Growing up in an environment where philanthropy is a way of life, S. Ayesha Aktar Jahan, Managing Director of Pandora Associates Ltd. is amongst few sensitive entrepreneurs who wish to make a difference. Despite the fact that women still encounter a number of difficulties and misperceptions at the workplace, Ayesha has managed to defy all odds. Besides heading Pandora, Ayesha is one of the Directors of Renaissance Group.
enaissance Group has 18 companies under its aegis, out of which 9 factories are dedicated to textiles and garmenting along with companies dealing in varied industries like cargo, agro, dairy, consulting, education and health care. Not only is she a successful businesswoman but also an eminent social worker serving the country through Rokeya Foundation which helps and supports the under-privileged girls/women in Bangladesh. Ayesha shares her journey as a business woman with Team Apparel Online.
Crediting her success as a homemaker and effective businesswoman, Ayesha candidly says, “My husband is a mentor to me besides being a good husband. He always encouraged me to give more meaning to my existence and this is where I am today, creating my space in a male-dominated society.” Managing day-to-day affairs of Pandora with the support of two Directors, Shahnawaz M.A. Rouf and Quazi Taif Sadat, Pandora is a one-stop shop solution for many of the key products for textile and garment sector which includes metal buttons, rivets and snaps from Prym, Pantone Colour books, colour assessment cabinets, lock metal detectors, washing machines along with services like third party quality audits. The company has a big QC team and is approved and backed by a UK based agency to do inspections on their behalf with the aim to identify, prevent and eliminate quality issues.” I think this business holds a lot of potential and opportunities,” states Shahnawaz.
Presence of local and international companies with similar profiles has not stopped Pandora from growing, all because strict guidelines are followed to run and develop the business which gives them leverage over competitors. “Under no circumstances is shipment allowed to pass if the minimum AQL level is falling short. This builds a trustful relationship with the buyer,” reasons Ayesha. The solutions offered by Pandora help in reducing the rejection rate especially in the kidswear segment as these products require stringent quality and safety monitoring. “With the ever increasing demand for high quality products it has become essential to streamline quality issues and protect the interest of both manufacturers and customers,” adds Ayesha.
Selling million pieces of Prym buttons per annum, Pandora achieves such a huge target through dedicated design teams in Hong Kong, Germany and Italy which work closely with garment designers to deliver new designs matching to the global trends in around two weeks, while a technologically advanced lab provides testing solutions at a reasonable price. The lab is equipped to take care of engraving, embossing, electroplating, gold plating, pull testing and button attachment pressure to satisfy the buyers’ concerns.
Selling a million pieces of Prym buttons per annum, Pandora achieves such a huge target through dedicated design teams in Hong Kong, Germany and Italy which work closely with garment designers to deliver new designs matching to the global trends in around two weeks, while a technologically advanced lab provides testing solutions at a reasonable price.
With fire safety now a priority, doors have opened for duty-free import of pre-fabricated building materials and fire safety equipments for the RMG sector, picking up the cue and with a determination to contribute to better fire safety measures, Pandora is now planning to venture into fire and safety equipment.
Confident of the products that the company is offering Ayesha says, “Our products are always matching the customer’s requirement.” Committed to stand by its products and customers alike, Pandora takes full responsibility of its products and provides free service up to a reasonable period of time. The service team carries an adequate stock of warranty parts and ensures quick repair or replacement of products keeping the client’s satisfaction as the first priority.
Strict enforcement of compliance norms after the Tazreen fire incident in Bangladesh has led the buyers to identify companies that cater to their requirements, following the prescribed standard safety norms. With fire safety now a priority, doors have opened for duty-free import of pre-fabricated building materials and fire safety equipments for the RMG sector, picking up the cue and with a determination to contribute to better fire safety measures, Pandora is now planning to venture into fire and safety equipments. Shares Taif, the young Director of the company who always looks for new business opportunities for Pandora, “Realizing that buyers will not tolerate unsafe factories, the Government has also pitched in with very strong policies. In all probability, it will take around 5 years for all the factories to be fully compliant, and the movement has started with every factory now going in for fire safety equipments, so we thought that we should import these equipments and make it available for the industry.”
Pandora also strives to contribute to the society in large through their CSR initiative, Rokeya Foundation. Initiated In April 2013 by Ayesha, the Rokeya Foundation – an orphanage/shelter house for underprivileged girls is named after her mother Rokeya Begum. The foundation is currently providing young girls with free living, proper education, food and medication. The girls are under Ayesha’s care until they finish their universities and are able to pursue their dreams. Also scholarships to underprivileged university going girls, medical facilities through a free clinic and environmental projects are some of the noble causes taken up and funded by Ayesha.
