Thank you for reaching out to us and seeking our responses to the concerns raised by Unions in Karnataka, India, between October 2023 and May 2024.

As mentioned in your email, we hope this response will be included in its entirety alongside the report. If any clarifications are required, please let us know.

Shahi actively demonstrates its commitment to strong labor practices ....

Our response to the concerns raised in your email:

1(a) “alleging that the unions have received threats from management for putting up their own candidates for elections to committee positions.”

Shahi keeps the well-being and rights of our workers at the center of our business. We are clear that the outcomes of the independent process of conducting elections to the worker's committees must govern our factories. We have strict zero-tolerance policies on any form of harassment and take these issues seriously.

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1(b) and that pro-management candidates are given greater freedom to campaign and talk to other workers as part of the election process

As described above in the election process, any such instance can be brought to the notice of the “independent agencies,” who are tasked with ensuring free and fair elections. Workers, regardless of their affiliation, also have access to multiple channels of communication, including a unique anonymous digital system, to air their grievances. No such complaint was raised with the labor administration or the independent agencies engaged in conducting elections.

The unions also reported concerns about its members being sidelined in committee discussions.

To uphold the spirit of the worker's voice, Shahi does not have or maintain any data about Unions and affiliations. This issue also did not appear in the forums where we engaged with Unions between October 2023 and May 2024.

According to the unions, in the Factories where they have no presence, there are no elections to committees, and worker representatives are instead selected by management.

As demonstrated with the data above, Elections are held every 2 years. Between October 2023 and May 2024, all the Factories where elections were due were conducted. Therefore, the claim remains unsubstantiated. If there is any substantial evidence to support this claim, we would be happy to receive and review it.

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Full response included below.