Today in Bengaluru, the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) held a ground-breaking capacity-building workshop that focused on important aspects of ethical and sustainable business practices in the textile and clothing industries. Titled “HRDD, CSDDD, and Chemical Compliance Workshop – Bengaluru,” the event sought to equip Indian suppliers to handle the changing regulatory environment, including the Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
The workshop kicked off with an insightful opening by Ms. Chandrima Chatterjee, Secretary General of CITI, who welcomed industry professionals and underscored the growing significance of aligning with global standards to stay competitive. Mr. Rakesh Mehra, Chairman of CITI and Banswara Syntex Ltd., stressed the need for businesses to adapt to emerging regulatory frameworks, highlighting the increasing trend toward integrating responsible practices into business operations worldwide.
The Regional Chairman of CMAI-SR, Shri H.S. Devaprasad, shared his thoughts on the changing due diligence environment and encouraged Indian suppliers to take advantage of these developments in order to maintain their position in the global market. Mr. Venkatesh S, Chief Compliance Officer at Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd., gave practical advice on how to get over obstacles with HRDD frameworks in a session on compliance issues, giving vendors doable answers.
The day’s main topics were the growing significance of the EU market for India’s exports of clothing and textiles. A comprehensive review of the CSDDD and HRDD frameworks was given by experts, who emphasized responsibility, transparency, and the incorporation of environmental sustainability and human rights into corporate operations. In addition to creating difficulties for compliance, these legislative changes offer manufacturers the chance to become more competitive by implementing more environmentally friendly methods.
During the technical session, Ms. Annabel Meurs, Associate Director at Fair Wear Foundation, and Ms. Mousumi Sarangi, Country Manager India & Coordinator of Supplier Engagement, gave detailed explanations of the CSDDD and HRDD frameworks. With a focus on incorporating due diligence procedures into corporate plans, they described how these rules are set to become a global norm.
Although originally relevant to the EU markets, the experts affirmed that these regulations are likely to set a global benchmark in response to the participants’ critical queries regarding their global application. Suppliers were urged to keep themselves updated, learn the lingo used in due diligence, and get ready for a regulatory landscape that will influence international trade in the future.
The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India’s (CMAI) Regional Secretary-South Region, Shri Balaji Rajagopalan, outlined the main conclusions of the workshop in his closing remarks. He reaffirmed how crucial it is for brands, suppliers, and retailers to work together to successfully implement these principles, emphasizing that the sector can only adopt sustainable and ethical business practices by cooperating.
The CITI-organized course has effectively increased awareness and given Indian textile suppliers the skills and information they need to adhere to the EU’s changing legislation, with a focus on incorporating sustainability and human rights into their business operations.
