The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) on September 10 jointly launched a pivotal sustainability initiative – Improving Transparency for Sustainable Business (ITSB) – for the textile and apparel sector in India to ensure that textile and apparel companies are better equipped to meet global standards on environmental, social and governance (ESG) norms and also buyer expectations.

Simultaneously, the GRI’s Draft Sector Standards for the Textile and Apparel Sector were also unveiled by Gelkha Buitrago, Director (Sector Standards), Global Reporting Initiative.

Moreover, a panel discussion on sustainability involving Tiruppur Exporters Association President Shri K M Subramanian, Powerloom Development & Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL) Chairman K. Sakthivel, Garments Exporters & Manufacturers Association (GEMA) General Secretary Shri Animesh Saxena, and Shahi Exports Associate Vice President Shri Rajneesh Rai was held as part of the launch event, where speakers underlined how focusing on sustainability could provide companies a competitive edge.

“The ITSB initiative will help in future-proofing India’s textile and apparel sector, open new avenues for growth, and help India’s textile and apparel companies being seen as responsible and sustainable manufacturers and exporters,” said Shri Ashwin Chandran, Deputy Chairman, Confederation of Indian Textile Industry.

Welcoming the ITSB initiative, Tiruppur Exporters Association President Shri K M Subramanian said that Tiruppur is aiming to become a “Net Zero” cluster by 2030. Incidentally, India has committed to become Net Zero by 2070.

Supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the ITSB initiative is designed to elevate sustainability practices and transparency across India’s textile and apparel sector.

Sigificantly, the ITSB would serve as a critical enabler for inclusive growth, helping small businesses transition to sustainable models without being left behind.

India’s textile and apparel sector contributes nearly 2% to the country’s GDP. The bulk of companies in this sector fall in the MSME category.

In India, ITSB will serve as a dynamic multi-stakeholder platform, engaging businesses, industry bodies, worker associations, regulators, investors, and data users. The initiative will build capacities for impact reporting on critical environmental and social issues such as climate change, circularity, waste, diversity and inclusion, and biodiversity. It will also deepen transparency on employment, health and safety practices, and economic and tax-related impacts. India will be well-positioned to showcase its achievements to the world and contribute valuable lessons from its own experience to the global community.

ITSB will offer tangible benefits for a wide spectrum of stakeholders. Reporting organizations will gain tools, training, and frameworks to improve ESG disclosures and meet global buyer expectations. Industry associations will be able to strengthen collective action, knowledge-sharing, and advocacy on sustainability practices.

Investors will benefit from more consistent and credible ESG data to inform responsible decision-making, while worker associations will see greater transparency on employment practices, health and safety standards, and inclusion, fostering better dialogue and accountability. At the same time, regulators and policymakers will gain access to standardized sustainability data to guide evidence-based policy development and governance.

As part of its India-specific implementation, GRI and CITI will focus efforts on the selected textile clusters, driving localized engagement and capacity building. By anchoring the initiative in these hubs of innovation and production, ITSB seeks to catalyse a movement that will ripple across the sector, making sustainability and transparency not just a compliance requirement, but a strategic advantage for India’s textile and apparel industry in the global marketplace.