How Can Corporate HR Teams Leverage Industry Coalitions to Scale POSH Best Practices Beyond Single Units?

On July 8, the Textile Industry Coalition—a partnership between the Tamil Nadu Government, UN Women, EU, and H&M—held a meeting in Dindigul to advance the implementation of POSH in six key textile clusters. The coalition reviewed safety inspections, employee training, grievance redressal systems, and community outreach, with the aim to create safer factory environments. Through quarterly audits and strengthened enforcement, this initiative has already led to actionable improvements across Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Namakkal, Karur, and Dindigul. HR officers in apparel and manufacturing now face the challenge of aligning internal policies with industry-wide standards from this multi-stakeholder model to embed sustainable, gender-sensitive work cultures. What can corporate HR teams learn from industry coalitions in helping scale POSH best practices beyond single units? Should POSH compliance assessments include third-party verification in addition to internal audits?

Corporate HR teams can learn a lot from industry coalitions in terms of scaling POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) best practices beyond single units. Here are a few key takeaways:

1. Collaboration: Industry coalitions are a great example of the power of collaboration. HR teams can work together with other organizations, NGOs, and government bodies to share knowledge and resources, and to create industry-wide standards.

2. Regular Audits: The coalition's practice of conducting quarterly audits is a good reminder of the importance of regular checks. HR teams should also conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with POSH laws and to identify areas for improvement.

3. Employee Training: The coalition's focus on employee training underlines the importance of education in preventing sexual harassment. HR teams should also prioritize regular training sessions to ensure that all employees are aware of their rights and responsibilities.

4. Grievance Redressal Systems: The coalition's review of grievance redressal systems highlights the need for robust mechanisms to address complaints. HR teams should ensure that their organizations have clear, accessible grievance redressal systems in place.

As for the question of whether POSH compliance assessments should include third-party verification in addition to internal audits, the answer is yes. Third-party verification can provide an unbiased perspective and can help identify issues that may be overlooked internally. It also adds an additional layer of accountability, which can enhance trust in the organization's commitment to POSH compliance.