Luxmi Tea wins national POSH excellence award for safer, inclusive workplaces in Assam tea estates

GUWAHATI: Luxmi Tea Co Private Limited which has around 13 tea estates in Assam has been conferred the Excellence in POSH Governance & Compliance Award at the 4th National POSH Conclave & Excellence Awards 2026 held in New Delhi on Friday.

The Conclave is organised by NoMeansNo, an initiative of the Centre for Skill Development & Training (CSDT), with the support of the Department of Women & Child Development, Government of Delhi. The award recognises the Company’s implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, and its long-term investment in building safer, more inclusive workplaces across its operations.

Monumoti Kalandi, Tea Plucker and Internal Committee Member, Moran Tea Estate of Assam said “Earlier, many of us did not know where to go or whom to approach. Today we understand our rights and know someone will listen. The training has given us confidence to speak for ourselves and to stand beside other women.”

Over the past two years, the Company has organised 144 POSH awareness workshops, reaching around 10,000 permanent and temporary workers in local languages across tea gardens, factories and corporate offices. Estate-level POSH Champions serve as accessible points of contact, building trust through regular one-to-one engagement with women workers, while Internal Committees have been strengthened through continuous training and leadership engagement.

Atoli Achumi, Senior Assistant Manager, Narayanpur Tea Estate and Presiding Officer, North Bank Tea Estates said, “Creating a safe workplace begins with leadership that is visible, approachable and accountable. When workers know women are part of decision-making and grievance redressal, they are more willing to raise concerns without hesitation.”

Women have always been at the heart of the plantation economy, yet conversations around tea have largely centred on production, exports and quality, with far less attention paid to how safe, respected and empowered women feel in the workplaces they sustain. For Luxmi Tea, workplace safety extends well beyond legal compliance — it is embedded in a broader commitment to dignity, inclusion and employee well-being across its tea estates.

Building confidence inside the workplace also means creating opportunities beyond it. At Makaibari Tea Estate, women have diversified their livelihoods through beekeeping and honey production, and lead community homestays connecting tea tourism with local heritage. At Moran Tea Estate, traditional weaving has been revived as a cultural and economic enterprise. Women’s Self-Help Groups run snack-making initiatives, while vermicomposting programmes support sustainable agriculture and additional livelihoods, stated a press release.

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