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ALOK INDUSTRIES LIMITED
It is India's largest fully integrated textile company with a dominant presence in the Cotton and Polyester segments. Alok was established in 1986 as a private limited company, withtheir first polyester texturising plant being set up in 1989. They became a public limited company in 1993. They have expanded into weaving, knitting, processing, home textiles and garments. And to ensure quality and cost efficiencies they have integrated backward into cotton spinning and manufacturing partially oriented yarn through the continuous polymerisation route.
They have evolved into a diversified manufacturer of world-class home textiles, garments, apparel fabrics and polyester yarns, selling directly to manufacturers, exporters, importers, retailers and to some of the world’s top brands.
Alok has a strong foothold in the domestic retail segment through a wholly owned subsidiary, Alok H&A Limited, under the cash & carry model that offer garments and home textiles at attractive price points.
Alok also has an international presence in the retail segment through its associate concern, Grabal Alok (UK) Limited. This entity owns more than 200 outlets across England, Scotland and Whales vending value for money ranges for menswear, womenswear, children wear, footwear, homeware and accessories.
They also provide embroidered products through Grabal Alok Impex Ltd., their associate company.
In addition, Alok has also invested in premium commercial/residential projects across Mumbai through its wholly owned subsidiaries.
CSR INITIATIVES OF ALOK INDUSTRIES LIMITED
AREAS SERVED:
1. Community Welfare
2. Education
3. Employee Welfare
4. Energy
5. Environment
6. Healthcare
7. Rural Development
8. Water
9. Women
Two main CSR activities:
a) Environment
b) Community Welfare
Alok's CSR philosophy is focused on growing the business while ensuring that the concerns of the environment in which it operates are adequately and sustainably addressed. This does not only mean the natural environment, but also the people and communities that live in the areas where the Company operates its businesses.
GREENING THE ENVIRONMENT
A green environment focus makes Alok use and encourage the cultivation of eco-friendly organic cotton and produce textiles in a way that do not pollute or diminish the natural environment. A green focus ensures that during the production process effluents are not released back into the ecosystem until completely purified. Alok utilises best in class technologies to reduce fuel gas emissions, utilise alternative and cleaner fuel and maximise water re-use.
EDUCATION
The Company helps in refurbishing and supporting poor schools. Initiatives for the education of minor children of migrant labour are a focus area for Alok and have helped introduce basic education to a number of children of migrant labour and local communities Alok has also adopted a number of schools where free mid-day meals will be distributed.
Renovation of rural primary and secondary schools, setting up of new education centres, training laboratories and the like are some of the initiatives in which Alok is actively involved. The Company is also setting up 'Anganwadis' for the education and welfare of pre-primary school rural children.
At a higher education level, Alok has been chosen to collaborate with the government and the local administration in upgrading government Industrial Training Institutes into centres of excellence.
Alok has jointly with DyStar India Private Limited, a leading dyestuff, auxiliaries and service provider to the textile industry, set up an ‘Advanced Academy for Development of Textile Technologists (AADTT). The Academy is the first-of-its-kind in the country and an unparalleled knowledge based training platform to facilitate skill development in the textile industry. AADTT will provide the platform for identification, training, placement and career development of textile professionals to raise standards of textile manufacturing in India.
Candidates are hand picked from premier partnering institutes, trained for a period of one year and offered back to the textile industry. During the period they are at the Academy, candidates are being paid ‘market level’ stipends and trained through a well designed curriculum combining theory, specific application expertise and practice relevant and adapted to modern industrial needs. Renowned and experienced industrial experts will be working with the team as faculties. The Academy is located at Rabale and practical training for the selected candidates is being given at Alok’s plants in Vapi and Silvassa.
The Company is at an advanced stage of setting up a primary and secondary school under the CBSE / ICSE curriculum at Silvassa, which should cater to approximately one thousand children. The school building is ready for occupation; the formalities of appointing the teaching and support staff are underway.
In addition to the AADTT and the school at Silvassa, Alok, in a ‘private-public-partnership’ model is also working with local governments in Vapi and Silvassa to upgrade government Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) into centres of excellence.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
The Company recognises that women empowerment (especially of the economically less advantaged) is an area where there is tremendous scope for work and improvement and therefore, proactively undertakes initiatives that train local women in weaving and garmenting operations: thus increasing their family income and improving the quality of life.
HEALTHCARE
Alok partners with government and local administration in initiatives that improve the health and provide medical facilities to local communities. These initiatives take the shape of setting up hospitals and health care centres and considering partnering local government in running hospitals and helping to construct primary health centres in adjoining village. The Company conducts free medical check-ups, blood donation camps and also runs health awareness programmes that act as preventive mechanisms and contribute to increasing the overall health of Alok's local communities.
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.Sustainably responsible corporate action and behaviour demands that a balance should be struck between business needs (i.e. the need to create profits and wealth) and the demands of society and the environment. Resolving the conflict between various competing goals involves the simultaneous pursuit of social equity, environmental quality and economic prosperity – the triple bottom line; in other words, a commitment to People, Planet and Profits.
LOCAL EMPLOYMENT
Alok seeks to help raise the quality of life in communities where it operates. The support takes a variety of forms. The Company has a symbiotic relationship with Silvassa and Vapi, which has encouraged and nurtured our growth and development.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
The locations where Alok has its operations has a large tribal population, most of them economically disadvantaged. To create wealth and improve the standards of living of this community and simultaneously empower women, the Company has been training local tribal women for its weaving, made-ups and garmenting plants; about two thousand tribal women have been trained and have been productively employed.
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT
Alok recognises that infrastructural development in and around its plants positively impacts the local community and contributes to its overall well-being. Alok is involved in the repair and improvement of schools and health centres and building and maintaining community halls and initiating measures that improve healthcare facilities. It is also involved construction of tar roads in the adjoining villages at Vapi and renovation of bus shelters and police stations.
USE OF SUSTAINABLE RAW MATERIALS
Alok is a Fair Trade partner and all their plants and facilities are FLO certified. They promote the use of Fair Trade cotton in our products. In doing so, they help the resource poor cotton growers get a guaranteed minimum price for their produce and thus respect and encourage greater equity in trade.
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
We committed resources in aligning new and clean technology with production factors to help produce textiles with low impact on natural resources.
ORGANIC COTTON
A green environment focus ensures that Alok encourages the cultivation of eco-friendly Organic cotton and uses Organic and Fair Trade cotton in its products.Involving organic farming practices in the production of cotton fibre, Organic cotton cultivation helps the cotton growers in reducing the input costs, increasing farm yields and increasing total and per unit realization. It involves paying a premium to the grower and redistributing part of the value addition (from cotton to branded end product) down the value chain to up to the farmer.
RECYCLING
Alok is coming up with a 10 tonnes per day (tpd) plant for recycling polyester. This plant would use polyester and polyester yarn waste, flakes and PET bottles to produce fibre. Alok has already put into place a programme for recycling plastic, where all plastic waste is sent out for recycling and then brought back into the plant as packing material, bags and wrapping rolls.
Cotton waste is generated in spinning, weaving and knitting and garmenting processes. By recycling, Alok can recover approximately 35% to 40% of the waste, which, in turn can be used as raw cotton for producing yarn.
ECOLOGY CONSERVATION AND POLLUTION CONTROL
Water conservation is a major feature of the Company’s commitment to sustain and renew scarce natural resources. Alok’s manufacturing practices have been aligned in a way that environment and sustainability concerns are adequately addressed. In the dyeing process, where chemical effluents can despoil the quality of the water, Alok uses eco-friendly dyes. It also makes certain that the post-dyeing effluent water is suitably treated before being released back into the environment as ‘near potable’ water. To do so, the Company operates one of Asia’s largest Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP), which recycles effluent laden water through primary, secondary and tertiary treatment mechanisms to ensure that solid wastes are minimised before the water is released. To reduce the depletion of groundwater usage, Alok has installed Reverse Osmosis (RO) units at its plants; these recover fresh water from the treated water; simultaneously, steam condensate recovery ensures that groundwater depletion is further reduced. Further, Alok has initiated rainwater harvesting initiatives at all its plants to ensure that the groundwater used in production is replenished.
At Alok, air pollution is minimised through Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems in the exhaust of DG sets, which reduce oxides of nitrogen. In order to use cleaner fuel sources, the Company has switched over from furnace oil to natural gas at Vapi; the Silvassa plants are expected to follow suit shortly, once gas supplies are ensured. Even where fuel oil is being used, Alok has switched over to a ‘cleaner’ low sulphur fuel oil. Flue gas heat from the Company’s captive power plant is used for steam generation, thereby reducing heat wastage.
All plants of the Company have dedicated green zones – both within the plant premises and in the adjoining areas. Over a period of time, Alok has planted over 11,000 trees in and around its plants in order to create a sustainable ‘green cover’; this initiative will continue in the future as well.
The Company is certified for ISO 14001:2004 , standard for environment management.
SOCIAL EQUITY
FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES
The Company has adopted measures that benefit local population in terms of direct and indirect employment. Alok’s people practices advocates complete adherence to national laws and international practices as far as forced labour and child labour is concerned.
SAFETY
The Company works actively and trains its employees to promote safe and healthy work processes. In order to ensure fire safety at the plants, an extensive fire suppression system has been put in place.
Alok has attained the Occupational Health & Safety Advisory Services (OHSAS) 18001 certificate.
HEALTHCARE
Employees are regularly tested to see whether the working environment has had any impact on their health. The Company provides safety masks and ear plugs to workers in the production area. Alok seeks to partner with government and local administration in initiatives that improve the health and provide medical facilities to local communities.
EDUCATION
The Company helps in refurbishing and supporting poor schools. The Company’s initiatives in the education of minor children of migrant labour have helped introduce basic education to a number of children of migrant labour and local communities. Renovations of rural primary and secondary schools, setting up of new education centres, training laboratories and the like are some of the initiatives in which Alok is actively involved.
PEOPLE TRAINING
Alok has attained the SA8000:2008 certification, based on the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention on the Rights of the Child and various International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and covers areas of accountability like labour practices, workplace safety and health, discriminatory employment practices and remuneration.
ALOK-ZAMEEN VALUE CHAIN
Alok - Zameen Organic & Fair Trade Golden Supply Chain
Alok’s efforts have led to a sea change in the lives of farmers in the Vidarbha region in the east of Maharashtra and the Adilabad region of Andhra Pradesh. Vidarbha is a cotton growing area that often creates headlines because of crop failures and farmer suicides. Dependence on rains, over use of chemical pesticides and lack of institutional loans for small and marginal farmers has led to this situation in this region. Alok has been at the forefront of promoting the use of organic cotton in its products. ‘Organic cotton’ is cotton grown without the use of harmful pesticides and chemical fertilisers, which deplete natural resources and make the land fallow after repeated use.
The Company has tied up with a reputed Small Farmers’ Organisation (SFO) in this regard. Through this initiative, farmers in the Vidharbha region of Maharashtra and the Adilabad region of Andhra Pradesh are being educated on how to grow cotton, using natural fertiliser and natural pesticides. Alok in association with Zameen organic has endeavoured to form Asia’s first farmer owned Fair Trade Company, supporting conversion of thousands of small and marginal farmers to organic farming and helping them establish independent co operatives. Involving 6000+ member farmers this partnership is a commitment right from:
providing the farmers with pre-finance to procure essential agricultural inputs in the beginning of the growing season,
technical support to each farmer for conversion to organic farming,
arranging the Organic and fair trade certification for the growers.
An effective marketing campaign by Alok and Zameen will help this concept to reach out to brands across the world thus enabling us to supply large volumes of Organic & Fair Trade textiles to the best brands in the world.
Moreover, Alok has been also involved at an international level in the organic cotton movement. Organic cotton grown in Burkina Faso is being converted to yarn and fabric by the Company; garment converters then convert the yarn into garments for shipping to high end European and American brands in Europe and the USA. These garments usually command a premium price in the market; a portion of this premium also percolates down to the farmers, thus improving their economic well-being.
CERTIFICATIONS
Comprehensive Integrated Management System (IMS) certification - comprising of ISO 9001:2008 (upgraded standardisation certification); ISO 14000:2004 (upgraded certification of standards including testing laboratories); OHSAS 18000:2007 (for Operational Health & Safety Assessment System) and SA 8000: 2008 (for Social Accountability)
The internationally-recognized OHSAS 18001:2007 , works with the organization's existing management system to introduce a systematic approach to occupational health and safety, assessing workplace hazards and implementing preventative measures as part of day-to-day operations.
ISO 9001: 2000
ISO 9001:2000 specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organizationneeds to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that meets customer and applicable regulatory requirements, and aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable regulatory requirements.All requirements of this International Standard are generic and are intended to be applicable to all organizations, regardless of type, size and product provided.
OEKO – Tex Standard 100 – Product Class 1 – for Made Ups
OEKO – Tex Standard 100 – Product Class 1 – for Woven and Knitted fabrics
OEKO – Tex Standard 100 – Product Class 1 – Texturised yarn made of 100% polyester, un-dyed.
OEKO – Tex Standard 100 – Product Class 1 – 100% Cotton and blended yarns
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is an international testing and certification system for textiles, limiting the use of certain chemicals. It was developed in 1992. The test criteria and the related test methods are standardized on an international level and are widely included as guidance in terms and conditions of purchase and delivery right through to the retail sector. With a total of over 51,000 certificates issued for millions of different individual products, and over 6,500 companies involved worldwide, the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 has become the best known and most successful label for textiles tested for harmful substances. The Oeko-Tex label is a recognized benchmark for the consumer and also serves as an additional quality assurance tool for the manufacturer. The concept has become established as a safety standard throughout the textile manufacturing chain and enables checks to be made for any harmful substances at each stage in the production process. The test samples are tested by the independent Oeko-Tex institutes for their pH-value, formaldehyde content, the presence of pesticides, extract-able heavy metals, chlorinated organic carriers and preservatives such as pentachlorophenol and tetrachlorophenol. The tests also include checks for any MAC amines in azo dyestuffs and allergy-inducing dyestuffs. The four Oeko-Tex product classes the product falls under are:
o I = baby products (up to age three - 36 months)
o II = products having skin contact (blouses, shirts, underwear)
o III = products having no skin contact (coats, lined cloths)
o IV = furnishings (table wear, funiture coverings, curtains, textile flooring, mattresses)
The greater the contact with the skin, the more stringent the requirements.If all components of a textile comply with the requirements of the Oeko-Tex criteria catalogue without exception, the textile manufacturer receives certification and is entitled to use the Oeko-Tex label to mark the products in the shops. The Oeko-Tex certificate is issued for a period of one year and can be extended subject to further successful testing. In order to ensure ongoing compliance with the test criteria, the authorised Oeko-Tex Institutes carry out control tests every year on a minimum of 15% of all certificates issued on Oeko-Tex products available in the shops.
OE 100 standards of the Organic Exchange(Germany)
The OE 100 Standard is for tracking and documenting the purchase, handling and use of 100% certified organic cotton fiber in yarns, fabrics and finished goods. These standards verify the authenticity of goods received from suppliers, as well as safeguard the integrity of their own product claims. The standards do not address the use of chemicals or any other aspects of production beyond the integrity of the organic fiber.
GOTS/ EKO sustainable textile
The aim of the standard is to define requirementsto ensure organic status of textiles from harvesting of the raw materials,through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up tolabelling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer.When the GOTS symbol is attached to a product, you are certain that:
The product’s fibres come from inspected, organic farming in compliance with Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 for organic production methods or from NOP (USA) certified cotton.
In addition, the product complies with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
The product does not contain materials from GMO technology.
The production and processing has taken place under circumstances that do not adversely affect the environment
100% certified organic cotton as input
Besides clear handling requirements of certified products there are also requirements for dyes and processing aids
Fair Trade Standards Certified (FLO)
Fairtrade certification is a product certification system designed to allow people to identify products that meet agreed environmental, labour and developmental standards. Overseen by a standard-setting body, Fairtrade International (FLO), and a certification body, FLO-CERT, the system involves independent auditing of producers to ensure the agreed standards are met. Companies offering products that meet the Fairtrade Standards may apply for licences to use the Fairtrade Certification Mark (or, in North America, the applicable Fair Trade Certified Mark) for those products.
The Fairtrade International certification system covers a growing range of products, including bananas, honey, oranges, cocoa, coffee, shortbread, cotton, dried and fresh fruits and vegetables, juices, nuts and oilseeds, quinoa, rice, spices, sugar, tea and wine.
ECO CERT for Trading and Exportation of cotton
ECOCERT is an organic certification organization, founded in France in 1991. It is based in Europe but conducts inspections in over 80 countries, making it one of the largest organic certification organizations in the world. ECOCERT primarily certifies food and food products, but also certifies cosmetics, detergents, perfumes, and textiles. The company inspects about 70% of the organic food industry in France and about 30% worldwide. ECOCERT is also a leading certifier of fair trade food, cosmetics and textiles as per ECOCERT Fair Trade standards.
Swan Certified
Swan is an official Nordic eco certificate which demonstrates that a product or service is a good environmental choice. Now, everything from washing-up liquid to furniture and hotels can carry the Swan label, so finally consumers have the opportunity to choose environmental more friendly products without compromising the quality.
The Swan organisation checks on regular basis that products fulfill the Swan criteria, using methods such as samples from independent laboratories, certificates and control visits and in this way assures independent surveillance.
EU Flower certified
The EU Eco-label Flower labelling scheme is a voluntary system across Europe designed to encourage businesses to market products and services that are kinder to the environment and for European consumers - including public and private purchasers - to easily identify them.
KRAV certified
The KRAV-label is well-known among Swedish consumers. The KRAV-label stands for:
Sound, natural environment
Solid care for animals
Good health
Social responsibility
The KRAV standards also fulfil the EU standards for organic production in the regulations (EC) No 834/2007, (EC) No 889/2008 and (EC) No 967/2008. In some cases the KRAV standards are stricter than the EU standards. The KRAV standards encompass more areas, such as certification of restaurants and industrial kitchens, fishing, and textiles.
Supima – cotton textile products
The name Supima is an abbreviation for Superior Pima.Supima stands for superior pima cotton, exclusive extra-long staple (ELS) cotton that is cultivated especially in the fields of Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.Often lauded as ‘the cashmere of cottons’, American Pima cotton is famed for its longer staple length, greater tensile strength and better ability to retain colour – as compared to regular cotton fibre. This results in a fabric that is unmatched in its softness, lightness, luster and durability.