Tag: Corporate Social Responsibility

Creating Lasting Impact for Community Wellbeing

Driving Sustainability through Social Responsibility

According to the report ‘Our Common Future’ by the World Commission on Environment and Development, responsible corporate activities can lead to more significant sustainable development. The importance of corporate social responsibility and its connection to our core values has grown at Shahi. Strategic planning and incorporation into daily operations form the foundation of our corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Corporate Social Responsibility at Shahi

Through our programs, Shahi ensures the creation of efficient strategies to alleviate societal, environmental, and economic issues. It caters to some of the most vulnerable communities (largely women from low-income backgrounds), children, farmers, and migrant workers. It supports local government authorities and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to build communities for the better. With over 22,867 beneficiaries benefitted, Shahi has progressed towards making its CSR approach more resourceful, ethical, and sustainable.

The Potential for Lasting Impact

The Government of India’s Census Data states that India has a population of 1.38 billion people, 67% of whom live in rural areas, most of which lack infrastructure and essential services. In this light, CSR has the power to change, alleviate, and even eliminate many common challenges faced by communities in India. CSR works to address the needs and aspirations of communities by building commitment to the development and upliftment of communities.

In the India Philanthropy Report 2022, Poverty Alleviation, Healthcare & WASH, Education & Skills, and Rural Development emerged as the highlighted theme areas that account for 70% of India’s overall CSR budget. Compliant and accountable CSR has ensured that rural development and other facets of our society have made considerable strides in the right direction.

Our Engagement this Past Year

In the past year, Shahi has undertaken a variety of projects in the areas of Environmental Protection, The Welfare of Migrants, Health, Education and School Infrastructure, Covid Support along with Rural Development.

Environmental Protection

Environmental sustainability at Shahi is committed to the responsible use of natural resources and environmental protection.

Shahi has conducted a tree plantation drive with Give Me Trees Trust (GMTT) to increase green cover and improve local air quality. GMTT is India’s largest community-based voluntary tree planting and conservation movement in India. The environmental charity strongly believes in planting native species of trees (like Peepal, Neem, Pilkhan, and more) as they are the most beneficial trees suited for the environment and provide additional medicinal benefits.

Shahi has partnered with GMTT to plant trees on barren land in Delhi and convert it into a dense forest. The plantation drive is based on the Miyawaki Method, involving planting two trees per square meter to make a biodiversity hotspot in the city.

Shahi partnered with Saahas on the Sada Suchittva Arekere Program, within which Shahi established a sustainable Solid Waste Management (SWM) model in an identified area near Arekere Lake Bengaluru to reduce dumping waste into the lake. This initiative aligns with the Clean India Campaign’s goal to build a cleaner and healthier environment for local communities.

Shahi further partnered with Tanga Charitable Trust to launch the Biomass Sustainability Project. The program provided livelihood opportunities and extra income to local farmers in the Raichur region for farm waste collection. This effort prevents stubble burning and reduces carbon emissions in the region by extracting and converting crop residue into biomass.

The Welfare of Migrant Workers

At Shahi, we recognize the challenges faced by migrant workers when relocating to new urban environments. Shahi joined hands with Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) to launch the Migrant Support Center.

With 900 registered migrants, this initiative intends to provide migrant workers with social, informational, functional, and psychological support and services to promote their integration into new urban surroundings.

Health

The Swasth Parivaar Project is a health intervention program for the vulnerable population of the Peenya Region in Bangalore, Karnataka. Under this project, Shahi jointly worked with the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) to set up a satellite clinic to provide preventive and curative services for sexual and reproductive health.

The services include Family planning (Intrauterine devices, injectable and oral hormonal contraceptives, male and female condoms, emergency contraception), Maternal and child health services (Antenatal and postnatal care, treatment of minor illness and immunization), Prevention and management of sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections including HIV.

Shahi also launched the Menstrual Health Project to improve knowledge of menstrual hygiene management and promote access and acceptance of menstrual cups as safe sanitary products. In collaboration with Kamakshi Trust and Shakti (Rare Enterprises), the project trained over 1,698 women on menstrual health management and distributed menstrual cups. Over 68% of these women accepted using the menstrual cups provided. Overall, the project created menstrual health awareness for 2,750 migrant women in Karnataka.

Further, Shahi, along with Save the Children, India (Bal Raksha Bharath), launched the program ‘Improving Maternal, Child Health, and Nutrition Services’ (MCHN) in Bengaluru (urban and rural), and districts of Hassan, Tumkur, Maddur, and Kolar in Karnataka. The focus is on providing quality maternal, child health, and nutrition care in Anganwadi and primary health centers in the targeted regions.

This capacity-building program allows accountability and engagement of local governments and communities to improve the use and quality of MCHN services. It addresses issues between pregnancy and a child’s second birthday, as this 1000-day period is a critical time to impact a child’s cognitive and physical development positively.

Education & School Infrastructure Improvement

Shahi launched the STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning project in association with STEM Learning Pvt. Ltd and Kamakshi Trust. Under this initiative, 5 mini science centers have been established in schools for 8th-10th grade students, and 180 modules have been provided for teacher training in science, engineering, technology, and math. The project also supports children in preparing for state and national level exhibition competitive programs.

With Janodaya Trust, a social service organization working on social and community development, we provided free coaching classes and counseling sessions for 10th-standard students from economically weaker sections, including dropouts and failed students. More than 462 students have enrolled in the coaching program. Further, the school infrastructure development fund was utilized to construct toilet and water filter facilities, along with the provision of school bags and smart tablets for students.

[vcex_spacing size=”20px”]Covid Support

At the peak of the pandemic, Shahi provided oxygen cylinders, beds, medicines, and first-aid boxes to primary health care centers and government hospitals in the regions of Kuppam, Mysore, and Hassan.

Many migrant workers were able to comfortably stay in Shahi’s residence halls during the first lockdown. Shahi provided food, sanitizers, masks, and round-the-clock medical assistance from Janodaya. Shahi distributed covid relief kits to front-line workers, including nurses, the local police force, and residents, to help maintain social distance. A ‘Doctor on Call’ program was also set up to curb misinformation and provide counseling for symptoms.

Rural Development

Shahi built infrastructural development in rural Karnataka by creating bus shelters in the rural areas of Maddur and Tumkur. Further WASH facilities, infrastructural development, and painting of government schools and Solar Street Lights were provided at Bydagi, Hassan, and Maddur in Shivamogga.

The Next Step

As a forward-thinking organization, we are proud of the community and environment-driven initiatives we have led so far. As we progress, we shall strive for our CSR efforts to be pertinent locally and nationally and guided by the principles of sustainable development. We are keen to scale our initiatives through like-minded collaboration.

Read Shahi’s CSR Policy-2022-23
vulnerable communities (largely women from low-income backgrounds), children, farmers, and migrant workers. It supports local government authorities and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to build communities for the better. With over 22,867 beneficiaries benefitted, Shahi has progressed towards making its CSR approach more resourceful, ethical, and sustainable.

The Potential for Lasting Impact

The Government of India’s Census Data states that India has a population of 1.38 billion people, 67% of whom live in rural areas, most of which lack infrastructure and essential services. In this light, CSR has the power to change, alleviate, and even eliminate many common challenges faced by communities in India. CSR works to address the needs and aspirations of communities by building commitment to the development and upliftment of communities.

In the India Philanthropy Report 2022, Poverty Alleviation, Healthcare & WASH, Education & Skills, and Rural Development emerged as the highlighted theme areas that account for 70% of India’s overall CSR budget. Compliant and accountable CSR has ensured that rural development and other facets of our society have made considerable strides in the right direction.

Our Engagement this Past Year

In the past year, Shahi has undertaken a variety of projects in the areas of Environmental Protection, The Welfare of Migrants, Health, Education and School Infrastructure, Covid Support along with Rural Development.

Environmental Protection

Environmental sustainability at Shahi is committed to the responsible use of natural resources and environmental protection.

Shahi has conducted a tree plantation drive with Give Me Trees Trust (GMTT) to increase green cover and improve local air quality. GMTT is India’s largest community-based voluntary tree planting and conservation movement in India. The environmental charity strongly believes in planting native species of trees (like Peepal, Neem, Pilkhan, and more) as they are the most beneficial trees suited for the environment and provide additional medicinal benefits.

Shahi has partnered with GMTT to plant trees on barren land in Delhi and convert it into a dense forest. The plantation drive is based on the Miyawaki Method, involving planting two trees per square meter to make a biodiversity hotspot in the city.

Shahi partnered with Saahas on the Sada Suchittva Arekere Program, within which Shahi established a sustainable Solid Waste Management (SWM) model in an identified area near Arekere Lake Bengaluru to reduce dumping waste into the lake. This initiative aligns with the Clean India Campaign’s goal to build a cleaner and healthier environment for local communities.

Shahi further partnered with Tanga Charitable Trust to launch the Biomass Sustainability Project. The program provided livelihood opportunities and extra income to local farmers in the Raichur region for farm waste collection. This effort prevents stubble burning and reduces carbon emissions in the region by extracting and converting crop residue into biomass.

The Welfare of Migrant Workers

At Shahi, we recognize the challenges faced by migrant workers when relocating to new urban environments. Shahi joined hands with Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) to launch the Migrant Support Center.

With 900 registered migrants, this initiative intends to provide migrant workers with social, informational, functional, and psychological support and services to promote their integration into new urban surroundings.

Health

The Swasth Parivaar Project is a health intervention program for the vulnerable population of the Peenya Region in Bangalore, Karnataka. Under this project, Shahi jointly worked with the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) to set up a satellite clinic to provide preventive and curative services for sexual and reproductive health.

The services include Family planning (Intrauterine devices, injectable and oral hormonal contraceptives, male and female condoms, emergency contraception), Maternal and child health services (Antenatal and postnatal care, treatment of minor illness and immunization), Prevention and management of sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections including HIV.

Shahi also launched the Menstrual Health Project to improve knowledge of menstrual hygiene management and promote access and acceptance of menstrual cups as safe sanitary products. In collaboration with Kamakshi Trust and Shakti (Rare Enterprises), the project trained over 1,698 women on menstrual health management and distributed menstrual cups. Over 68% of these women accepted using the menstrual cups provided. Overall, the project created menstrual health awareness for 2,750 migrant women in Karnataka.

Further, Shahi, along with Save the Children, India (Bal Raksha Bharath), launched the program ‘Improving Maternal, Child Health, and Nutrition Services’ (MCHN) in Bengaluru (urban and rural), and districts of Hassan, Tumkur, Maddur, and Kolar in Karnataka. The focus is on providing quality maternal, child health, and nutrition care in Anganwadi and primary health centers in the targeted regions.

This capacity-building program allows accountability and engagement of local governments and communities to improve the use and quality of MCHN services. It addresses issues between pregnancy and a child’s second birthday, as this 1000-day period is a critical time to impact a child’s cognitive and physical development positively.

Education & School Infrastructure Improvement

Shahi launched the STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning project in association with STEM Learning Pvt. Ltd and Kamakshi Trust. Under this initiative, 5 mini science centers have been established in schools for 8th-10th grade students, and 180 modules have been provided for teacher training in science, engineering, technology, and math. The project also supports children in preparing for state and national level exhibition competitive programs.

With Janodaya Trust, a social service organization working on social and community development, we provided free coaching classes and counseling sessions for 10th-standard students from economically weaker sections, including dropouts and failed students. More than 462 students have enrolled in the coaching program. Further, the school infrastructure development fund was utilized to construct toilet and water filter facilities, along with the provision of school bags and smart tablets for students.

[vcex_spacing size=”20px”]Covid Support

At the peak of the pandemic, Shahi provided oxygen cylinders, beds, medicines, and first-aid boxes to primary health care centers and government hospitals in the regions of Kuppam, Mysore, and Hassan.

Many migrant workers were able to comfortably stay in Shahi’s residence halls during the first lockdown. Shahi provided food, sanitizers, masks, and round-the-clock medical assistance from Janodaya. Shahi distributed covid relief kits to front-line workers, including nurses, the local police force, and residents, to help maintain social distance. A ‘Doctor on Call’ program was also set up to curb misinformation and provide counseling for symptoms.

Rural Development

Shahi built infrastructural development in rural Karnataka by creating bus shelters in the rural areas of Maddur and Tumkur. Further WASH facilities, infrastructural development, and painting of government schools and Solar Street Lights were provided at Bydagi, Hassan, and Maddur in Shivamogga.

The Next Step

As a forward-thinking organization, we are proud of the community and environment-driven initiatives we have led so far. As we progress, we shall strive for our CSR efforts to be pertinent locally and nationally and guided by the principles of sustainable development. We are keen to scale our initiatives through like-minded collaboration.

Read Shahi’s CSR Policy-2022-23

September 27, 2022
How Shahi created a first-of-its-kind circular dress
Inspired by nature, held by three pillars: innovation, design, and chemistry.

Does waste equal food? In the pre-industrialized economy, products had a natural biological cycle where the inputs naturally decomposed and served as nutrients for the planet. Products made out of metal were refurbished to make new ones. All the inputs derived from Earth ideally should go back to it. But, today, does waste still equal food for the planet? How do we envision growth in today’s world while prioritizing the environment? Is there a way we can manufacture products aligning with the growing population and their lifestyle choices without harming the environment, in fact, by nurturing it?

On asking a few people about what Cradle to Cradle is, I received a myriad of answers. Someone said it is probably a place where a baby sleeps. Some others hit it a little closer: a process for people to know how a product is truly made; a benchmark for sustainable products; and a design philosophy that genuinely outlines the lifecycle of a product focusing on the recycling mechanisms.

Anant Ahuja, Head of Organizational Development at Shahi, says,

“Cradle to Cradle represents a way to make products that are in tune with nature and manufactured sustainably. The resources that are required to manufacture must be replenished and extracted ethically. You can imagine a world where we can produce as much as we want, and the reason we can do it is due to the positive impact and the life cycle of the product. We turn the waste into fuel.”

The Concept

Cradle to Cradle is a revolutionary design concept integrating two distinct fields — design and science to achieve a high level of sustainability. By focusing on doing ‘more good than less bad,’ Cradle to Cradle Certified® products create a positive ecological impact rather than simply minimizing their environmental footprint. The goal is not just to substitute harmful chemicals and other raw materials with more sustainable alternatives but also to rethink the lifecycle of products — from design to disintegration. The emphasis is on increasing durability. Once disintegrated, the value of the materials used in production is not lost but rather preserved and brought back to the loop.

Cradle-to-Grave vs Cradle-to-Cradle

Every raw material used counts. Each material holds immense value and should not end in a grave.

Five different aspects measure the holistic development of a Cradle to Cradle Certified® product: material health and re-utilization, renewable energy, carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness. Each of these is given an achievement level based on the guidelines ranging from Bronze to Platinum. The products based on these principles can range from buildings and construction materials to cosmetics and textiles.

‘Arth,’ what does it mean?

In late 2018, Shahi was presented with an opportunity to become India’s first woven apparel and textiles manufacturer to create Cradle to Cradle Certified® products with our ‘Arth’ collection in partnership with C&A.

Arth symbolizes our responsibility towards the planet in a quest to find meaning behind ‘doing more good than less bad.’ Shahi received the Gold achievement level owing to its holistic performance on the parameters set by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. Everything that comes from the Earth must return to it.

“The concept of Cradle to Cradle presents an opportunity to present our commitment towards circularity: everything that we utilize goes back safely to the environment. It was a pioneering step to add such product manufacturing capability to our organization. The dress (product) has motivated us to explore better raw materials and technologies; as it is also backed by a continuous improvement principle along with zero environmental impact and elimination of waste generation concept. We hope that we continue to work on exciting and innovative projects such as this one with our other stakeholders.”

– Rajneesh Rai, General Manager, Environmental Sustainability and Laboratory.

In this article, we share our learnings, insights, and the benefits, and opportunities for building our first Cradle to Cradle Certified® product by looking at the overall product development, materials, resources, social fairness, and the way forward.

Rethinking product development

Our product’s design and production processes are based on a circular economy model. At the end of its lifecycle, a Cradle to Cradle Certified® product is returned to the biosphere either as compost or reprocessed to make new products. Here is how we took on the opportunity to change our production pattern for this collection.

Design

Designing a Cradle to Cradle Certified® product demands many resources, dedication, perseverance, and openness to explore new areas. It took us more than 18 months from the inception of the product to deliver to our brand partner C&A. This period also includes the certification process for our facilities. The process has been significantly different from any other product we have manufactured. The changes in the processes also made us appreciate the speed of adaptation and the appetite for innovation at Shahi.

When we started designing the product from scratch, our progress was slow due to the lack of knowledge and resources available, coupled with the nationwide lockdown in early 2020. We began with a series of questions on which resources and techniques can be used in a Cradle to Cradle Certified® dress. They revolved around printing over the product, label of the garment, and use of Cradle to Cradle Certified® raw materials such as buttons and thread. The journey was made more accessible and collaborative with active involvement from C&A and the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

The Arth collection sports a relaxed mid-length dress with buttons made from natural coconut, which breaks down with a biological cycle. The dress made us go back to the basics of designing. The boundaries put on using certain chemicals, dyes, and trimmings helped us become more innovative in constructing the Cradle to Cradle Certified® dress.

The ideation process required us to extend our imagination beyond the aesthetics of the design. We emphasize how easily the product can be disintegrated and put back in the cycle without losing any value. Keeping in mind the core principle of Cradle to Cradle Certified®, the focus has been to balance the dress’s design and durability. For this reason, the dress has a clean finish with minimum accessories.

Sona Mishra, the designer who developed the dress, says, “To make a Cradle to Cradle Certified® product, you must go back to your basics: silhouettes, minimal accessorization, and use of Cradle to Cradle Certified® raw materials, dyes, and auxiliaries. We were really able to bring out the essence of a truly circular product with this process.”

Material

The fabric was made at our state-of-the-art Woven Processing Division (WPD) in Shimoga using 100% Global Organic Textile Standard certified organic cotton. More than 96% of this cotton is rapidly renewable, and 86% of the water used in the fabric processing was recycled. The finished products are 100% carbon neutral and recyclable. The brand tag on the products was designed in-house using recyclable materials and procured from a verified vendor.

The Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard lists restricted chemicals to avoid while manufacturing the products. An official Restricted Substance List indicates the maximum concentration of each restricted substance allowed in the products.

The material health and re-utilization category ensure that Cradle to Cradle Certified® products uses chemicals that are:
- Safe for society and the planet.
- It can be further recycled or bio-degraded through biological and technical cycles.
To avoid contamination with other chemicals, we diligently cleaned all the machines and equipment to be used to produce the

Machines were clearly marked and cleaned out for the Arth Collection

Arth collection. The production lines were separated and clearly marked for Cradle to Cradle Certified® production. We used alternative chemicals accepted under the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute guidelines.

Making a Cradle to Cradle Certified® product definitely demands more investment in raw materials. The key is to find the right blend that synchronizes together. Due to limitations in using chemicals for dyeing, we went ahead with two basic shades for the fabric: Black and Henna. evaluated the Material Health Certificate for products that adhere to restricted substances.

The material chemistry was independently assessed by MBDC Laboratory, USA on restricted substances and impacts on human health and the environment.

Our product developers, designers, and the environment team spent several months inventorying, assessing, and optimizing the material chemistry to achieve the platinum standard on material health and material re-utilization category. A platinum standard implies a material re-utilization score of 100, and the product is actively being recovered by a technical or biological mechanism.

The Footprint

The Cradle to Cradle design principle ensures that the products utilize renewable energy to minimize the release of greenhouse gasses along with efficient use of water during manufacturing. Shahi achieved the gold standard under Renewable Energy and Carbon Management and the platinum standard under Water Stewardship.

A significant factor in achieving this standard has been the state-of-art machinery available at the Wovens Processing Division that optimizes resource consumption throughout the entire process. The garments were made in two units (Unit 9 and 28) that successfully qualified the environmental and social requirements as laid down by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

Energy

The Wovens Processing Division facility in Shimoga runs on the power produced by our solar grid in Bellary, allowing us access to 96% renewable energy during the production process.

Water
The fabric was made in our processing mill, a Zero Liquid Discharge Facility.

Carbon Emissions

Cradle to Cradle certification, in many ways, is a step towards transparency. Accounting for the entire production process to make an authentic carbon neutral product, we purchased carbon credits to balance out the emissions for our boiler and garmenting units which now operate on renewable energy.

Labor and Social Fairness

Our factories run several technical and soft skill training programs to support our workers.

At Shahi, worker wellbeing is of utmost importance. Worker wellbeing focuses not just on providing a safe and healthy environment but also on creating opportunities for their growth. Shahi was the first manufacturer to co-create and pilot Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E. program. Inspired by the immense power of the program, Shahi co-developed STITCH with Good Business Lab to enhance the core competencies and capacities of the supervisor to manage their key roles effectively. Our homegrown tool, Inache, is another example of our commitment to ensuring a healthy work environment by enabling workers’ voices. Inache is an anonymous two-way communication platform where workers can call or send an SMS about their complaints, grievances, suggestions, or questions. It goes to a central dashboard and then to the designated factory staff for response and resolution. It assists us in continuously monitoring and improving the grievance redressal system that facilitates transparency and a connection between the management and the workers.

These initiatives contributed to our achievement of the gold standard in the social fairness category.

Fair working conditions and respectful treatment of workers go hand in hand with any sustainable and circular venture. The Cradle to Cradle 4.0’s social fairness standards has emphasized ensuring a safe and conducive work environment. The broader focus areas include sound infrastructural arrangements, community engagements, and career growth. These parameters encourage responsible business practices and strong ethics across all stakeholders involved in the supply chain. Social fairness is analyzed under five distinct parameters: Management, Human Rights, Labor, Environment, and Anti-corruption at the facilities.

Building sustained relationships

C&A’s support and eagerness to collaborate in creating this collection revealed how important the role of brands as strategic partners in this effort to transition into a circular economy is. The Global Sourcing and Sustainability team at C&A said,

“Shahi continues to be a steadfast strategic partner for C&A and a driving force for innovation across the global fashion supply chain. When we began bringing Cradle to Cradle Certified® products to market, it was clear that Shahi would be a key partner in scaling Cradle to Cradle across categories. For a product and supply chain to become Cradle to Cradle Certified®, it takes an incredible amount of detail and commitment. However, it takes supply chain partners with a deep understanding of sustainability, innovation, and their importance to customers, brands, and suppliers. Shahi is a leading supplier in this regard, and we are deeply grateful for their continued partnership in driving circular innovation. We look forward to working together to drive to Cradle Certified® innovations and other ground-breaking sustainability initiatives forward.”

Shahi possesses the flexibility to direct resources in testing and refining sustainable and circular products. This allows for a co-creative space for research-based collaboration between brands and suppliers that holds the potential to drive change in the apparel and textiles industry.

Doing more good than less harm

The Arth collection has provided us with lots of learnings. The most crucial is that developing circular products at scale is possible. The need of the hour, is to encourage more conversations and awareness around Cradle to Cradle Certified® products. The demand for such a product must be established from a strategic point of view to build a circular economy collaboratively. Brands and customers form an essential part of driving this demand.

Shahi is looking forward to working with more and more brands on Cradle to Cradle Certified® products and getting closer to bettering our environment and production methods with each step. Its design principles enable a supplier like us to create products while nurturing the planet— doing more good than less harm. With our certified mill, we hope to collaborate with more and more sustainability-driven brands to create products that preserve their value.

Our journey towards a sustainable supply chain does not end here. We have been spearheading textile and garment innovation in India with projects like growing cotton with Superabsorbent Polymer (SAP) in partnership with HKRITA and recycling pre-consumer cotton waste with Usha Yarns, among others.

For business inquiries on Cradle to Cradle Certified® products, please contact: od@shahi.co.in
March 29, 2022
Corporate Social Responsibility at Shahi Exports
A background on CSR in India

In 2013, India became the first country in the world to legally mandate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with the introduction of Section 135 of the Indian Companies Act, 2013. CSR was introduced to make businesses pay more attention to ways they can positively impact society and the environment. The law requires companies with a certain turnover and profitability to spend 2% of their average net profit for the past three years on CSR. The CSR budget can be invested in specified areas such as promoting education, eradicating hunger, promoting gender equality, and environmental sustainability. Due to its mandatory nature, the CSR regime in India has the potential to greatly support more capital infusion into the social and environmental sector, thus supporting the country in achieving national and global development goals. However some have criticized this mandate, claiming that CSR must be voluntary or else it is effectively a corporate tax. Nonetheless, eight years since it was first introduced, the CSR mandate remains in place and has been further fine tuned and optimized to ensure companies invest in positive impact.

Focusing on COVID-19 relief in 2021

One of the ways the CSR mandate has been updated is to encourage companies to support their communities through the COVID-19 pandemic. India is currently recovering from a devastating second wave of COVID-19, as the spread continues to have a damaging impact on the health and livelihoods of millions of people across the country. At Shahi, we are leveraging our CSR funds to support our communities by providing ration kits to migrant workers infected with COVID-19 through our Migration Support Center (MSC), donating medical equipment to local hospitals, and other community relief activities based on needs assessments.

Shahi’s approach to CSR

Shahi was established in 1974 by a visionary female entrepreneur Mrs. Sarla Ahuja who started her journey as a sewing machine operator in a local apparel factory in New Delhi. For over 45 years now, we have been serving the communities in which we operate with a special focus on the employment and empowerment of women from low-income backgrounds. Working within the Government guidelines on CSR, our initiatives are guided by the following core commitments:
- To contribute to social, economic, and environmental development initiatives in the communities in which we operate and the society at large
- To ensure all CSR initiatives undertaken by us have a long-term sustainable and positive impact on marginalized populations
Our initiatives are based on needs assessment and consultation with communities and local governments. We implement our initiatives directly through our internal teams and also partner with expert organizations, specialized non-government organizations, and local implementation agencies.

Our CSR policy has been recently revised as per the provisions of the January 2021 amendment in the Companies Act. This amendment lays greater emphasis on compliance with the law and deeper involvement of businesses in CSR initiatives. Our policy includes the scope and applicability of our CSR initiatives, governance structure, guiding principles of selection, implementation, and monitoring, and expenditure, along with a detailed Annual Action Plan for all the projects undertaken by the company.
Read Shahi’s CSR Policy 2021-22
Our CSR focus areas

Based on the need assessment, we have identified the following focus areas to implement our CSR initiatives:

Education – Good school infrastructure improves the quality of education and the experiences of school learning. We support education in Government schools by focused interventions on infrastructure development, provision for drinking water and sanitation, and repair and renovation of school buildings. Also support undergraduate scholarship programs for students from low-income backgrounds.

“We are thankful to Shahi Exports for providing desks, benches, and sports equipment to our school. Our students are happy with comfortable sitting arrangements, and they are really enjoying their Physical Education classes with new equipment. Many new learning opportunities will also come up with a beautifully created Science Lab under Shahi’s CSR initiatives for our students from Grade 3 to 10.” Mr. Shivappa, Head Master, Government Primary School, Hootagali, Mysore, Karnataka

Community infrastructure – We support community infrastructure development such as public toilets, and bus shelters, etc. As road safety is crucial to saving lives and preventing injuries, our initiatives also focus on tilling roads, construction of skywalks, provision of traffic safety equipment such as barricades, and construction of bus shelters, etc.

Drinking Water – Water is a fundamental human need, yet many people lack access to safe drinking water leading to several water-related ailments. Understanding this need, we provide RO water filtration plants, water coolers, and storage tanks at public places, migrant worker hostels, police stations, and government dispensaries.

The welfare of migrant workers – Migrant workers in urban areas face several challenges. We have partnered with Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society to implement a Migration Support Center project in Bengaluru, Karnataka. H&M and Good Business Lab have extended their support as design partners on this project which aims to support migrant workers with psychological, social, and informational services to help them settle in new urban environments.

Environmental protection – We strive to grow our business whilst reducing the environmental impacts of our operations. Under this focus area, we prioritize efforts such as tree plantation and spreading environmental awareness.

Health – Women from low-income backgrounds often lack access to basic health information and services that affect their overall wellbeing. In partnership with not-for-profit organizations such as Good Business Lab, Family Planning Association of India, Samwada, and Basic Needs India, our community health interventions focus on providing women’s health information and services, including sexual and reproductive health, and psychological wellbeing services.

Supporting Research and Development Projects – Through collaboration with academic institutions such as the National Institute of Fashion Technology and not-for-profit organizations such as Good Business Lab, we support research on technology development under Industry 4.0 and the wellbeing of low-income workers in labor-intensive industries.

The way forward

As a responsible and progressive organization, we will continue to strategically develop our CSR initiatives to benefit the community and the environment. We are open to collaboration with like-minded organizations to scale up our initiatives and add new projects to scale impact.

“ As a leading apparel exporter, our core principles of sustainable business will continue to drive us. Along with exporting apparel, we also intend to export our learnings and ideas from our work in CSR.” Anant Ahuja, Head – Organizational Development, and CSR Committee Member, Shahi Exports
Read Shahi’s CSR Policy 2021-22

For more information and collaboration on CSR initiatives, you can reach out to us at od@shahi.co.in
June 2, 2021