Core Values in Practice

The textile industry is at a pivotal moment. Increased consumption, rapid fashion cycles, and resource constraints have turned waste into a major challenge. However, this issue also offers a significant commercial opportunity for those prepared to rethink core practices. Sustainability is central to our ethos. It is a responsibility that should guide how we design operations, develop supply chains, and measure long-term value. We are guided by a simple principle: we only take what we can give back. This approach guides how we manage waste, energy, water, and materials across our value chain. From the outset, we made a strategic decision to treat waste as the starting point of a new lifecycle. Each year, we recycle 1.83 billion PET bottles into 51,850 metric tonnes of recycled polyester fiber. Instead of ending up in landfills or the ocean, this material becomes high-performance yarn that meets industry standards. Recycled polyester now represents nearly 50% of our total fiber use, proving that circularity can scale without sacrificing quality or cost-effectiveness. Our boilers are transitioning from coal to biofuels made from agricultural residues. Renewable sources now supply nearly 70% of our total power, supported by a 60 MW partnership with Adani. All manufacturing units fully recycle water under a zero-liquid-discharge framework. Textile waste is now addressed across its lifecycle. Pre-consumer waste is reused in production, and post-consumer garments are recycled, reused, or rented. Fiber-to-fiber technology is accelerating this transition. As raw material costs rise and regulations tighten, circularity becomes a strategic advantage. The future of textiles will favour those who treat waste as a resource and responsibility as a core aspect of leadership. #recycling #sustainability #textilewaste #manufacturing #textiles #viksitbharat

Culture is everything 🙏🏾 When leaders accept or overlook poor behaviour, they implicitly endorse those actions, potentially eroding the organisation’s values and morale. To build a thriving culture, leaders must actively shape it by refusing to tolerate behaviour that contradicts their values and expectations.
 The best leaders: 
 1. Define and Communicate Core Values: * Articulate Expectations: Clearly define and communicate the organisation’s core values and behavioural expectations. Make these values central to every aspect of the organisation’s operations and culture. * Embed Values in Policies: Integrate these values into your policies, procedures, and performance metrics to ensure they are reflected in daily operations. 
 2. Model the Behaviour You Expect: * Lead by Example: Demonstrate the behaviour you want to see in others. Your actions should reflect the organisation’s values, from how you interact with employees to how you handle challenges. 3. Address Poor Behaviour Promptly: * Act Quickly: Confront and address inappropriate behaviour as soon as it occurs. Delays in addressing issues can lead to a culture of tolerance for misconduct. * Apply Consistent Consequences: Ensure that consequences for poor behaviour are fair, consistent, and aligned with organisational values. This reinforces that there are clear boundaries and expectations.
 4. Foster a Culture of Accountability: * Encourage Self-Regulation: Promote an environment where everyone is encouraged to hold themselves and others accountable for their actions. * Provide Support: Offer resources and support for employees to understand and align with organisational values, helping them navigate challenges and uphold standards.
 5. Seek and Act on Feedback: * Encourage Open Communication: Create channels for employees to provide feedback on behaviour and organisational culture without fear of reprisal. * Respond Constructively: Act on feedback to address and rectify issues. This shows that you value employee input and are committed to maintaining a positive culture.
 6. Celebrate Positive Behaviour: * Recognise and Reward: Acknowledge and reward employees who exemplify the organisation’s values. Celebrating positive behaviour reinforces the desired culture and motivates others to follow suit. * Share Success Stories: Highlight examples of how upholding values has led to positive outcomes, reinforcing the connection between behaviour and organisational success.
 7. Invest in Leadership Development: * Provide Training: Offer training and development opportunities for leaders at all levels to enhance their skills in managing behaviour and fostering a positive culture. 8. Promote Inclusivity and Respect: * Build a Diverse Environment: Create a culture that respects and values diversity. Inclusivity strengthens the organisational fabric and fosters a more collaborative and supportive work environment.

Are you building a career around... your values -or- your expectations? When your path feels out of alignment, it’s often a call to reconnect with your core values. For leaders navigating reinvention, values serve as a compass, guiding us toward choices that truly resonate with who we are and the impact we want to make. When your next chapter is built around what genuinely matters to you, the work doesn’t just look good on paper... it feels right in your soul. Here are a few ways to lean on values as you shape your next professional chapter: 1) Identify Your Three Core Values as Your True North As we shift into new ventures, it’s easy to get caught up in what seems impressive or “marketable.” Take time to identify or rediscover your top three values. Write them down, and check in with them regularly. Are these principles clearly reflected in the work you’re choosing? Do your goals feel aligned with these values? This practice brings clarity and makes it easier to say “yes” to what’s right and “no” to what’s not. 2) Use Values to Filter Opportunities Especially in transition, many options can arise, and it’s tempting to explore them all. Before diving into new projects, ask yourself: Does this opportunity align with my values? Does it contribute to the legacy I want to build? This filter helps ensure that your choices add authentic value to your life rather than just filling up your schedule. 3) Reflect on Values When You Feel “Stuck” or Uncertain Feeling stuck is often a sign of misalignment with your values. When you sense that resistance, revisit your core values. Ask yourself where there might be a disconnect. Sometimes, the act of reconnecting with our values helps dissolve doubt and make a tough decision feel much clearer. 4) Share Your Values with Key People in Your Life Transparency about what drives you isn’t just for your benefit. Share your core values with those close to you: • mentors • peers • loved ones This opens the door for deeper connections and meaningful conversations. It also invites accountability: when your values are out in the open, you’re more likely to stay true to them. 5) Embrace Values as Fuel, Not Restriction Sometimes, leaders worry that values may “limit” their choices. The truth? Values expand what’s possible by giving your journey depth and meaning. They prevent burnout by focusing your energy on work that aligns with who you are. Trust that this foundation fuels both fulfillment and long-term success. As you step into this next phase, let your values be your steady guide. Professional reinvention is a journey, and values keep you moving in the direction you desire most. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗮𝘆 “𝗻𝗼” 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆?

We MUST move words like ‘integrity’ and ‘respect’ from concepts to behaviours that exist in the way we work. Most organisations proudly display their values on walls and websites: integrity, respect, excellence, innovation. Yet how many have actually defined what these actually look like in daily practice? In meetings, how many people are actually thinking about what respect means to them? Because, ultimately, these words remain meaningless until translated into observable actions. When ‘integrity’ is just a word, anyone can claim to embody it. But when integrity means ‘acknowledging mistakes and working to fix them,’ we create a standard against which behaviour can be measured. Leaders who truly want to build ethical organisations don’t just preach values — they define, demonstrate, and reward the specific behaviours that bring those values to life. They understand that values without behaviours are just aspirations without commitment. Could your team members specifically describe what your organisation’s values look like in action? Or are they just reciting pleasant-sounding words? Comment below: what ONE organisational value could you translate into three specific behaviours by the end of this week?

When you set out to build a company that is good for society, how do you make sure your intentions go beyond just window dressing? In the 21 years that I have written about startups for Bloomberg Businessweek and Fortune and WIRED, I've seen a lot of companies make short-sighted decisions that compromise their social goals. They blame the economy, or the stock market, or a competitive business landscape. They say it's impossible. But companies like Warby Parker prove it’s possible to build a strong business that does good, *even* after 16 years and *even* in this economy. So how do we ensure that purpose stays at the heart of our work? Cofounder Neil Blumenthal shared his thoughts on a recent episode of the #HelloMondayPodcast: 1. Define Clear Values: Purpose can’t just be a buzzword. Embed your company’s core values into everything you do—from how you hire and treat employees to the sustainability of your supply chain. 2. Measure and Share Impact: Be transparent about your goals and track your progress with hard data. Share what’s working, and just as importantly, what’s not. True commitment to change means accountability, not perfection. 3. Engage Stakeholders: Your employees, customers, and communities should have a voice. Create feedback loops that allow for honest input and adjust your approach based on their needs, not just what looks good in a mission statement. 4. Lead by Example: It’s not enough to talk about doing good—your leadership needs to embody these values. Authenticity comes from action at every level of the company. We don't have to sacrifice social impact for growth. It takes intentionality and accountability, but it’s possible to stay true to mission. And: Big gratitude to Leanne Pittsford & the Lesbians Who Tech & Allies Summit for inviting us to record this episode live in September in New York City! What do you think? How can businesses balance purpose with profitability in today’s challenging environment? Who is doing it well?

💡 Every executive meeting comes down to trade-offs. Yesterday we found our tiebreaker💡 I sat with our Product team and two other members of our Executive team, going deep on one of our roadmap items and trying to determine where it fit in our Q4 priorities. If you’ve ever been in one of these meetings, you know how it goes: • Many points of view • Plenty of sharp ideas • A healthy dose of agreement and disagreement And rightly so, these conversations matter. They’re about trade-offs and risks. We had to weigh what would best help us grow as a company, what our teams needed to deliver and sell successfully, and what would best enable future product capabilities. So what won in the end? 👉 The promise we’ve made to our customers, rooted in quality and meaningful insights and outcomes. (That’s actually why DISQO is spelled with a “Q.” It stands for Quality.) That customer promise became the tiebreaker that aligned us across different perspectives. It was a small moment, but it made me proud. And it made me reflect: ❓ Of the thousands of decisions made every day across our company, how many are rooted in our value to "Champion the Customer"? That’s the real measure of whether our values are alive in practice, not just on the wall or in a slide deck. Here’s the action plan I’m challenging myself (and others) to follow every day: 1️⃣ Ask the customer question. When making a decision, pause: How does this help deliver better outcomes for our customers? 2️⃣ Use values as the tiebreaker. When trade-offs are hard, let company values decide, not convenience, politics, or ego. 3️⃣ Call it out. Celebrate when decisions reflect values, and respectfully challenge when they don’t. 4️⃣ Repeat daily. The small decisions add up. Every “yes” or “no” shapes whether customers feel our values or not. ✨ Values aren’t tested in easy decisions. They’re tested in the tough trade-offs. Yesterday reminded me: when in doubt, Champion the Customer. That’s how we keep our promises, and that’s how we continue to #CreateTheFuture. #Leadership #CustomerSuccess #ProductManagement #CustomerExperience #Culture #CreateTheFuture

Knowing your values gives you the discernment, not between right and wrong, but between what looks right and what IS right. That’s why the very first activity that I do with a new, 1-1 executive coaching client is to uncover and name their top five values. Honestly, my clients resist this exercise at first. They may often say that they’ve done this or that it feels basic. I get it. I don’t blame them, because I felt this way at one point too. Values have been worn out by being plastered on corporate web pages as a virtue signal but optionally being followed through on. So why bother? In your life, and especially for women in the workplace today who will make and influence many decisions, so many things will look right. People are eager to give you advice on the best decision you should make, and it’s tempting to go along with popular opinion. Your values inform how you’ll show up and take action in executing those choices. At the end of the day, if you don’t know what you stand for, what will you settle for? So at the end of our coaching relationship, guess what my clients say was their most valuable takeaway? Naming and claiming their values. 🔥 ➡️ Many times, their initial list of values is a list of their “shoulds.” We get a layer deeper to remove all the shoulds and get to the core of what they truly stand for. This creates clarity. ➡️ When they know their values, it gives them permission to say no to the things that aren’t in alignment with them, which creates peace. ➡️ And when they are faced with ambiguity or challenges, they can lean on their values as a compass or map and take small steps in alignment with them, creating freedom and confidence. Values help you discern what you stand for as a leader so you aren’t left tolerating less than you need, want, and deserve. Here’s where to start: Start noticing what must be present in your life and work to make it meaningful, and notice what makes you feel resentful or angry, as it could signal a value being crossed.

How I changed careers: 5 coaching secrets to find your path. Changing careers can seem daunting, but it's possible. I did it!  Here are the 5 coaching techniques that helped me leave the corporate grind and become an entrepreneur: 1️⃣ Confront your fears Fear is a dream killer. Fear is fed by limiting beliefs. Remember, "I don't have the right skills" or "I’m not good enough" are perceptions, not truths. ✅ Shift your mindset from “I can’t, I will fail” to “I am capable, and I can learn.” It’s a game-changer. 2️⃣ Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses Early in my career, I wasted time trying to fix my weaknesses. It only impacted my confidence. The turning point came when I shifted my focus to my strengths. ✅ When you focus on what you do best, you'll grow more quickly than trying to improve upon your weaknesses. It's the fastest path to your zone of genius. 3️⃣ Discover our Ikigai #Ikigai is your “reason for being.” This powerful Japanese concept helped me find the sweet spot between what I love, what I’m skilled at, what I can be paid for( => my strengths) and what the world needs. ✅ Your Ikigai is just at the intersection of your strengths and what the world needs. You're one step closer. 4️⃣Navigate by your North Star: your set of values. Values aren’t just corporate buzzwords. They're the DNA of your decision-making process. Clarifying mine helped me cut through the noise and make choices that aligned with my ultimate goals. ✅ Your journey needs a direction, not a destination. Who knows their destiny? The path isn’t always clear at the start, make choices aligned with your values. We'll uncover them on Thursday together with a simple activity. 5️⃣ Visualize Visualizing isn’t just about daydreaming your successes. It’s an active engagement tool for your brain. Picture your ideal self: how you operate, your strengths in play, and your values guiding you. This bridges your present and future. ✅ You conscious mind is the goal-setter, BUT Your subconscious mind is the goal-getter. Get ready to experiment that during Thursday's webinar.  I’m hosting a webinar to break down these steps further this Thursday. Whether you're considering a career shift or just curious about the process, I promise it will be a transformational hour. Link in comment. Change is hard, but stagnation is harder. Pick your hard. Geraldine PS: Share if you found it valuable, Share if someone can benefit from these tips.

I once worked with a leader who offered a long six hour orientation for new hires to learn about the values and the culture. He was disappointed that no one seemed to remember the values, or put them into action. Truth be told, (I was exhausted listening to the full day orientation complete with models from some of the best leadership gurus in the business,) and I love that kind of thing. I can't imagine a new hire trying to absorb it all. The problem is that book knowledge only goes so far, and posting values on the wall, or delivering half-day presentations won't change behavior. At best, you get intellectual understanding or a drop of awareness. The real value comes through embodiment. Embodiment means living the values when it's easier to make excuses. For example, this leader always shows up late, yet one of their values is excellence. Employees just expect him to be a no-show or show up halfway through a meeting at best. His standards for himself are different than for his team. Posting values on the wall is easy. Living them in meetings, decisions, and tough conversations is where it counts. It's all about alignment, not workshops or promotional materials. If you say you value integrity but don’t keep small promises, you have some work to do. What can you do if you're in a leadership position? Make values actionable. Ask in meetings: “How does this decision reflect our values?” Embed them into hiring, recognition, and feedback. When you make a promise, put it in your calendar. Follow up and apologize when you drop the ball. Make a commitment to be the living example of what you teach in orientation and the values you post on your website. #leadership #values #Trust

💡 What makes an organisation's values real? Not just the words written on a page, but the ones that guide decisions, actions, and interactions every day. Values aren’t destinations (that’s what goals are for). They’re guideposts and a shared direction. But here’s the challenge: If your values aren’t reinforced through consistent actions, they’re easy to lose sight of - and when that happens, people notice. As many of us shift into planning mode for 2025, it’s the perfect time to ask: 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴? Here’s how to bring them to life in real, tangible ways: 1️⃣ Define the behaviours. Values like collaboration sound great, but what do they actually mean? What do they look like in action? • Asking for input. • Sharing knowledge. • Working through conflict constructively. By mapping values to specific behaviours, you make them practical and actionable. 2️⃣ Build the skills. Once you’ve defined the behaviours, ask: What skills do we need to support these? For example: • Collaboration might rely on active listening, trust-building, or communication. • Innovation could need critical thinking, problem-solving, or resilience. When your team has the skills to act on your values, they’ll show up in the day-to-day. 3️⃣ Reinforce every day. Values come to life in daily work moments - in meetings, feedback, and decisions. By intentionally supporting the skills and behaviours tied to your values, you make them part of how work gets done. 👉 Values are directions, not destinations. They guide how we work and how we grow. As you set goals and priorities for 2025, how are you planning to reinforce your values? I’d love to hear some ideas. #BusinessValues #TeamDevelopment #WorkplaceLearning #PeopleAndCulture