Summit Stockholm 2025
Anant Ahuja attended the Global Change Award Summit in Stockholm, joining the panel “Inside the Textile Value Chain: How Innovation is Reshaping It.” He shared Shahi’s experience piloting climate-focused innovations across fibres and chemical processes, including next-generation materials and low-impact wet processing technologies, with a focus on scalability and measurable impact.
He highlighted the role of Fashion for Good’s Strategic Supplier Initiative in enabling more structured innovation trials and early collaboration with mill partners. The discussion also addressed challenges in moving from pilot to scale, including delays in commercial adoption, fragmented value chain alignment, and high implementation costs.
Anant emphasized the need for clearer risk-sharing models, stronger brand commitments, and more integrated approaches to accelerate the adoption of innovation across the supply chain.
21 September | New York Climate Week 2025
Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG and Sustainability, joined a session at New York Climate Week, organized by Economic Impact. The discussion brought together global industry voices to explore pressing challenges and opportunities in climate action. Anant contributed perspectives from the supply chain, sharing insights from Shahi’s ongoing efforts to integrate sustainability into manufacturing.
10 September | Launch of CITI’s Improving Transparency for Sustainable Business (ITSB) in India
At the ITSB launch organized by CITI, Mr. Rajneesh Rai, AVP, Environmental Sustainability, joined a panel exploring the role of ESG in transforming India’s textile sector. He emphasized the importance of digital platforms, regular training, and knowledge-sharing to improve factory-level data on water, energy, emissions, and recycling. He also shared that reliable ESG data can support regulatory compliance, enable benchmarking, and inform more strategic sustainability planning. His remarks highlighted that better transparency starts with better tools and capacity for those collecting and using the data.
2 September | 2nd FICCI India Manufacturing Leadership Forum
Anant Ahuja participated in the “Ease of Doing Business for Viksit Bharat” roundtable discussion, focusing on how sustainability fits into India’s manufacturing growth story. He shared Shahi’s perspective on integrating social and environmental metrics into industrial policy. The discussion focused on how transparency, digital infrastructure, and workforce readiness can position India’s manufacturing sector as globally competitive and equitable. Anant emphasized that a future-ready industrial ecosystem must ensure that efficiency is aligned with inclusion and responsibility.
06 August | Brand Supplier Summit
At Tesco’s Brand Supplier Summit, Chitra Prasad, Senior General Manager, Organizational Development, shared how Shahi has built gender equity over the past 15 years. On the “Gender Ambition” panel, she described how the team created safe, inclusive workplaces, increased women’s representation in committees, and strengthened leadership pathways across levels. Drawing on the ‘Responsible For framework’, she explained how Shahi designed systems that move beyond compliance and support long-term change. She emphasized that advancing gender equity means continuously investing in structures that reflect women’s lived experiences and unlock their leadership potential.
29 July | Women in Manufacturing – Lead with Equity Summit
Deepak Rautela, Assistant Vice President, Organizational Development, joined the “Built to Include: Gender Equity in Indian Manufacturing” Panel hosted by Good Business Lab and EquiLead. He shared how Shahi is embedding gender goals into governance through internal policies, ESG assessments, and a culture of accountability. He outlined our ESG monitoring systems, including scoring frameworks to track progress, and explained how they would be utilized. His insights reflected that meaningful equity work relies on strong internal systems that translate commitments into measurable outcomes and ensure continuous improvement.
22 July | Unlocking Investor Action for a Just Transition in India’s Fashion Sector
Gauri Sharma, General Manager, ESG and Innovation, participated in the “Thread to Transformation” panel in New Delhi, hosted by the Impact Investors Council and the Impact Investing Institute. She emphasized the importance of investors collaborating closely with supply chain partners to understand the on-the-ground realities. Her discussion explored how climate finance and circularity strategies must prioritize worker rights, supplier viability, and local economic resilience. The discussion highlighted the importance of designing investment models that support decarbonization while ensuring that no one is left behind.
24 June | Innovation Forum Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference USA
At the Innovation Forum in the US, Anant Ahuja joined the “Supplier Spotlight” session to speak about reimagining supplier relationships. He stressed the importance of long-term partnerships based on shared goals, co-investment, and responsible purchasing practices. Anant brought up ‘pilot fatigue’ and emphasized the need for scalable, context-aware solutions. He highlighted that sustainability in global supply chains can only be achieved when suppliers are treated as strategic partners and included early in the design of any initiative.
17 June | Launch of report on Women’s Advancement by RISE
Chitra Prasad, Senior General Manager, Organizational Development, represented Shahi at the launch of a new report by Reimagining Industry to Support Equity (RISE). The report is titled “Shifting perspectives to accelerate women’s advancement and leadership in the garment, footwear and textiles industry – How international buyers and suppliers can take collaborative action”. Chitra spoke as part of the panel and reflected on why advancing women’s leadership in supply chains is a strategic priority for Shahi. She outlined how Shahi has integrated this focus into its core through initiatives such as Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E., EWASE, and STITCH. She shared how these programs have contributed to measurable business outcomes. This includes higher retention, improved productivity, and increased representation of women in supervisory roles. Drawing on both experience and data, she emphasized the importance of moving beyond transactional approaches. She advocated for shared-risk models that enable long-term investment in equitable and resilient supply chains.
04 June | SXSW London 2025
Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG and Sustainability, participated in the panel “Circular Fashion: Can the Dream Become Reality?” He addressed the realities of scaling circular practices in mass fashion supply chains. He noted that some practices, like water recycling and waste reuse, are already in place. However, material circularity remains limited due to technological maturity, cost, and infrastructure. He also spoke about key barriers to adoption, including the disconnect between R&D and sourcing teams. He emphasized that shifting supplier-buyer relationships from transactional to collaborative is essential.
29 May | Hurun Philanthropy Summit 2025
Anant Ahuja joined a discussion on the panel ‘Philanthropy 3.0 – From Legacy to Leadership in a Digital Age’. It was a cross-sector discussion on how giving is being redefined.
15 May | Apparel Connect 2025
At the 8th edition of Apparel Connect, Sailendra Venkata Banda, General Manager – Logistics at Shahi, joined India’s leading apparel logistics forum. He shared his perspective on strengthening apparel logistics for a global scale. He spoke on a panel hosted by Cargo Connect where he discussed how supply chain resilience, real-time visibility, and technology integration are becoming essential for competitiveness.
15 May | UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Launch
UNFPA brought together companies from across the region at the launch of The Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business. The group discussed how businesses can embed reproductive rights in the workplace. Anant Ahuja was invited to address the gathering virtually. He showcased Shahi’s work towards improving the health and well-being of our workforce and designing tailored interventions for women employees for a better workplace.
05 May | UNFPA & Essity Nordic Roundtable
At the roundtable discussion titled “Business: Mobilizing the Nordic Private Sector for Women’s Health and Rights at Work”, Anant Ahuja spoke about Shahi’s workplace menstrual health initiative, Project Pravah. He explained how the program improves access, availability, and awareness for over 70,000 women workers. He also shared the results of the UNFPA Return-on-Investment Tool, developed with Good Business Lab (GBL). The program led to a 21 percent reduction in absenteeism, with a projected return of $2.90 for every $1 invested. This highlights that investments in well-being can improve work-life and create measurable business value.
The global fashion industry is at a pivotal moment, facing urgent calls for sustainable transformation. Fashion for Good and AltMat have joined forces to launch the Altag® Fibre Club: an innovative initiative designed to fast-track the adoption of next-generation, agri-residue-derived fibres at scale. The club brings together a consortium of forward-thinking supply chain partners to integrate AltMat’s fibres into mainstream production.
The Altag® Fibre Club aims to overcome systemic barriers that hinder the widespread integration of sustainable materials. Challenges include limited production capacity, premium pricing, and fragmented supply chains. The collaborative consortium facilitates seamless integration and provides brands with early access to AltMat’s groundbreaking Altag® fibres. This helps secure supply terms and streamlines processes.
The Altag® Fibre Club partners include: Adalberto, Alok, Arvind, Bhaskar Denim, Jindal Textiles, Maharaja Shree Umaid Mills, Ltd, Positive Materials, Sambandam Spinning Mills Limited, Shahi Exports, Sutlej Textiles, Sweaters India and Industries Limited, and Vrijesh Natural Fibre & Fabrics (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Driving long-term partnerships for change
This initiative marks a significant step forward in our 4-year partnership with AltMat. As a value chain partner, Shahi gains priority access to Altag® yarns. We also play a crucial role in co-developing fabrics with their global network of innovative customers. This collaboration furthers our commitment to fast-track material innovation, enabling it to offer cutting-edge sustainable solutions to brands seeking to reduce their environmental footprint.
The consortium is dedicated to collectively overcoming key adoption barriers, particularly in scalability and cost competitiveness for next-gen materials. The club provides access to sustainable material libraries and aims to distribute costs through shared investment. It, therefore, reduces upfront financial burdens for its members.
We’re excited to leverage our vertically integrated setup to collaborate with brand partners and integrate Altag®’s innovative agri-waste Fibres into scalable textile production.
Three years ago, the Migrant Support Center (MSC) was launched with the goal of providing comprehensive support for migrant workers navigating the challenges of relocating to new cities for work. What began as an initiative focused on easing the transition has since evolved into a cornerstone of worker well-being, scaling across multiple locations and shaping new strategies for workforce development. The MSC was designed based on insights from research conducted with partners like the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS), Good Business Lab (GBL), and H&M.
Today, the success of the Bengaluru MSC has highlighted the importance of providing comprehensive support for migrant workers. Shahi has since expanded the model in Bengaluru to offer services to migrants from Bihar and within Karnataka. Each center follows a scalable approach tailored to meet the specific needs of workers in different regions, ensuring that all workers have access to essential services beyond just their initial placement and housing.
“The centre was built on research and practical experience. It helped us understand what workers need beyond the basics, and we’ve taken those lessons to other regions.”
~Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG & Sustainability at Shahi
The Beginning: Research-Based Solutions to Complex Needs
Migrant workers are likely to face isolation, lack of access to services, and uncertainty in unfamiliar environments. High turnover rates — sometimes exceeding 75% annually in factories — have been traced to the emotional and social difficulties workers face after migrating. This instability has both social and business costs, disrupts productivity, and leads to additional costs for hiring and training.
“I came to Bangalore with one intention, which is to earn enough money for a health procedure that I had to undertake. When one leaves their family to come to a bigger city, it leaves one feeling very uncomfortable,”
~ said Sana, who moved from Bagalkot (a district in the state of Karnataka, India) to Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Evidently, the reality of adjusting to an unfamiliar city without a support network became overwhelming.
Recognizing these challenges, the MSC was designed through deep research and fieldwork, in collaboration with partners like Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS), Sanjeevini – Karnataka State Rural Livelihood Mission, and Bihar State Livelihood Mission (Jeevika).
By understanding workers’ holistic needs — beyond job placement and housing — the MSC created a model that could tackle the root causes of worker attrition and discontent.
A pilot program paired new workers with experienced colleagues to offer social and emotional support during their transition into the workplace. Among 500 workers, this approach led to a 5.3% reduction in depression, a 5.9% decrease in anxiety, and a 12% increase in productivity. The success of this affordable and scalable model helped shape the design of a larger initiative, which integrated structured peer support as a core strategy.
“Our research highlights the lack of social network as an important barrier to female migrant worker well-being and performance at workplace. That insight led to the Buddy System—a program pairing migrant workers with their peers from shared cultural backgrounds to build connection, support, and belonging. This simple, low-cost model improved mental health and boosted productivity, proving that investing in worker well-being isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s good business.”
– Smit Gade, Director, Data and Reseach, Good Business Lab
Additionally, through a collaboration with YourDOST, Shahi provided workers in the MSC access to professional counseling. Between 2023 and 2024, over 3,000 Shahi workers engaged with YourDOST, attending 620 counseling sessions. Major concerns, including self-confidence, work-related stress, and interpersonal conflicts, were addressed through counseling.
Comprehensive Support for Transition and Stability
Fun time at Odisha-Migration and Support center Bangalore
Since 2021, the MSC has played a crucial role in addressing the diverse needs of migrant workers and facilitating their smooth transition into urban life. It has provided essential services, including legal aid, financial literacy workshops, and assistance in obtaining critical identity documents, such as Aadhaar and ration cards. These documents are vital for accessing healthcare, banking, and government services, enabling workers to integrate more effectively into their new environments. During the pandemic, the MSC ensured access to vaccination and maintained a safe working environment, enabling workers to continue their jobs with confidence.
“At the MSC, we live like a big family. If one of us faces any problems, we receive support. We are also taught how to interact with people, how to spend our money, and save it. If we face any health issues too, we are supported just like a family,” adds Sana, describing the role of MSCs in the lives of migrants like her.
What’s Next? Taking Factories to Rural Areas
MSCs have been instrumental in supporting migrant workers. Shahi’s long-term goal is to balance the need for migration by creating job opportunities closer to workers’ homes. In recent years, Shahi has focused on establishing factories in rural and semi-urban areas, allowing workers to remain close to their families while accessing stable employment.
“Our goal is to bring employment opportunities to rural areas by setting up factories. Thisnot only improves access to jobs but also reduces the need for workers to migrate to metropolitan cities.”, says Anant Ahuja.
Conclusion: A Holistic Approach to Worker Well-being
Three years since its inception, the Migrant Support Centers have created a strong foundation for supporting migrant workers as they navigate new environments. What began as an effort to provide training and housing has evolved into a comprehensive system of care that ensures workers are supported in every aspect of their transition to urban life.
“The MSCs have played a crucial role in helping workers succeed. And as we continue to expand, we will build on these insights to ensure that our workers have the resources they need to thrive.”
~Chitra Prasad, Senior General Manager, Organizational Development
As Shahi continues to grow, the MSCs will remain a vital part of the company’s worker well-being strategy, ensuring that migrant workers are supported at work and in life.
