Workers’ health is a prime focus for many leading apparel manufacturing companies,with few of them even implementing interesting ideas in their factories.
Well-known Delhi-based apparel export house Paramount Products is one such firm that’s putting thrust on proper nutrition of its workers.
The company has noticed that now its workers have started choosing sprouts over samosas as evening snacks. They have started realising the value of a healthy diet and have started making the right food choices. Sprouts are also being served in official meetings to increase the acceptance of healthy food.
Sprouts Chaat is made with Bengal gram (Kala Chana) sprout, onion, tomato, cucumber, reddish salad and boiled potato.
The company, going to complete its 50 years soon, makes apparels for prestigious overseas brands and retailers. It has six units in Delhi-NCR, where almost 4,000 workers are working and health-oriented initiatives are being implemented across its all units.
The company has a project ‘Sehat’ (Health), which is a comprehensive programme for health and well-being of workers. It covers the physical as well as mental health of workers.
“We did a survey of workers and found that many of them are not having proper breakfast. We did their proper counselling in this regard and also planned to execute to improve their overall health; so the idea started from there. Now workers are happy with this as they are enjoying evening snacks along with improvement in their health,” Rupali Agarwal, Head- CSR of the company.
For this initiative, the export house worked together with IMPAct 4 Nutrition (I4N) Platform (An Initiative for Mobilizing Private Action for Nutrition), which is an Ahmedabad-based non-profit organisation.
Experts of IMPAct 4 Nutrition have held various sessions with the company that’s led the company’s employees to make healthier choices.
“Whoever (new worker) joins us, we do a proper health check-up and maintain MIS. We also have facilities to help workers regarding their health issues,” said Rupali.
