Forging a Sustainability Lens
Anuja Ojha's entry into the world of sustainability was not a direct academic pursuit but a personal and professional evolution. After completing her business administration studies, she began her career in the fashion industry. She started with one of India's largest manufacturing units, a major global export house. Her path unfolded on a global scale, where she spent over 15 years managing sustainability initiatives in India and globally. This extensive tenure provided her with a distinct vantage point on corporate responsibility, which she now uses for her holistic consulting.
A key insight emerged early in her career: the necessity for "the coming together of the functions for sustainability". Sustainability, she realized, cannot reside in a single department. It is an intricate web touching supply chain partners, value chains, diverse operations, and critical decision-making processes across organizations. Her roles encompassed a broad spectrum, from supply chain and consumer engagement to worker well-being programs. Despite their imperfections, this comprehensive exposure within industry-leading companies highlighted a significant reality: these organizations possessed the "intent and the weight and the muscle behind" driving substantial sustainability initiatives from their foundational stages.
The period of her corporate engagement also marked a critical shift in the industry itself. Sustainability transitioned from a niche concern to a "mainstream function for many other brands". This overall momentum and the "give and take in the industry" influenced strategic thinking within large enterprises. It presented a dynamic environment where concepts were not "frozen in time" but constantly evolving, demanding continuous learning and adaptation. Her corporate background thus served as a platform, providing exposure and orientation in this rapidly changing field. This foundational experience shaped her understanding of sustainability as an integrated business imperative, not a peripheral CSR activity. It gave her a comprehensive understanding of how large-scale change takes root within complex systems.
"The most interesting thing that I could see as an individual, and as a professional is the coming together of functions for sustainability"
Scaling Influence
A significant strategic pivot emerged in 2023: Anuja Ojha's decision to launch her consultancy after decades in corporate sustainability. A fundamental imperative drove this move. Her objective was clear: "to scale the impact, to create more value and to accelerate some of the things I could do within the industry". Years spent within large organizations and brands had equipped her with a robust understanding of problem-solving within complex structures, a foundation she aimed to leverage for broader influence.
The global crisis of "the pandemic and the COVID times" served as a catalytic "shaking point." It reinforced the urgency to "live maximum" professionally and personally. Such global disruptions often compel seasoned leaders to reevaluate the calculus of professional risk, prompting a shift from established stability towards amplified impact. This reassessment of life's fragility became a powerful motivator for a new entrepreneurial chapter.
The transition to an external consulting role demands a distinct operational approach compared to internal corporate mandates. Navigating an established corporate cadence differs fundamentally from influencing multiple, diverse clients. For a business owner, "everything is about time and cost". Therefore, the core challenge for a consultant involves being "an influence of change" without direct hierarchical authority. This requires identifying areas for progress, ensuring measurability, and securing genuine client embrace of sustainable initiatives. How does one foster ownership when direct command is absent?
Ojha emphasizes the necessity to "keep it as simple as possible" while remaining "data-driven". This simplicity proves crucial in gaining buy-in from diverse client motivations. She notes that data, while "purely technology driven," is fundamentally "driven by people". Its true essence lies with "the user and the person who analyzes the data". Technological data and "human side or live intelligence" are critical for extracting genuine value. This sophisticated understanding of data transcends mere metrics. It recognizes the human element as the ultimate arbiter of meaning and actionable insight.
"The beauty and the challenge both are... You have to be the influencer, and you have to identify the areas of progress and make it measurable."
"Traceability is very important... and it's also essential to incorporate or build value to unlock those relationships."
The Apparel Supply Chain
The apparel industry's value chain presents substantial sustainability challenges, particularly traceability. Anuja Ojha articulates this complexity with precision, highlighting the intricate web of global production. How do technological advancements in data intersect with the inherent, often opaque, relationships within vast supply chains? Traceability, she explains, extends beyond "numerical data". It fundamentally involves "the value unlock of those relationships". This demands a nuanced understanding of variables such as supplier volume, whether small and seasonal or large and consistent, to measure and interpret data accurately. The actual utility of traceability, therefore, depends on deciphering these "nuances around data" that extend far beyond a simple numerical value. This often requires delving into the operational intricacies of each production stage, from raw material sourcing to final product assembly.
This intricate web aims to streamline and rationalize "the whole life cycle of the garment or the product". This involves simplifying "touch points or the logistics part of it", ensuring business decisions actively support enhanced traceability. The energy-intensive nature of glass production, often perceived as inherently sustainable but overlooking its immense energy input, is a relevant parallel in manufacturing efficiency. Ojha posits that promoting "lasting high quality product" that is "durable" and "looks good as it ages" stands as a "big winner in terms of sustainability" in the apparel sector. This approach fundamentally shifts focus from the disposable nature of fast fashion towards a model centered on enduring value and extended product life. It implies a strategic re-evaluation of product design, material selection, and consumer engagement, moving beyond fleeting trends to cultivate appreciation for longevity.
Achieving this requires a dual focus: utilizing "more sustainable materials" like those from the Better Cotton Initiative, and driving "R&D and innovation behind processes". The overarching aim remains "doing more with less at every stage" of production, optimizing water, chemicals, and energy use. This commitment extends beyond a company's internal operations to its wider network of suppliers and manufacturers. In the broader regulatory landscape, European Union regulations are viewed by Ojha as "industry leading". These regulations compel other regions to "slowly but effectively try to catch up". This regulatory stringency offers an advantage to vendors working with the EU, effectively enhancing their systems for broader market engagement. Does such external regulatory pressure inherently foster innovation and drive wider compliance, even across reluctant or less mature markets, or does it merely create new barriers to entry for smaller players? The systemic impact of these regulations is a crucial consideration.
Alignment and the Long Haul
Achieving a sustainable and circular supply chain hinges on a structured business approach. Consistency as a brand, clear communication of "core areas" and "benchmarking practices", and the timely sharing of expectations, prove paramount for supply chain partners. Anuja Ojha highlights that while some organizations struggle to stay compliant, others genuinely " want to set themselves up for... the long haul" if given the proper opportunity. This requires buyers to provide "more straightforward, simplified... business requirements in terms of their ESG goals". It is about dictating terms and fostering an environment where sustainable practices become a shared, long-term objective.
Like any healthy relationship, supply chain partners seek "shared interest" where there is "learning and give and take". Better visibility, enhanced understanding, practical tools, and ample room for feedback are crucial for this collaborative dynamic. Ojha consistently frames "sustainability as part of the business strategy". This perspective contrasts sharply with many who perceive it as a distant aspiration. For leading enterprises, sustainability is the foundation of their business strategy and is not a peripheral concern. This integrated view is a non-negotiable prerequisite for future market leadership.
Engaging with diverse geographies and mindsets demands a precise approach. Active listening to "the audience" and understanding their "area of interest as well as... where they sit in the whole equation of the business" is crucial for effective collaboration. Identifying "existing pain points" allows for targeted value creation. Ojha emphasizes that consultants provide "best ways of looking at it", but true success hinges on remaining "open for feedback" and building solutions "together". This collaborative approach builds an environment where the solution "becomes a part of the culture of the organization".
A critical pitfall in sustainability initiatives is attempting "to do too many things." Fragmentation of efforts, or "jumping from program to program, project to project," often leads to losing "the essence" of the core objective. Simplification and focusing on areas where absolute "scale can come" are vital to maintaining coherence and achieving tangible results.
"It's critical to simplify it and to give it in a way that you know they can take home, and they can build it into their organization."
A Legacy of Simplification
In a dynamic and rapidly changing environment, continuous learning proves non-negotiable. Anuja Ojha's sustained engagement is driven by a genuine area of interest, transforming the effort into an intrinsic pursuit. Sustainability demands a multidimensional learning approach, encompassing the "human side", the "technical side", and "new innovation". Periodical investment in "courses or learning or attending conferences" is essential to remain acutely "in tune with what's happening".
While leadership buy-in remains paramount, as it is "where the intent comes from", the true work involves penetrating different departments to foster internal problem-solving. External consultants often observe that internal teams are "more forthcoming with someone discussing with them than just with, you know, someone they work with regularly". Establishing a "free flow of communication and openness to feedback" is critical. Even if feedback does not lead to immediate change, acknowledging it ensures "everyone feels like they belong". This process cultivates a culture of embracing and owning sustainability, becoming "their baby".
India's evolving compliance landscape positions compliance as "the foundation, " the starting point for any sustainability discussion. India's regulatory environment, learning from EU models, is "catching up" with initiatives like the BRSR reporting. This trend is "only going to grow" and "get more systematic". The entire ecosystem, encompassing authorities, supply chain partners, buyers, and consumers, shares collective responsibility. Simplifying complex processes enables scalability for all stakeholders.
Ojha's ambition for her firm centers on being known for "simplifying things". The objective is to demystify ESG, empowering organizations to "feel like they can drive it and bring in some change". This focus on making complex processes accessible ensures sustainability becomes "a culture of the organization", adaptable to changing teams and market dynamics. Is actual impact measured not solely by adherence, but by the simplicity with which complex goals are internalized, allowing them to become an organic part of an organization's character?
"Simplifying things so that they are easily understood becomes a culture of the organization. And you know, they really start embracing it."
What I learned from Anuja Ojha
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Integrated Sustainability is Foundational: For large organizations, sustainability is not a side project but a deeply interwoven function across all operations, supply chains, and decision-making processes from foundational stages.
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Influence Trumps Command in Consultancy: Effective external consulting requires influencing change and gaining client ownership without direct hierarchical power. This emphasizes clarity, measurability, and a deep understanding of client motivation.
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Data's Human Core: While data is technology-driven, its true value and actionable insight come from the human element interpreting and applying it. Simplicity in presenting data is crucial for organizational buy-in.
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Circular Economy for True Value: In industries like apparel, promoting durable, high-quality products and optimizing resource use ("doing more with less") shifts focus from fast consumption to enduring value, proving a strong sustainability winner
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Simplification Drives Adoption: The ultimate goal of sustainability initiatives is to become an internalized "culture of the organization." This is best achieved through simplifying complex concepts, making them easily understood and embraced by all stakeholders.
Open Questions
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Question 1: The article highlights the "human side" of data interpretation in sustainability. How can organizations develop internal capacities to bridge the gap between raw data points and actionable, human-led insights, fostering a culture where data truly informs rather than merely reports?
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Question 2: Anuja Ojha advocates "simplifying things" to integrate sustainability into organizational culture. How can simplicity be achieved in complex global supply chains with diverse regulations and stakeholders without oversimplifying or compromising the rigor required for comprehensive ESG reporting and genuine impact?
Comprehension Challenge: Anuja Ojha
Philosophy
Anuja Ojha's journey from corporate giant to consultancy highlights the critical shift from internal "muscle" to external "influence" in driving sustainability. She stresses that effective change requires simplifying complex initiatives and ensuring data translates into actionable insights, particularly when engaging diverse stakeholders who prioritize "time and cost." This challenge tests the strategic application of these principles in a complex, multi-faceted business environment.
The Scenario
Imagine 'Sanjay,' the founder of a rapidly growing Indian e-commerce logistics company, specializing in last-mile delivery. His business is booming, but he faces increasing pressure from European investors and potential global partners for robust ESG reporting, especially on carbon emissions across his fragmented supply chain (delivery vehicles, local hubs, packaging). Sanjay’s internal team, traditionally focused on rapid expansion and cost efficiency, views ESG as a bureaucratic burden. They collect some data, but it is siloed, inconsistent, and often lacks the "human intelligence" for actionable insights. His Head of Operations argues that any significant sustainability initiative will drastically increase costs and slow down delivery times, directly impacting profitability.
Sanjay has limited additional budget for a full-scale, long-term sustainability department, but he needs to demonstrate progress quickly to secure a crucial investment round. The market demands "transparent" ESG data, but his current internal resources struggle even with basic compliance.
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The Task
Drawing on Anuja Ojha’s experiences, advise Sanjay on a pragmatic, phased approach to embed sustainability into his business. How can he:
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Can the initial ESG focus be simplified to create immediate, measurable impact that resonates with his cost-conscious internal team and external investors?
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Leverage existing data and build internal capacity to bridge the "data-human intelligence" gap without a massive new investment?
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Frame sustainability not just as compliance, but as a strategic business advantage that supports his growth objectives, addressing his Head of Operations' concerns directly? Develop a clear, actionable roadmap for Sanjay, emphasizing influence, practicality, and demonstrating value in the short to medium term.