CSR — P A Footwear

We strictly embrace and enforce corporate social responsibility, as we strongly believe that only by nurturing the society that provides us with skill to make quality shoes, shall we ensure the endurance of the industry in the face of competitively changing global scenarios, lest we become but another case study for the future. Our social compliance record began with SA 8000, under which we were certified and audited from 2007. Today it is independently verified through the SMETA 4-Pillar ethical trade audit on Sedex.

Our workforce

We ensure that our entire workforce is provided with clean drinking water by having RO plants in each unit. We have also equipped our facilities with sewage treatment plants to ensure that we have enough recycled water for our flushes and gardens; thereby reducing our consumption of freshwater.

Local communities

Apart from caring for our direct stakeholders; we try to enrich the lives of our local communities as well. We have sponsored a program that gives nutritious health supplement to underprivileged children in certain schools. We have a tie up with the Rotary club that enables us to conduct Eye camps and Dental camps in rural villages surrounding our factories.

Greening

We have undertaken an initiative to increase the green presence in our environment by arranging to plant samplings and grow trees in Ranipet, Gummidipoondi, and Arcot.

Freedom Shoes · Vellore Central Prison · from December 2014

Skills, work and dignity for prison inmates

From December 2014, our Vice Chairman C. Anbumalar served at Vellore Central Prison as an Industrial Consultant, bringing our factory's know-how into the prison's boot workshop and other industries.

VisionA Centre for Excellence for the manufacture of leather shoes and leather accessories at Vellore Prison.

MissionSkill development · Gainful employment inside · Reformation inside · Rehabilitation outside

Boot workshop

Better police shoes, made by inmates

Police officers stand in their shoes for 10–12 hours a day. We upgraded the leather, linings and soles of the prison-made police shoes with two conditions from the ADGP: no change in the outer look and no increase in cost. Both were met within two weeks, and the shoes passed a wear trial. With a technical team from our factory, machines arranged through friends in the industry and regular evening visits, production rose to about 900 pairs a day within four months.

Skill training

Certified training and a start after release

We arranged for CFTI, the central government footwear training institute, to train three batches of inmates with its own machines and trainers. Each trainee received a government stipend of ₹2,000 and a certificate to help find work after release. The Director of the District Industries Centre, Vellore presented the certificates and offered a collateral-free loan of ₹25,000 to those who start this work when they are freed.

Motivation

Earnings that reach families

A music system in the workshop, a small token of appreciation for every improvement and regular pep talks changed the mood on the floor. At its peak, 91 inmates were sending about ₹6,000–7,000 each month home to their families.

Wealth From Waste

Products from industrial waste

Simple, low-investment work using waste from industry: leather key chains from shoe-factory leather cutting waste, water-repellent industrial aprons from raincoat cutting waste, cotton hand gloves from Tirupur banian cloth waste, and simple aprons and bags from shoe-factory textile waste.

Open-air garden restaurant at the prison

More livelihoods

Phenyl, soap, welding and a garden restaurant

Units that need little capital and are easy to market: phenyl and liquid soap making, welding work, dress stitching and ironing, a hair-cutting saloon, and an open-air garden restaurant that gave inmates work and contact with the public.

Freedom Bazaar

Prison products at the Global Investors Meet

Products made by Tamil Nadu prison inmates are sold under the Freedom brand. At the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet in Chennai, the Freedom Bazaar stall displayed shoes, aprons, key chains, shoe polish and more, and stood out among the corporate exhibits.