Dipali Goenka on building a sustainable and inclusive future with Welspun Living

Harper’s Bazaar: Welspun Living has been at the forefront of transformative home solutions. Elaborate the key initiatives undertaken by the brand to lead textile revolution towards sustainability?

Dipali Goenka: Sustainability isn’t just a commitment—it is a responsibility that drives every decision at Welspun Living. To shape a future of sustainable living, we are using cutting-edge innovation, promoting responsible manufacturing and inclusivity. Our most important, and the very first partnership as a home textiles company is with our farmers. To source 100 per cent sustainably sourced cotton, our Wel-Krishi programme supports over 29,000 farmers across 2.2 lakh acres of land. These farmers are revolutionising cotton farming, promoting sustainable farming practices, and enhancing crop productivity.

When it comes to manufacturing, we are focused on adoption of Green energy. Currently, 20 per cent of our manufacturing operations are powered by renewable energy and we are continuously investing in wind and solar power to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy. We are driving product innovation to meet the demands of our environmentally conscious consumers.

We have Wel-Trak, our patented technology for traceability, which ensures that our customers have full transparency into each Welspun product. It ensures that each product meets the highest quality and sustainable standards. It is one of the ways in which we reinforce responsible sourcing on our end. We have achieved an impressive ESG score of 83 in the 2024 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA). This accomplishment positions Welspun Living as the highest-ranked textile manufacturer from India in the Textile, Apparel & Luxury Goods category, and secures its fourth position globally.

HB: Take us through Welspun Living’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? What is the vision for 2030?

DG: We consider the UN SDGs as the blueprint for our company and its stakeholders to contribute to the global concerns of sustainability. We are redefining responsible living with our team, our farmers, and our consumers through our ESG framework which cuts across brands and functions for a sustainable tomorrow. Our initiatives align with the UN’s SDGs. For instance, the Wel-Krishi programme corresponds with SDG 12: Empowering Sustainable Agriculture, and Responsible Consumption Goal. Our recent energy-conservation initiatives contribute directly to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. The company has outlined a vision to achieve by 2030—we are committed to achieving zero waste to landfills, carbon neutrality, and zero freshwater usage all by 2030. The goal is to be climate-positive and to continue setting these benchmarks in India.

HB: What are your views on the importance of gender parity to make inclusive growth central to the brand’s business strategy?

DG: Gender parity is not only a matter of equity, but it has now become a business necessity for Welspun, and for the right reasons! More women in management positions are one way to address the gender equality issue and this is a cornerstone of our DEI initiatives.Women can be strong drivers of change and innovation; they can create potentially disruptive products and services that help us thrive in today’s competitive markets. SPUN is one of the biggest examples here that enables our skilled female artisans to preserve Indian textile artistry by handcrafting products from textile waste. It has become a source for women to become financially independent.

Our policies at Welspun Living are built around equity, we promote an inclusive leadership and workplace culture. We have a cut and sew unit that is entirely run by female employees. In the last decade, our women workforce has improved from 7 per cent to 30 per cent. Across our many initiatives, we go beyond employment and look at health, education, wellness, financial independence, and overall development.

HB: Please tell us about some of the key women-focused initiatives at Welspun Living.

DG: We are not just hiring women; we are building an ecosystem where they thrive. Like SPUN, we also have other initiatives like Women of Welspun (WoW) programme which fosters a culture of inclusivity and equal opportunity via regular sessions to address workplace challenges, such as micro-aggressions, and facilitate career development.

Our WelShiksha programme focuses on empowering women in the wider community through education, digitising classrooms in rural India, and impacting over 1,80,000 beneficiaries. This ensures that girls have access to quality education, creating pathways for social mobility.

In the realm of sports, our Welspun Super Sports Women (WSSW) initiative champions female athletes. We also have our Allyship programme, which focuses on addressing gender diversity gaps within our organisation. We started NEEV—a platform for aspiring female entrepreneurs to promote their businesses, skills, and ideas. Moving forward, our commitment to inclusivity and women's empowerment remains stronger—when women rise, society rises with them.

HB: How do you envision a sustainable future for home solutions?

DG: We are pioneering a sustainable future in many ways. We want to set the benchmark on water conservation, energy consumption, carbon emissions, and recycling for our industry peers. Our vision for sustainable home solutions comes from the vision of our consumer's needs. They are looking for more than high-quality products, they need ethical, practical home solutions, and that is what we deliver. And we don’t stop at home textiles. Our technical textiles and flooring solutions have a presence across industries—from hospitality to healthcare. We are constantly innovating, making sure that our homes are built for practical performance, longevity, and sustainable living. The future of home solutions is to be sustainable, yes, but also to be innovative, driven by performance and a circular product life cycle. 

All images: Courtesy Welspun Living Limited 

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