Sustainability Isn’t An Option - It’s a Necessity. No Plan B, No Planet B: Rajeev Gupta, JMD, RSWM

The textile industry generates a lot of waste, and there’s growing concern about its environmental impact. How does RSWM handle this, especially considering EPA policies and the risk of waste ending up in landfills?
There is often talk about the textile industry creating untreatable waste or contributing heavily to pollution. One major factor is fuel consumption. Usually fossil fuels are utilized and these emit waste and toxic materials into our surroundings. And in consonance with being a responsible organization, we are moving out from fossil fuels to biofuels. At this time about fifty percent of the total fuel consumed by us is shifted to biofuels or other alternatives more sustainable than being fossil. 

We have set a goal to convert all our boilers to environmentally friendly fuels such as agricultural residues within 12 to 18 months. This is much better than the extensive handling of waste, where generation is eliminated at source. 

Further, we believe in recycle: we recycle a lot of polyester waste, eg PET bottles. We collect these bottles, wash them, turn them into small chips, and then use those chips to create new polyester fibre. 

We are trained in data, which were collected till October 2023.. The quality of this recycled fibre is nearly as good as virgin polyester. To give you an idea of scale, we consume around 60 lakh bottles per day in this process.

That is the conversion we’re doing today. We recycle 60 lakh bottles daily, giving us ample opportunity to convert this into polyester. The polyester fibre we manufacture from recycling is mostly used in-house. Since we have more than 6 lakh spindles producing yarn, we consume around 6,000 tonnes of polyester fibre per month, with about 50% of that being recycled polyester. Rather than buying fresh virgin fibre, we replace half of our polyester consumption with recycled material.

Do you also have sustainability measures for those?
Cotton, though agricultural, is again organic cotton, BCI cotton and other sustainably sourced fibers that we work with.

Water usage is another area of concern. There is a hefty requirement of water in dyeing and other activities, and we are a 100% zero liquid discharge institution. We recycle all the water we use, thereby completely making ourselves independent of external water sources and without any wastewater generation. We recycle around 98% of the total water consumption. For example, we recycled about 23 lakh kilolitres (around 40,000 kilolitres) in 2023-24, and this year we expect to go beyond 25 lakh kilolitres. The only fresh water we use comes from topping up with 2-3% to cover evaporation losses during the recovery process.

Any other sustainability initiatives you are pursuing?
Transitioning to organic and sustainable dyes to reduce our environmental footprint is also one of those initiatives.

On plastic bottles, much time has been spent discussing the issue of single-use plastic bans. Recycling these bottles, however, plays a crucial role in sustainability. Those recycling them — like us — need to source bottles, keeping them out of landfills. The new bottle-to-bottle (B2B) regulations from the government are also expected to mandate that a certain percentage of raw materials from recycled plastic be used in producing these bottles.

Currently, we don't sell the recycled chips and fiber for bottling.. We consume it entirely for textiles. For example, much of the polyester used in domestic garmenting and PV suiting has been replaced by recycled fibre. Even Prime Minister Modi wore a jacket made from recycled polyester fibre at a textile exhibition.

How does RSWM approach ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliance, especially with the growing focus on sustainability?
Regarding ESG reporting, we’re not mandated to comply yet, as it currently applies to the top 1000 companies — and recently only the top 250. However, we voluntarily align ourselves with these standards to ensure we remain fully compliant, not due to government pressure but because we believe in it.

This is more from our perspective. Over time, we might also come under mandatory ESG reporting, but we’re already fully prepared. Rather than seeing it as a statutory obligation, we consider it a core part of our business. Just like I review my business regularly, ESG compliance is reviewed in the same way. Every 15 days, all unit heads compile a report that reaches my desk, and I review it as part of our regular discussions.

What are some of the biggest challenges RSWM faces in implementing these sustainability practices?
If water consumption increases or if our transition to biofuels needs attention, we address it promptly. We also intensify our efforts in harnessing the wind and solar energies in power production. The current scenario indicates 27% contribution of green energy into the mix and the desired level to be attained within the year 2035 is that of 50%. This ambitious goal, besides the cost of land and infrastructure, requires an intensive set-up, but steady progress is being made.

With carbon markets coming into play by 2026 and growing pressure from international buyers, it becomes imperative to take action now. We are ready, armed to the teeth, for such challenges.

What role do women play in RSWM’s workforce, especially in leadership positions?
Regarding women’s participation in our workforce, this is a priority area. Our founder, Chairman L. N. Jhunjhunwala, has always emphasized gender equality, often asking how many women we have in leadership roles and across the organisation. In my personal view, it’s always about competency, regardless of gender. If someone is capable, they’ll get the opportunity, plain and simple.

Currently, over one-third of our workforce is women. They perform just as well as, if not better than, their male counterparts. We also have women in top positions — one of them is right here with us today. Another heads the chairman’s office, and several are leading teams in branding, product development, and marketing. One of our verticals is even led by a woman.

What message do you have for the textile industry regarding sustainability?
Sustainability is no more option; it is very much a necessity. There is no Plan B because there is no Planet B. If we are here to let future generations enjoy the natural resources which we have today, we must learn to conserve, use wisely, and recycle everything we can.

The textile industry sparked the industrial revolution and shaped civilizations. Now, it’s our responsibility to protect what we have built. The time to act is now.