The Udaiti Foundation (TUF), in collaboration with the Center for Economic Data & Analysis (CEDA), unveiled "Women in India Inc (WIIn) HR Managers Survey report, that highlights a significant contrast between rhetoric and action in gender diversity initiatives in corporate India. The study was showcased at the Women in India Inc. Summit, curated by The Udaiti Foundation in partnership with Godrej DEi Labs, Centre for Economic Data & Analysis, Ashoka University and Dasra to drive impactful data-backed conversations on gender inclusivity in the corporate sector.
The esteemed speakers included Nisaba Godrej, Executive Chairperson Godrej Consumer Products; Prabha Narasimhan, Managing Director, Colgate-Palmolive India Ltd.; Shyamala Gopinath, Former Chairperson, HDFC Bank; Sunita Cherian, Chief Culture Officer & Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Wipro; Dr Ashwini Deshpande, Professor of Economics and Founding Director Centre for Economic Data and Analysis (CEDA), Ashoka University, among others.
“At Udaiti, we are committed to driving action for women’s economic power and agency, through data-backed evidence and purposeful collaborations with India Inc. The Women in India Inc. Summit is a crucial platform that aims to bring together industry leaders to spark actionable conversations that help move the needle on the ground towards gender inclusive workplaces”, remarked Pooja Sharma Goyal, CEO, The Udaiti Foundation.
The Women in India Inc (WIIn) project is focused on strategic partnerships with private sector firms to adopt best practices and shape policy, thereby transforming women's Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement. The WIIn study administered online surveys to 200 senior Human Resource Managers across various sectors, including FMCG, Pharma, Retail, IT/ITeS, and BFSI, to comprehensively understand the landscape of gender diversity policies and practices across the employment spectrum.
The study also stated that despite commendable efforts, such as 48% organizations using mixed-gender interview panels and 52% employing gender-neutral job descriptions, training for hiring managers, crucial for gender diversity (30%), remains under prioritized.