Responsible business can follow ‘profit with principles’, UN roundtable hears

These were the main topics of the roundtable, Apparel sector in India: A strategic case for responsible business conduct, organized by the United Nations in India to highlight the importance of responsible business practices in the textile and apparel industry.

Professor Surya Deva of Macquarie University, an international expert on business and human rights, was the key speaker at the roundtable, highlighting India’s leadership in driving change towards responsible business and the industry’s readiness to comply with national and global regulatory changes.

Representatives from the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), clothing brands including Tata Trent, Reliance Brands, Peppermint, Spykar, Blackberry, Bonsoir, Fritzberg and La Romani and Lacoste, and exporter Matrix Clothing shared their experiences and expertise on driving sustainability in their operations and value chains, as well as challenges related to compliance, especially in the micro small medium enterprise (MSME) sector.

Professor Deva emphasized the need for industry to look at “profits with principles” and the crucial role that businesses play towards their communities, environment and the wider planet. He gave an overview of the changing international regulatory landscape and the impact on Indian businesses, given the interconnectedness of global supply chains.

“I strongly believe that business leadership must adapt to this transformation,” Professor Deva said. “Businesses are here to make profit and if they make profit, they promote human dignity and development. They provide employment and fair wages, contributing to inclusive growth.

But the ‘Business and Human Rights’ agenda cannot be one-size-fits-all. This is where UN agencies in India can support with pathways that help businesses become responsible.”

The textile and apparel industry has a considerable ecological footprint, accounting for 2% to 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, 215 trillion litres of water per year, 9% of annual microplastic to the oceans and $100 billion worth of material losses.

Presenting the industry’s perspective, Rahul Mehta, Chief Mentor, CMAI, told the roundtable said that “there is awareness about sustainability and human rights in businesses, even in small manufacturers. What we need to do is to get the concepts out of seminar rooms and bring them to the real world. It will be difficult and will take time. But we are moving in that direction. We are showing the industry that we can adopt these practices and still stay profitable.”

Sanjay Rastogi of Tata Trent presented the regulatory frameworks followed by the group and made mandatory for their vendors to make their business responsible. He spoke about how Tata has embedded human rights into its business, including the value chain, frameworks and assurance mechanisms.

The roundtable was opened by UN Resident Coordinator in India, Shombi Sharp, who underlined the commitment of UN agencies in India towards mainstreaming sustainability and circularity in the textile industry.

He said: “Responsible business isn’t just a goal – it’s a strategy – for enterprise resilience, value creation and success in an evolving global market. The UN team in India is already engaging significantly with the textile and apparel sectors, but so much more we can do together, with industry stakeholders such as CMAI.”

Mr. Sharp talked about India’s ancient and modern brand in textiles and apparels and how the industry is not only an economic pillar but a soft power of the country. He spotlighted the UN’s long-standing partnership with clothing brands and the Ministry of Textiles as part of Project SU.RE that was launched in 2019.

Project SU.RE or Sustainable Resolution is an initiative of the Ministry of Textiles, Reliance Brands Limited, CMAI and the UN in India. The project represents the Indian apparel industry’s largest voluntary commitment to sustainability. This collaboration not only empowers signatories to transform into sustainable brands, but through sharing of best practices, it seeks to reduce the footprint of the sector, both locally and globally.

Aside from his academic work, Professor Deva is the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development. He is currently visiting India in his personal capacity.

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