AEPC hosts training workshop on DISHA

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 programme, 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 programme.

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 programme robust for the garment Industry.

Chairman AEPC Dr. A. Sakhtivel in his inaugural address stated that, “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 providing 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 $3 billion in 2013–14, as factory compliant manufacturing in India has surged, he added.

Dr. Sakthivel further informed that, DISHA would be covering 800 garment factories under the 12th plan. He thanked government for providing all support for the programme. He emphasised that global brands are eyeing for India. We have the raw material strengths and compliant factories. From the last six months apparel exports are recording the 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.

Workshop thrust was how and what to do so that a synergy could be established for the inclusion of the international global requirements under DISHA programme. The first was identification of such indicators, second was the relevance the indicators are in Indian content and for CCC (Common code of conduct) and third was to discuss their possible inclusion under the DISHA programme. The focus of the workshop was on processes especially related to the environment, health and safety standards.