India: AEPC conducts workshop on content development and training strategy for DISHA

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India: AEPC conducts workshop on content development and training strategy for DISHA

AEPC held a Workshop of Expert Working Group on Content Development and Training Strategy for effective implementation of DISHA AEPC-CCC at Apparel House, Gurgaon. DISHA implementation on ground started from January 2012 and the phase I has been completed successfully. As the programme is a first-of-its kind and evolving, a need was felt to review its second phase this year.

To ensure robustness and credibility of the critical elements of the program, i.e the code elements, the scope and approach of the capacity building interventions and assessment and strategy for global endorsement, the Project Implementation Committee of AEPC- DISHA has formed three expert working groups. Expert working group has been formed along with the relevant stakeholder in that area to capture and synergize the emerging and evolving needs of the compliance into DISHA fold.

The first group on content review and validation has been set up for mapping of new and emerging compliance requirement - national and global, their relevance with respect to India centric AEPC CCC ( Common Code of Conduct) and their inclusion in CCC, if found necessary. The other two working groups would be on assessment scope and methodology of DISHA training programme and global endorsement of the program.

The first workshop on content review and validation was a brainstorming session with development organizations, institutes involved in standard setting and report, brands and buying houses and industry representatives to make the program robust for the garment industry.

Chairman AEPC A Sakhtivel in his inaugural address stated, “The Indian apparel industry aims to chart for itself a course to make India a preferred and chosen destination for the global textile and apparel trade and DISHA provides this platform to achieve sustainable competitiveness, which is an important strategy for growth today. The objective of this workshop is to see that DISHA is aligned to global requirements for compliance management and has good acceptability.”

He informed that global buyers such as Wal-Mart and Zara have preferred to expand their merchandise sourcing from Coimbatore and other parts of India which may fetch business of US$ 3 billion in 2013–14, as factory compliant manufacturing in India has surged, he added.

Sakthivel further informed that DISHA would cover 800 garment factories under the 12^th plan and thanked the government for providing all support for the program. He emphasized that global brands are eyeing India. “We have the raw material strengths and compliant factories. From the last six months, apparel exports are recording a positive growth of almost 13%. India is definitely going to be the most preferred sourcing destination for the next five years because of the changing global sourcing dynamics.”

Chairman DISHA sub-committee, Ashok Logani shared updates on latest developments in implementation of DISHA i.e., total enrollment of more than 350 factories and 170 factories having completed the DISHA facilitation sessions and now ready for final external assessment and also shared basic concepts of DISHA champions, DISHA facilitators, DISHA implementation methodology, facilitation extended to participating factories by DISHA, award of adoption certificates and national and international feedback.

On many issues need for further deliberation was felt which AEPC would be taking up through subsequent engagements with core group members. The meeting was attended by brands such as Marks and Spencer, GAP and Children Place along with the representative from Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Bodies like ICCI and QCI (Quality Council of India) participated and shared their views. The workshop is need-based and can be convened as and when required.