Insights from Speaking Engagements in 2024 

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 2024. Read insights from previous years’ engagements: 2023, 2022.

4 September | Innovation and Technology Symposium 2024

Anant’s session on ‘Scaling Innovation in Textile Manufacturing’ highlighted Shahi’s collaborative efforts with HKRITA in developing Aborboost- a cellulosic superabsorbent polymer (C-SAP) made from cotton textile waste. This development underscores the need for a closed loop in textile waste management systems that help farmers and the environment. 

30 August | Indian Manufacturing Leadership Forum

The discussions explored actionable steps to advance the Make in India vision. Participants also called for supportive government policies. The event emphasized collaborative efforts essential for building a robust manufacturing ecosystem that boosts India’s global economic standing. 

23 August | Finance Leadership Dialogue 

The dialogue saw an exchange of ideas on ‘Technological Innovation Changing Financial Landscape.’ Several industry leaders came together to discuss the impact of technology in a digital-first era. They explored the shifting nature of a CFO’s role, emphasizing the incorporation of innovation and analytics by the businesses. The dialogue aimed to foster collaboration to address key challenges and identify opportunities in today’s evolving financial landscape. 

5 August | The Good Business Forum: Redesigning the Bottom Line

Shahi participated in ‘The Good Business Forum: Redesigning the Bottom Line’ event organized by Good Business Lab at the Bangalore International Centre. The forum brought together industry leaders and innovators to explore the impact of worker well-being on global competitiveness. 

Anant Ahuja opened the event with a keynote on sustainable practices. Shahi’s involvement extended to two panels. Senior GM Chitra Prasad joined the panel titled ‘Shared value creation requires co-designing with stakeholders’, discussing collaborative designs for behavioral change with peers from RISE and TATA Motors. 

In another panel, ‘Worker voices empower business transformation’, Shahi’s S.R. Divya, Operator, and Shabana Banu, IE Assistant, shared their insights, underscoring the importance of worker voices in the evolution of a business. 

28 June | Stitching Sustainability: Change With Every Thread

Kritika Chauhan, Manager of ESG & Innovations, participated in a panel discussion at the “Stitching Sustainability: Change With Every Thread” event organized by Saahas and GIZ. She spoke about Shahi’s waste management and circular models for textile waste.

Kritika emphasized the importance of R&D, innovation, and embracing recycled materials along with the potential of bringing new technologies to India.

The event focused on sustainable practices in the textile industry, exploring opportunities and charting a path forward. 

27 June | GBL X SLCP | Human Rights Due Diligence: Impacts and Opportunities for Indian Suppliers 

Srinivasa Rao Venkatesh, Chief Compliance Officer, attended a panel discussion on Human Rights Due Diligence: Impacts and Opportunities for Indian Suppliers along with the speakers from GBL, SLCP and Gokaldas Exports. 

The panel emphasized supporting suppliers and understanding their perspectives, highlighting the role of social compliance tools and grievance solutions in meeting requirements and fostering business success. They underscored the transformative impact of effective communication with workers and grievance redressal mechanisms on organizational change and benefits. 

Mr. Rao mentioned transitioning from diversity to convergence to improve due diligence. Shahi established a governance team to oversee worker risk, health, safety, and compliance, leading to the development of Inache, a platform aligned with global standards for worker empowerment. 

14 June | TESCO Supplier Summit 2024

Shahi attended the Tesco Supplier Summit in Bengaluru, where we actively engaged in key panel discussions. Chitra Prasad, Senior General Manager of Organizational Development, shared valuable insights on gender, supply chain, and labor agency management. Additionally, Puja Tickoo, Executive Vice President of the Ladies Speciality Division, discussed Shahi’s commitment to responsible business growth by integrating environmental sustainability into all stages of production.

22 May | Global Fashion Summit 2024 

Our Managing Director and Chairperson, Harish Ahuja, represented Shahi at this year’s Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition, presented by Global Fashion Agenda.

In the panel discussion, ‘Collective Financing Models for Climate,’ he underscored the universal challenge of decarbonization and highlighted the potential learning from other industries to gain valuable insights. He emphasized the necessity of collaborative solutions in the fashion sector, including alignment on decarbonization goals. 

Harish stressed the need for brands and retailers to collectively finance research and innovation to address unsolved challenges, such as renewable energy storage and efficient order placement to prevent overproduction. 

22 May | SLCP Online Training

Venkat Rao, Chief Compliance Officer, participated in the panel ‘The SLCP Process & System’ organized by the Social & Labor Convergence Program. The panel discussed the SLCP process and system, covering topics such as the assessment process, timeline, and how to effectively navigate and maximize the use of the Gateway and Accredited Host platforms.

6 April | ‘Sustainability: Balancing People, Profits, and Planet’ hosted by Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence (SNIoE)

Anant Ahuja, Head of ESG, participated at the Annual Economics Conclave – Iqtisadiyyat’24 hosted by Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence (SNIoE).

In his keynote address on ‘Sustainability: Balancing People, Profits, and Planet,’ he discussed integrating sustainable business practices within manufacturing industries, highlighting the necessity of balancing profitability with responsible operations for the well-being of people and the environment. 

01 March | ‘Traceability Pilots in Indian Cotton Supply Chains: Lessons for Sustainability and Due Diligence’panel by the U.S. Department of Labor

Kritika Chauhan, AM, Communications & Sustainability Innovation participated in a panel ‘Traceability Pilots in Indian Cotton Supply Chains: Lessons for Sustainability and Due Diligence’ organised by the U.S. Department of Labor. 

The panel discussed how technologies can support labor due diligence, with a focus on additive product tracers and isotope testing. Sharing the key learnings from the STREAMS traceability pilots, Kritika shared that as the first mill to implement YESS, Shahi looked forward to exploring complementary technologies and future advancements.

28 February | Masterclass organised by Good Business Lab

Deepak Rautela, Associate Vice President, Training & Organizational Development, spoke at the Masterclass on “Enhancing Business Gains through Worker Communication” organized by Good Business Lab at Bharat Tex 2024.  He was joined by Lavanya Garg, Director, Strategy, Partnership, and People Operations at Good Business Lab, and Renukaprasad B, Senior Manager of GBL Ventures.

He shared insights on the transformative impact of Inache, an anonymous and digital grievance redressal tool, from the use-case experience of Shahi and how it has helped improve worker communication from the shop floor. 

28 February | ‘Redefining Natural Fibers: Collaboration for High-Value Products’ panel at Bharat Tex 2024

Gauri Sharma represented Shahi at a panel discussion on ‘Redefining Natural Fibers: Collaboration for High-Value Products’ at Bharat Tex 2024. She shared, “Innovation in sustainable materials faces hurdles in scaling up due to certification costs and performance expectations. Alongside sustainability, we need to focus on performance and added benefits to the consumer. Supporting innovations emerging in India, especially in the transition from pilot to commercial stage, requires collective efforts from both industry and government.”

28 February | ‘Doing Business in India’ panel organised by Invest India

Anant Ahuja, Head of ESG, participated in a panel ‘Doing Business in India’ organised by Invest India at Bharat Tex 2024. He highlighted the role of manufacturers in advancing sustainability, emphasizing the importance of collaboration across the supply chain to achieve decarbonization, use sustainable materials, and address other key sustainability goals. 

The panel aimed to drive growth and elevate India’s global competitiveness in textiles, making it an attractive destination for investment.

27 February | Vision 2047 in Textiles

Harish Ahuja, Managing Director and Chairperson represented Shahi at a panel titled ‘Vision 2047 in Textiles’ hosted by NITI Aayog at Bharat Tex 2024.
He shared his views on achieving the vision of making India the world’s largest textile hub. He mentioned, “As a roadmap ahead, the Indian textile industry’s primary vision should be to have a systemic approach toward sustainability to boost the global value chain. By focusing on building a robust value chain, enhancing infrastructure, scaling economies, and prioritizing quality, we can reignite India’s growth in textiles, propelling us towards Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance).”

26 February | CXOs Roundtable at Bharat Tex 2024

Shahi participated in an exclusive CXO Roundtable organized by KPMG at the Bharat Tex, which facilitates collaboration with industry peers on strategic initiatives. Harish Ahuja, the Managing Director and Chairperson, represented Shahi at the roundtable. 

The panel discussed the steps India needs to take to reduce reliance on imported raw materials. Other takeaways included focusing on scale, sustainability, and quality to make India a global manufacturing hub for textiles and apparel. He shared, “Through collaborative platforms and a focus on operational efficiency, the textile industry can drive innovation and sustainable growth. Smart automation and cutting-edge technology, empowering women, and accessing global markets are key strategies for success in the sector.”

21 February | OECD – OCDE Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector

Anant Ahuja, represented Shahi at the OECD – Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector. In the panel, ‘More than just paperwork? He highlighted the role of certifications in due diligence as a supplement to compliance with standards, driving improvements, and addressing challenges in the supply chain.

20 February | ‘Mill Conformance with Due Diligence Requirements – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’ at the OECD – OECD Forum

Kritika Chauhan, Assistant Manager, Communications & Sustainability Innovation, was a panelist on ‘Mill Conformance with Due Diligence Requirements – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly ’ by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). She shared Shahi’s experiences in understanding, meeting, and assessing the requirements of the YESS due diligence standards. She also explored strategies to scale due diligence efforts to address potential and actual forced labor risk.

19 February | Moderated Panel Discussion at the OECD – OECD Forum

Anant Ahuja moderated a session by Better Buying Institute at the OECD—OCDE Forum on ‘Empowering suppliers and supporting buyers in using data to accelerate purchasing practices improvements’. The panel discussed obstacles hindering the acceleration of purchasing practices and explored strategies for utilizing BBI data to address these challenges and promote optimal practices for driving change.

The speakers on the panel were Marsha Dickson from Better Buying Institute, Michael Levine from Under Armour, Nikhil Hirdaramani from Hirdaramani Apparel, Pat Noonan from SanMar Corporation, Stanley Szeto from Lever Style, Marc Beckmann from GIZ-FABRIC, and Janet Mensink from SLCP. 

14 February | Supplier Journey with Walmart

Anant Ahuja, spoke at the Walmart Growth Summit 2024 in a panel titled ‘Supplier Journey with Walmart.’ 

He discussed Shahi’s journey with Walmart, highlighting our collaborative efforts. He stated, “Our supplier journey with Walmart spans over three decades. Their commitment to innovation and sustainability drives us to continuously improve, aligning perfectly with our values. By investing in the supply chain, we aim to grow the positive impacts our business can have.”