A workshop was held in Coimbatore on 26th July in partnership with the Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) to raise awareness and support textile and clothing exporters on upcoming EU regulations. The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) is conducting workshops in key textile hubs.
CITI has collaborated with the Fair Wear Foundation for a one-year program focused on capacity building for Indian textile exporters. The aim is to help them understand the new due diligence frameworks in the EU and amplify suppliers’ voices in consultations.
The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), enacted in May 2024, mandates European companies to implement comprehensive human rights and environmental due diligence across their supply chains.
Chandrima Chatterjee, secretary general of CITI, explained that European countries are making the CSDDD mandatory for their companies. Brands need to identify all possible risks through third parties, bearing the cost for this process, while suppliers must self-declare their conformity with the standards. Suppliers can also voice their views, and CITI will gather their feedback.
Former CITI chairman T Rajkumar stated, “The CSDDD is a transformative development for the Indian textile and apparel sector. By embracing this directive, our industry can meet global standards, share responsibilities with brands, engage with stakeholders, and address power imbalances.”
SIMA chairman S.K. Sundararaman noted that these regulatory changes are opportunities to improve the power balance between suppliers and brands. SIMA has formed a “Sustainability Cell” to advise its members on developments in this area by involving domain experts.
