Entrepreneurship is just about one thing, a strong and unwavering belief in yourself that drives your vision !

Prabhakar Bhangare, our next pathbreaker, is Founder & CEO at Global PCCS, a company that assists manufacturing firms in complying with various environmental standards around the world.

Prabhakar talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from  The Interview Portal about the innumerable challenges and key opportunities that shaped his entrepreneurial journey in the field of compliance .

For students, the compliance domain is still in its infancy, and requires many committed professionals who take sustainability seriously !

Prabhakar, can you tell us about your background?

When I was in the 7th standard, I made the decision that I wanted to become an engineer because I had been told by my teacher that engineers do incredible things and that they are responsible for the development of the nation. As a result of hearing this, I made the decision that I wanted to become an engineer. However, since I could not meet the requirements to enroll in a reputable college in my hometown, Kalaburagi after completing the 10th grade with a score of close to fifty percent, I was forced to settle for a science programme at a mediocre institution instead. And sadly, I had two attempts at the 12th grade (the second year of PUC), but neither of them were successful, therefore I had to take the CET before I could enroll in engineering college. 

When I went for CET counseling, I was extremely bewildered with many engineering disciplines. At the time, I was only familiar with four types of engineering, and those were computer science, mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, and civil engineering. 

And I did not have any of these engineering seats available for my CET score; however, my good friend Raghvendra, who came along with me and was studying Engineering in Electronics at SIT Tumkur, told me that there was a seat available for the Chemical branch in SIT and that it would be beneficial for me to study in the Chemical field. I took his advice and decided to enroll in the Chemical programme. 

Because of this, I enrolled in a chemical engineering degree programme. To tell you the truth, I had absolutely no prior knowledge in chemical engineering. You could say that I stumbled into a career in chemical engineering by accident.  

What did you do for graduation/ post graduation?

I did my BTech in Chemical Engineering from Visveswaraya University followed by an MBA from Annamalai University. I also have a International Post Graduate Diploma in Preventive Environmental Management

What made you choose such an offbeat, unconventional and unique career?

I used to struggle with studies, barely passing my 10th grade and failing my 12th grade twice. But I didn’t let that define me. I worked hard, and after several attempts, I finally got into engineering. However, studying in Kannada medium made it even more challenging for me. Despite completing my engineering, I failed 17 job interviews. But I didn’t give up. I took a job that paid very little, solely for the experience. I knew that experience was more important than money at that point.

With my hard work and dedication, I eventually landed a job in a multinational company in the compliance and sustainability sector. During this time, I realized that Indian companies were not performing well in this sector. Drawing from my experience working with European and US companies, I began to think about starting my own company.

In 2012, I took the leap and founded Global PCCS. It hasn’t been an easy journey, but I have learned that success is possible with determination, hard work, and a willingness to adapt and learn. Today, Global PCCS is a successful venture, and I’m proud to have made a difference in the industry. At Global PCCS, we are driving Sustainability through Best Practices Compliance Service.

Tell us about your career path

After receiving my degree in chemical engineering in 2005, I immediately began looking for work in a variety of fields; however, I was unsuccessful in clearing interviews due to the fact that I failed my 12th grade class twice and one year in engineering. Despite this, I have never stopped myself from attending interviews, and if there is one thing I have learned, it is that I was willing to make a compromise with regard to my salary in order to secure employment and instead concentrate solely on enhancing my skill set. I was fortunate enough to get a job in the compliance domain with a salary of 7,000 INR per month. I worked for European customers because they were the ones who initiated regulations to mandate manufacturing companies to restrict the use of hazardous chemicals in their products in order to protect human health and the environment from the impacts of these chemicals. 

My main goal was to improve my skills while continuing my progression in the same field. After having been a part of the organization for a month, I noticed that while the European region had started enforcing these requirements very early, this would very much be required by every manufacturing company. In addition, I anticipated that in the near future, every country will make this as a regulatory and mandatory requirement for manufacturing companies because complying with the regulations will help in reducing the impact of hazardous chemicals on environment and human health. As a result, I made the decision to concentrate solely on issues pertaining to compliance and sustainability because these issues have a great deal of potential moving forward. Working in the compliance and sustainability area for a variety of international corporations, such as the German firm Robert Bosch, the American company General Motors, and the Japanese company DENSO, has allowed me to acquire a significant amount of information and gain exposure to businesses in other parts of the world. 

At the same time, I finished my master’s degree in International Business through a distance learning programme, and then I went on to earn a postgraduate diploma in Environmental Management so that I could advance my knowledge and expertise in the same field.

How did you get your first break?

It was really really difficult and it was a very tough time for me to get my first break. I was in a state of depression because I didn’t get a job. No one was willing to hire me because of my previous failures in 12th grade. I failed my engineering exam once, and I failed it twice overall; this was the largest obstacle for me to overcome before I could land my first job.

In the early 2000s, the compliance wave had just begun globally and  so the pay was lower for compliance profiles. 

So when I got the offer letter for the IMDS position in the Compliance domain with a salary of 7000 INR per month, I thought, let’s study this domain as I noticed that the job profile was entirely different. However, after joining, I was able to co-relate a few subjects from my chemical engineering degree with this job profile. The position was in the Compliance domain. Because every product is the result of some kind of chemical process, application, or reaction, it stands to reason that there are both beneficial and harmful chemicals in existence. The use of potentially harmful chemicals in production, which have an adverse effect on both the environment and human health, is the primary emphasis of the legislation.  

What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?

When I started Global PCCS in 2012, I had to invest 6 lakhs from my savings to get the business up and running. I was nervous about taking this step, but I had faith in my vision and my ability to make it a success. To my delight, we made 20 lakhs in profit in the first year. This initial success gave me the confidence to continue investing all our profits back into the company for the next 7-8 years to fuel growth.

Building a successful business requires hard work, patience, and persistence. And with every passing year, I was more determined than ever to make Global PCCS a leading company in the compliance and sustainability sector. Today, in 2023, I’m proud to say that our turnover has reached 7 crores. It has been a challenging journey, but it’s been incredibly rewarding to see my vision come to life and make a difference in the industry. I’m excited to see what the future holds for Global PCCS, and I’m committed to driving its continued growth and success,” he added.

Where do you work now? What problems do you solve?

I  recognized the need for compliance and sustainability services in the manufacturing sector and founded Global PCCS in 2012. 

My job entails assisting manufacturing firms in complying with various environmental standards around the world. Currently, there are over 30 regulations that are mandated globally, and around 1000 different chemicals are the focus of these regulations. 

Not only are we assisting manufacturing enterprises, but we are also contributing and protecting the environment, society, and governance in the process.

We are working on a solution to the challenge that manufacturing companies face, which is how to comply with rules in a manner that is significantly quicker and more efficient, thereby minimizing the negative impact on their businesses and reducing the amount of money spent on compliance activities.

90% of manufacturing businesses do not have the skill set and expertise to manage the compliance work, and it will be very tough for them to comprehend the continually changing regulatory needs with the timelines and the hefty penalties for non-compliance. Additionally, it will be very challenging to understand the constantly changing regulatory standards. Because of this, running a business poses a significant amount of risk for a firm; hence, we at Global PCCS have the appropriate skill set and a substantial amount of experience, having spent approximately 1-million-man hours working in the compliance and sustainability area. In addition, we have 135 professionals working as part of our team, making it the largest team of its kind in the world. Therefore, it is safe to say that we are currently the industry leaders in terms of compliance and sustainability.

What skills are needed for a job? How did you acquire the skills?

There are skill-based certifications as well as some skill set certifications, both of which are provided by our Global PCCS firm. These certifications are acceptable everywhere in the world. Examples include IMDS, CDX, REACH, CMRT, TSCA, Prop65, BPR, Pop’s, VOC’s, LCA, and ESG, amongst others.

How does your work benefit society? 

Our work is absolutely beneficial to society since it enables manufacturing companies to comply with standards for the items they produce, which in turn ensures that those products are safe for both humans and the environment. And manufacturing asserts that their business model is more sustainable since it creates goods that are less harmful to humans and the environment. 

Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!

I am proud that I have successfully converted all our company’s training materials to a digital format, saving 50K printed pages annually and reducing the company’s carbon footprint. Our company culture promotes work-life balance and encourages staff to commute to work daily in electric vehicles.

Your advice to students based on your experience?

Compliance is crucial for any firm because, if they do not comply with legislation, their products will not be allowed to be sold in the market. Therefore, the compliance and sustainability domain is expanding, and because every company needs one expert to manage these activities, it is currently a career that is in high demand and pays a very high salary all over the world. 

I highly encourage students to pursue a job in the compliance and sustainability domain by receiving training while they are still in their final year of graduation. This will ensure that students have the necessary skill set to work in the compliance and sustainability domain when they graduate.

Future Plans?

Iam deeply committed to sustainability. I have set ambitious goals for Global PCCS to reach net carbon zero by 2027 and hire over 200 professionals by 2024. I want my company to embrace green technologies and renewable energy sources, promoting a sustainable work culture.