Headed towards Workplace Equity

A Business Woman Bringing the Desired Change in Women Empowerment, Suchita is leading the largest vertically integrated textile manufacturing company of the country and paving a way for other women to shine as an entrepreneur. A pioneer of increasing gender diversity in the workplace, she has spent more than two decades of her life nurturing this great institution while challenging the stereotypical beliefs of gender roles.

Women empowerment is a topic close to Ms Jain’s heart and a focus area for Vardhman not only in its CSR endeavours but also in Human resource management. With over 35% of its workforce comprising of female employees, the organization is an epitome of inclusive management practices and has been recently awarded by TEXPROCIL for generating the highest women employment.

Inclusive and Holistic Growth

As a trailblazer and a trendsetter, Ms Jain advocates equal opportunities for all and suggests that it is a responsibility of women in power to support their sisters and daughters.

Vardhman is one of the few organizations which are taking the task of women empowerment seriously. The credit goes to the dynamic leader who has directed her teams to bring in more women to the mainstream economy.

“Many of the women associated with us have left the sheltered village life for the first time. They, as also their guardians had several apprehensions that needed to be addressed. Our teams have visited the villages, counselled village elders, offered trips to our facilities and assured them of the work environment and safety norms in place” tells Suchita.

The organization has 14 residential facilities accommodating over 3000 female workers, wherein a healthy and active lifestyle is provided. From nutritive food to sessions on training & development, several initiatives are taken to help transform these young girls into skilled and confident breadwinners. Such is the recognition of workplace safety that families of women find Vardhman to be the most suitable place to work. This confidence has been developed by a plurality of reasons, most prominent of which is the thrust on people development.

With a pinch of pride, happiness and contentment Suchita tells that with the right guidance and support, many women workers have changed their lives for better. Some have freed their families of debt, others are supporting the education of their siblings while some are saving for their marriage. They have even overcome the limitation of formal education and won awards at national and international platforms.

A peculiar aspect of Vardhman Textiles is that the women workers residing in the factory premises have been working in night shifts. Such is the emphasis on empowerment and providing equal opportunities that the organization requested the Government of Punjab to allow women to work in night shifts. Similar permission was then granted by the Governments of Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The organization left no stone unturned to ensure the safety of women so they could comfortably work in all three shifts. From appointing additional female officers to female security guards, the company revamped the infrastructure to support women workers.

Beyond the training and professional aspects, Vardhman, from time to time organizes health check-up camps and awareness sessions for the employees. A recent example is the mass vaccination drive carried out by the Group with the aim to inoculate all employees and their family members. Vardhman Textiles has also supported the nation during the pandemic through its CSR initiatives which included developing covid care centres, providing financial aid, medical equipment, PPE kits, etc. A progressive business leader, Suchita is propelling development in every dimension through her goal-oriented and sustainable approach.

Dynamic & Progressive Leadership

With education from some of the most premier institutes across the globe, Suchita is a champion of modernization and technological advancement. A doting mother and a woman of grit, she rightfully deserves to be called a Textile Magnate. Under her aegis, Vardhman has evolved as a technologically supreme textile giant with all of its units equipped with the most advanced technology from the global leaders. Vardhman aims not only to meet customer expectations by following the trends, rather is committed to exceeding the expectations by anticipating changes before they actually happen.

Few avenues the Group has strengthened very particularly include standardization, digitalization, R&D, product development and quick adaptability. With a customer-centric approach and a strong urge to improve customer experience, the organization keeps evolving in every sphere of the business.

The textile giant not only has an unparalleled product basket but is providing the customers with the freedom to customize at any stage of production. Being vertically integrated, the group has a robust supply chain that supports adapting to change at any stage. Furthermore, the textile conglomerate has integrated digitalization to its advantage.

“We have digital presentations for showcasing product backed by a specially designed video-conferencing set-up with high precision camera system capable of displaying minute details of the fabric to the viewer. We are also utilizing software like CLO wherein through graphical representation, products can be displayed in their final/finished form i.e. as a garment adorned by an animated model. Complementing the above is our portal which brings accessibility and appeal together. Our entire range is available at the convenience of a few clicks for the customers” tells Suchita.

Her dynamism reflects in the approach she works with, which is grounded in the wisdom acquired from her father Shri S P Oswal – a Padam Bhushan Awardee and at the same time is fuelled by her passion to deliver nothing but excellence.

Road Ahead

To make the workplace environment more conducive for the growth of employees, Suchita has launched a drive called Respect for all. Initiated in all the units of Vardhman Textiles, the drive reinforces the value-culture in the organization. The campaign, at the same time, is another step towards women empowerment by sending a reminder across the people that everyone is to be treated with respect and as per the organization’s code of conduct, irrespective of their gender, designation or skill set.

Ms Jain’s progressive outlook and far-sightedness reflect in her approach of aligning the people with organizational goals. The journey has just commenced as she is committed to taking the organization to newer heights, continuing to deliver the promise of excellence at every front.