Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Additional Information
Timeline
Generic

Ranjeeb Sarma

Head of CSR India and Head of Ethical Sourcing India and Srilanka
Faridabad,HR

Summary

Strategic Individual with an exceptional background in Supply Chain Sustainability. Talented regional lead known for supporting and motivating immediate and cross functional teams to achieve maximum potential when implementing risk mitigation measures.

Possess good programmatic skills and effective networking expertise bringing in more than 17 years of experience working with national and international retail supply chains; Having Designed, Developed and led various programmes on Socio-Economic change.

Thematic areas: HRDD / Gender Intersectionality from a supply chain perspective / Diversity & Inclusion / Education / Health /Skill Development & Entrepreneurship

Functional experience: Cross Functional & Diverse Team Management / Supply Chain Risk Mitigation / Stakeholder Engagement / Fund Raising / Program Concept and Design / Budget Management / Training and Development

Overview

11
11
years of professional experience

Work History

Regional Lead

03.2015
  • With Marks & Spencer PLC, a 4.9bn GBP high street retailer, I am based out of the Gurgaon office and joined as Senior Manager, Compliance, CSR and Plan A and since 1st July 2018 Head of Compliance, CSR Plan A and Administration India and Srilanka
  • Organization Profile: The holding company of the Marks & Spencer Group of companies
  • The Company operates through five segments: M&S for Business, M&S Bank, M&S Energy, M&S Outlet and M&S TV to provide the services of Christmas Shopping, Style & Living, Women, Lingerie, Beauty, Men, Kids, Home, Food & Wine,
  • Flowers & Gifts, Outlets, Television, Energy and M&S Bank
  • It offers clothing and home products, as well as foods, sourced from around 2,000 suppliers globally
  • Http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/plan-a/aboutplan-a
  • Job Roles & Responsibilities:
  • Currently leading the Social Compliance programme within the region using a third-party assessment model based on ETI base code (SMETA) with special focus on vendor development and risk mitigation through internal assessment, quality control through shadow audit and running supplier capability enhancement programs alongside a team of 5 dynamic individuals
  • Responsible for fulfilling corporate obligations as per the requirements U/s 135 of the Companies Act 2013 pertaining to CSR spend
  • One of the designated authorized signatories for Accounts & Administration of the Indian entity
  • Maintain and develop relationships with international, local and regional stakeholders, including NGO’s, MSI’s, trade unions and government bodies, and industry working groups
  • For M&S flagship program Plan A, which focuses on environmental sustainability initiatives, Better Cotton program and Circular Economy (plastics) My accomplishments at M&S:
  • Conceptualization and successful delivery of the Integrated Community Health & Wellness program in partnership with NGO Swasti at Mohammedpur village
  • Focal areas of this project are Community well-being (gender equity, livelihood, Health), Planet Wellbeing (Carobn credits, shorter supply chain, recycling plastics etc.,) and promoting Local (rural) Leadership (community institutions, financial sustainability etc.,)
  • This project was shortlisted by the UK India Awards in 2017
  • This project has since been replicated by other Retailers as part of their CSR Programs
  • Co-created a Gender Equality Program along with the British High Commission in India
  • This project focused on Gender Equality, Accountability and Responsiveness and draws its legal framework from the POSH Act using technology to facilitate grievance handling
  • The pilot program with 2 factories and 2000 workers has since been scaled up to 11 factories with 35,000 Workers
  • This program was launched under the aegis of the Apparel Export Promotion Council and the UK Government
  • Industrywide launch of POWER 1 and POWER 2 (adaptation of the Gender Equality program mentioned above) in partnership with Garment Sector Skill council and Apparel Training and Design Center for an Industry wide scale up of the program
  • During the pandemic, co-conceptualized and launched the Responsible Migration project along with FCO at Jharkhand
  • This project aims to study patterns of migration and also works on awareness including distribution of oxygen concentrators within the community
  • Got staff volunteering programs organized to aid the community during the difficult times
  • Women entrepreneurship program within the leather supply chain in India and an upscaling project for the disabled in Srilanka
  • Co-created the hanger recycling programme with a just transition element saved more than 1200 tonnes of plastic in the last two years
  • Successfully organized the International Human Rights Conference and facilitated the launch of the modern-day slavery tool kit to help suppliers including M&S retail, food and C&H suppliers identify cases of forced labour in their respective supply chain
  • First to implement the BSR Her Respect program in India, also for the first time got implemented a path breaking leadership for life program (Emerging leaders) that was a huge success in the company’s food supply chain in 10 factories
  • Today the program has helped 6000 + workers in India
  • Based on the success the company is contemplating implementation of the same in other countries.

Head

06.2012 - 01.2015
  • Solidaridad Network, European INGO, in their network office New Delhi as Program, Cotton and Textiles South and South-East Asia. Http://www.solidaridadnetwork.org/ssea
  • Job Roles & Responsibilities:
  • 40% time managing Regional operations (current projects include: Bangladesh, India & Myanmar) and 60% time managing India operations pertaining to cotton and textiles
  • Fund Raising and Business Development activities includes scoping of new countries for business opportunities including Writing project proposals and Managing budgets
  • Managed international team (full time staff, one from Bangladesh and other form UK); apart from team of two very senior consultants plus eight NGO partners;
  • Project and program implementation including monitoring expenditure and costs against deliverables and realised benefits as programme develops; and also planning and monitoring of programmes overall progress while resolving issues and initiating corrective actions as appropriate
  • My accomplishments at Solidaridad:
  • Implementation of the Better Cotton Initiative project in India (included 8 projects)
  • Disbursed funds to the tune of 256000 Euros to the implementation partners as part of the fast track program
  • Implemented the cotton component related to the HUF water project largest water linked sustainable supply chain interventions in India that aims to cumulatively and collectively save 0.4 to 1 trillion litres of water through sustainable agriculture
  • (http://www.hul.co.in/mediacentre/newsandfeatures/2014/Hindustan-Unilever-Foundation-Solidaridadlaunch-water-efficiency-programme.aspx)
  • Led a high-impact project to train Alphonso mango farmers on the subject of Sustainable Farming
  • Implemented successfully a building and fire safety program in 33 factories supplying to a European retailer in Bangladesh
  • The learnings were later on was shared with the Accord Platform
  • Responsible for co-conceptualization of the Bangladesh Water Pact
  • Was the project owner of the program along with IFC / World Bank
  • (http://www.textilepact.net)
  • Did a scoping study in Myanmar in 2013 prior to the establishing of the Solidaridad office at Yangon.

Mothercare, Sourcing Manager

06.2011 - 06.2012
  • PLC a UK 2.5 billion dollar specialty retailer; worked as, Specialty Retail Brand head quartered at Watford with brands like Mothercare, Early Learning
  • Centre and wholesaling products for Boots UK
  • Job Roles & Responsibilities:
  • Lead, trained and developed a team to implement the Responsible Sourcing Code of Practice of the Company
  • Prioritize factory visits/capacity building activities in line with RS policy and delegate activities to team members as necessary
  • Managing the company’s Responsible Sourcing program and delivering the same through a third party monitoring model that includes remediation and validation
  • Notable Highlights:
  • Was part of the Garment Sector Roundtable that was focussed on providing a space for different stakeholders to enter a dialogue in order to seek sustainable solutions plaguing the sector
  • Was part of the Tirupur Stakeholders forum which instituted guidelines for Managing working-women hostels of the Textiles & Garment manufacturing industry in South India.

Retailer, Project Manager

GAP Inc
12.2006 - 01.2011
  • 15 Bil
  • American, Global Partnerships (S&ER), Responsibilities:
  • An integral part of the Social Responsibility department of the company and committed to ethical sourcing by enforcing the Brand Code of Conduct
  • Responsible for monitoring and evaluating around 50 supplier factories against the Company Code of Vendor Conduct, Federal, National, State, Provincial or Local Labor Laws in India (North and South), Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan
  • Participate in International & National conferences at London and South India which were focused on issues related to workers and their rights
  • Interfacing with various Trade Unions, NGOs and Government on issues focusing on various aspects including Human Trafficking, Migrant Labour, Child Labour as well as community development
  • Notable Highlights:
  • Ensured:
  • Compliance of labour laws by the suppliers
  • 100% implementation of EMS (Environmental Management Systems) in the supplier factories which resulted in waste minimization, chemical management, and proper waste disposal systems including that of hazardous waste
  • Women workers in the community get regular incomes (above or around the minimum wages)
  • Successfully implemented using well established PPP model endorsed by the Government of India
  • Https://www.iccr.org/sites/default/files/ICCRsBuildingSustainableCommunities.pdf
  • Partnered along with another Buying House & Government of India to establish a business model for the empowerment of women at a highly backward area near Gurgaon & Faridabad
  • Demonstrated abilities in assisting and engaging with a trade union resulting in starting of proper dialogue process between the union as well as the Manufacturer / Supplier
  • Responsible for implementation of a joint training program related to water conservation and waste management for the benefit of our supplier factories
  • Significant contributions through write-ups along with the Director on issues in the internal company journal
  • As part of stake holder engagement, visited Hyderabad and participated in discussions with the Government sponsored NGO in finding areas of opportunity in promoting NPM methods of cotton cultivation which is directly related to farmer suicides as well as popularizing the local fabric made by women.

Ethical Standards Auditor

Wal-Mart Global Services Limited, Ltd, Walmart
01.2005 - 12.2006
  • Is the worlds largest retailer with supply chain spread across 60 Countries
  • I was part of the important Team in India that tested Management Systems and Practices at Manufacturer’s factories that produced goods for Walmart
  • I was exposed to a plethora of industrial sectors (textiles, hard goods, sports goods, chemicals, gems & jewellery et al.,)
  • Notable Highlights:
  • Conducted joint and single audits in 100 factories, analysed their Policies & procedures pertaining to worker management; interacted with workers to understand their challenges and needs
  • Audited factories to test their compliance to the Customs Trade partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program of the US Government
  • This was mandatory for all factories that shipped goods to the USA
  • Participated in environmental audits of supplier factories located in various places including Moradabad, this helped reducing water and land contamination
  • Worked with the company’s sustainable value networks to promote sustainability in Wal-Mart supply chain

Manager

Apra Auto India Pvt. Ltd
Gurgaon
01.2004 - 12.2004
  • Training
  • Notable Highlights:
  • Stellar role in identifying, assessing and developed training needs of the present 300 plus employees working in Sales, Service, Customer relations, Accounts and HRD departments
  • Maintained a training database and integrated the same along with various training programs organized by Maruti Udyog Limited by constantly working in close coordination with the MUL staff
  • Successfully improved the ratings on SSI and CSI because of continuous focus in training of sales and service staff on customer delight
  • Demonstrated abilities inn implementing module on personal transformation which helped in cutting down on retrenchment among sales force
  • Actively involved in the establishment of “SCOPE” Institute (Collaboration with City & Guilds).

Education

Bachelor of Law (LLB) - undefined

Delhi University

Masters - Human Rights

Post Graduate Diploma - Global Sales and Marketing

NIS

B.Sc. (Honours) - undefined

Gauhati University

MHR - undefined

Pondicherry University

Certified SA-8000 basic and lead auditorCertified: EHS Best Practices organized by CII-ITC; this focuses on Waste Minimization, Chemical Management & PPE.Oracle Certification / - undefined

Diploma - Information Systems Management

STG International / Aptech Ltd

Certified: Raise 1000 and Assessment of Management Systems; training carried out by Varitae.Certified: Better Cotton Initiative Certified trainer. - undefined

Skills

Effective communicator with exceptional relationship management skills with hands on experience in networking Internationally with project partners and allied agencies

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Accomplishments

  • Worked as Intern in companies like Glaxo Smithklime Ltd
  • Participated in:
  • Legal Awareness Program conducted by Faculty of Law, University of Delhi in association with NALSA
  • Zoological excursion and a member of Student towards Environmental Protection
  • Successfully worked on projects with Anand Group of Industries (SNSF) on Government of India RCH Program, Adolescent Girls Project
  • TRAININGS ATTENDED / COURSES
  • Situational Leadership I & II
  • Time management
  • Environment by ENSR and Dyster
  • Project Management by Gap Inc
  • At San Francisco
  • GSCP webinar on improving working & environmental conditions across global supply chain
  • 12/15/2010
  • Water in Agriculture: Nestle case study
  • 10/27/2010
  • Overcoming challenges in supply chain sustainability 1/18/2011
  • Achieving sustainable water strategies: Diageo case study 12/16/2010
  • How to Master the secrets of a charismatic Leadership: Dale Carnegie Institute
  • 23/2/ 2018

Additional Information

  • , GAP Inc. Corporate Behavioural Award “Together” for team work during the regional meeting. Gap Inc. Corporate Behavioural Award “Do what’s right” during annual conference 2010. PERSONAL DETAILS Address: T5 GB, The Ozone Park Apartments Sector 86 Faridabad 121002

Timeline

Regional Lead

03.2015

Head

06.2012 - 01.2015

Mothercare, Sourcing Manager

06.2011 - 06.2012

Retailer, Project Manager

GAP Inc
12.2006 - 01.2011

Ethical Standards Auditor

Wal-Mart Global Services Limited, Ltd, Walmart
01.2005 - 12.2006

Manager

Apra Auto India Pvt. Ltd
01.2004 - 12.2004

Bachelor of Law (LLB) - undefined

Delhi University

Masters - Human Rights

Post Graduate Diploma - Global Sales and Marketing

NIS

B.Sc. (Honours) - undefined

Gauhati University

MHR - undefined

Pondicherry University

Certified SA-8000 basic and lead auditorCertified: EHS Best Practices organized by CII-ITC; this focuses on Waste Minimization, Chemical Management & PPE.Oracle Certification / - undefined

Diploma - Information Systems Management

STG International / Aptech Ltd

Certified: Raise 1000 and Assessment of Management Systems; training carried out by Varitae.Certified: Better Cotton Initiative Certified trainer. - undefined

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Ranjeeb SarmaHead of CSR India and Head of Ethical Sourcing India and Srilanka