A US $44.3 billion corporation, the Aditya Birla Group is in the League of Fortune 500. Anchored by an extraordinary force of over 120,000 employees belonging to 42 nationalities, the Group is built on a strong foundation of stakeholder value creation. With over seven decades of responsible business practices, their businesses have grown into global powerhouses in a wide range of sectors – metals, textiles, carbon black, telecom and cement. Today, over 50% of Group revenues flow from overseas operations that span 34 countries in North and South America, Africa and Asia.
Be it the use of UltraTech Cement for the construction of someone’s dream home or something as basic and important as staying connected with people by using the facilities of telecom service provider Vodafone Idea, the products and services of the Aditya Birla Group have played an integral part in our lives.
Out of the large number of companies within the group, one which has had a direct presence for me is Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL). With brands like Forever 21, Allen Solly, Peter England, Van Heusen, etc. under its belt, this fashion lifestyle entity has been my go to place for several occasions.
What also catches my attention is the focus of the company towards the environment and giving back to the society. Steps taken by them such as use of sustainable manufacturing processes to conserve water and reducing energy consumption by use of LED lighting keep reminding us that along with being a profitable organization, one has to keep in mind to give back to the environment as well.
Another initiative is the Micro Manufacturing Unit (MMU) scheme of Madura Fashion, which aims to create entrepreneurs among the rural women by providing them the support to setup machinery and skill training has helped hundreds of women. This has been equally favourable for the company as they are now able to source their garments at a reduced cost.
The above two things- one; keeping in mind the needs and preferences of the customer and delivering beyond their expectations and on the other hand, keeping in mind the duty towards environment and giving back to the society is what lies at the crux of a successful organization. They are not only providing employment but also creating entrepreneurs. As someone who is at the beginning of the career trajectory, these pieces of learning inspire me go out and try to strike a balance between the two in the coming days.