A story of financial crisis, tough choices, and determined rebuilding at East-West Seed India is now taught in management classrooms worldwide. It's a rare distinction for an Indian agribusiness - and one that speaks to something larger: the complex relationship between doing good and building a sustainable business.

In 2018, East-West Seed India (EWIN)  occupied an unusual position. The company had a clear sense of purpose and deep commitment to its mission. But underneath that commitment, the business was quietly falling apart. Product returns hit 15 percent. The company took 160–180 days to recover cash from customers. And most troubling: EWIN was borrowing money just to fund its day-to-day operations - leaving nothing for the research and development that actually sustained the business.