Karachi, Pakistan: AGI Denim, one of South Asia’s leading vertical denim manufacturers, has announced Wednesday its certification as a B Corporation. It is now the first company to become B Corp certified in the country and joins a group of companies reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit. AGI Denim has been certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, as having met rigorous social and environmental standards representing its commitment to goals beyond the conventional.
The B Corp certification addresses the entirety of a business’ operations and covers the five key impact areas of Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers. B Corp applicants must reach a benchmark score of over 80 while providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity, and corporate transparency. AGI Denim has legally embedded its commitment to purpose beyond profit in its company articles.
The B Corp community represents a broad cross-section of industries, including well-known brands such as Aesop, Allbirds, Athleta, Eileen Fisher, and Patagonia. Recent attention on the denim industry makes AGI Denim’s B Corp certification a notable step and signals a shift towards greater accountability and transparency in the sector.
Ahmed Javed, Executive Director of AGI Denim said, “We have always worked hard to become a part of something greater than ourselves. Denim can become a force for good even though it didn’t start that way. Through B Corp, we now have the opportunity to shed a different light on how the world views denim. We’re thrilled to join this global collective of corporations fueled with a common purpose of laying focus on people, communities, and the planet.”
The denim manufacturer considers success to revolve around the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit. The company reasserts its commitment to its people by providing free healthcare, interest-free microfinancing, and a safe workplace for differently-abled individuals and minorities, which creates an inclusive environment encouraging training and growth.
By integrating automation into the supply chain, AGI Denim has managed to curb waste by increasing its focus on circularity. Its water recycling plant, industrial park, and the first LEED-certified spinning mill in the country, coupled with new innovative, responsible collections help keep AGI Denim as one of the few manufacturers with the planet at its heart.
AGI Denim has been working on making its business a force for good. Their purpose also includes building up communities through regenerative strategies implemented for the future. The company adopted two schools from The Citizen’s Foundation, from which 400 children graduate annually. It also conducts routine mangrove plantations to help regulate and combat climate change.
Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, says “We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community – from startups to multinationals and across many different industries. Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that you can do good in any sector. Welcoming AGI Denim is an exciting moment because they have an opportunity to lead the way within the denim industry. We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support AGI Denim in paving the way for a new way of doing things”.
About B Lab UK: B Lab UK is transforming the economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, and tools for business, and we certify companies—known as B Corps—who are leading the way. To date, our global community includes 5,100 B Corps in 83 countries and 153 industries, and over 150,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager.
About AGI Denim: Artistic Garment Industries (AGI Denim) is one of Pakistan's leading vertical premium denim manufacturers. The company's history dates back to Artistic's inception in 1949 and has since evolved and rebranded itself as AGI Denim. As a market leader, it produces quality denim in an innovative culture that seeks out and uses only the latest equipment and machinery. AGI Denim prides itself on maintaining production methods that ensure a safe and productive work environment for its employees. This commitment to doing business in a socially responsible and sustainable way has earned it a LEED Gold certificate and the patronage of some of the world's top retail and designer brands. AGI Denim has recently invested $75 million into state-of-the-art infrastructure and cutting-edge technology and commenced production in a new industrial park with over one million square feet of purpose-built area at Pakistan's first LEED-certified Spinning mill and Denim fabric facility.
