The DE&I Landscape

in India Inc.
Bridging the Gap between Rhetoric and Reality
June 2023
 Table of Contents
1 Introduction 4

2 Executive Summary 8

3 Introduction to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 12

4 Technology Industry DE&I Index 17

5 Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study 19

Diversity Outcomes in India Inc. 24
Inclusion Efforts in India Inc. 31
Equity in India Inc. 40

6 Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices 45

Best Practices in Female Excellence: The Strength
Lies in the Differences 47
Best Practices in Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities:
Embracing Uniqueness in Diversity 59
Promoting LGBTQIA+ Inclusion: Best Practices for
Creating a Welcoming and Supportive Environment 67

7 Recommendations 77

8 Annexure 82
2
 Foreword
India thrives on diversity, from languages and geography to ethnicities
and religions. Unfortunately, diversity is also our Achilles’ heel. The wide
economic divide and sociocultural factors, such as caste and patriarchy, create
intersectional complexities unique to India.
Popular constructs of organisational DE&I largely originated in the West to
address their distinct context. Several Indian organisations have adopted the
same frameworks. While there is merit in learning from the West, given India’s
unique context and needs, we need to design our own paradigms for DE&I.
It is also crucial for organisations to identify and drive DE&I interventions that
address structural barriers to create long-term impact. Therefore, organisations
are looking for a data-driven approach to define their DE&I strategies, priorities
and road maps to elevate their efforts toward a more diverse, inclusive and
equitable workplace.
The DE&I study is some of the most extensive research on diversity, equity
and inclusion in the country, with over 220 participating organisations
across 14 industries. It provides a data-led perspective and culminates in the
DE&I Champion Awards, which recognise organisations in India that have
demonstrated exceptional progress in the area of DE&I in the workplace.
The study illuminates on-the-ground reality. From intentions not matching
actions to the prevalence of tokenism, our findings reveal several areas ready
for improvement. The study also spotlights leading practices by organisations
to drive real change. From making simple but relevant policy changes to
demonstrating high leadership accountability, organisations in India are setting
new benchmarks.
Corporate India has a long way to go in building truly inclusive organisational
cultures and supporting marginalised and underprivileged communities. The
need of the hour is a commitment to depth. Organisations that listen to the
challenges of their employees, design DE&I programmes that improve daily
interactions and drive bold accountability will lead the way. It is time to get
serious about DE&I.

Nitin Sethi Sangeeta Gupta

CEO Sr. Vice President
Human Capital Solutions nasscom
Aon
1
Introduction
Introduction
1

Introduction and Context-Setting

Aon’s collaborative research study with nasscom
aims to create a more inclusive India by empowering
organisations to drive change with data-driven
DE&I practices.
The disproportionate impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) and the Great
Resignation have increased pressure on organisations to act as change agents
by focusing attention on systemic inequalities and the need for organisations
to address them. As a result, DE&I initiatives are no longer just a “good-to-
have” but a must-have component to attract and retain talent, build stronger
relationships with customers and stakeholders, and ultimately achieve long-term
success.
However, the difficulties in creating a diverse and equitable workplace are varied
and intricate. Traditionally, DE&I has taken a narrow, overly simplistic approach.
To create visible change, organisations need to adopt a more comprehensive
and intersectional approach that addresses structural barriers. Organisations
often find themselves working in silos and are now looking at a data-driven
approach to define their DE&I strategies, priorities and road maps to elevate
their efforts toward a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace. The DE&I
research offers insights to address this need and help organisations initiate and
progress in their DE&I journeys.
The nasscom-Aon study comprises extensive research on DE&I, with about 224
participating organisations. The study aims to:
●
Better understand the current state of organisations’ DE&I practices across
industries in India
●
Help organisations gain access to data, insights and best practices
●
Acknowledge and appreciate organisations across sectors with mature and
differentiated diversity, equity and inclusion practices

5
Introduction

Methodology
Aon, in collaboration with nasscom, created a DE&I assessment framework
that identifies critical metrics for driving diversity, equity and inclusion and
defining measures for assessing the overall impact of DE&I in organisations.
The framework’s four main pillars served as the foundation for gathering data
from the participating organisations.

nasscom Aon DE&I Assessment Framework

Inclusion Diversity
●
Supportive policies ●
Diversity in employees
and benefits ●
Gender; PwD;
●
Accessibility and LGBTQIA+ and
infrastructure support generational diversity
●
Best practices
DE&I ●
Supplier diversity

Programme Focus Equity

and Impact ●
Recruitment
●
DE&I principles and ●
Performance management
key drivers
●
Training and development
●
Accountability and
commitment
●
Pay equity

●
Transparency and
governance
●
Best practices

6
1 2
Phase 1 Phase 2
Pulse survey that captured how Comprehensive survey to study the
organisations structurally embed DE&I in landscape of DE&I policies and initiatives
their workforce demographics. undertaken by organisations to improve
representation of different identity groups.
Based on analysis of data collected in
This phase also included documentation
Phase 1, short-listed participants were
review and audit via HR and DE&I leader
invited to participate in Phase 2.
interviews.

Post-Phase 2 Survey
A deep-dive analysis was conducted, and the best practices were evaluated by an eminent
jury to recognise organisations with distinct DE&I practices.
Introduction

Participant Demographics
2022 – 2023 Study Timeframe

224 17+ 14+

participants locations Industries

171 Tech

53 Non-Tech
Non-Tech in descending order of participation
includes BFSI, manufacturing, FMCG, and
pharmaceutical

Split by Size (defined by head count)

47% 28%
Small (<2,500) Medium
(2,500 – 10,000)

25%
Large (>10,000)

7
Technology Industry Split
35%
30%

11%
9% 9% 8%

IT Services Global Business Software Engineering Other, including

Provider Capability Process Products Research and fintech, medical
Centers Management Development technology and
Provider telecommunications

.
2
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
2

DE&I: From a Nice-To-Have Initiative to

a Strategic Business Imperative

Formalisation of DE&I, budgeting for it and embedding it in

the organisation’s culture and values have become critical.

80% 72% 95%

of organisations report of organisations have of organisations claimed that they
having a formal DE&I a dedicated budget undertake DE&I initiatives not
policy in place; 82 for DE&I. only because it makes business
percent have formal sense and aligns with external
DE&I targets. expectations, but also because it
is a moral imperative integral to the
organisation’s culture and values.

Leadership buy-in is vital for DE&I success; leaders today

are well-intentioned and committed to DE&I.

73% 49%
of organisations report of organisations
that the DE&I agenda establish DE&I metrics
is driven by the CEO as part of executive
and business leaders. scorecards.

9
Executive Summary

Progress of DE&I best practices should be based on actionable

outcomes. DE&I interventions need to be regularly assessed
and course-corrected.

83% 37% 86%

of organisations track of organisations of organisations have grievance
DE&I metrics; 30 percent link attainment of DE&I redressal systems in place; 81 percent
of organisations share goals to executives’ pay. take disciplinary action against
results publicly. diversity-based discrimination and
54 percent conduct DE&I audits to
ensure gender-agnostic policies.

Diversity, equity, inclusion and belongingness are equally crucial.

85% 94% 72%

of organisations of organisations indicate of organisations report having
track employee they offer equal access formalised mentorship programmes;
demographics; to career growth 51 percent and 45 percent have
83 percent and 71 opportunities; 91 percent formalised sponsorship and allyship
percent track diverse analyse ratings given programmes, respectively; 67 percent
representation at the to males, females and have ERGs and networking groups.
C-suite and board level, marginalised groups to
respectively. ensure there is no bias.

10
Executive Summary

DE&I Torchbearers: Best Practices Adopted by

Leading Organisations for Key Diversity Types

Gender PwDs LGBTQIA+

98 percent of organisations 61 percent of organisations 40 percent of organisations
track gender diversity, track persons with disabilities track LGBTQIA+ diversity.
surpassing all other types (PwD) diversity.
of diversity. Foundational Practices
Foundational Practices ●
Sourcing of LGBTQIA+
Foundational Practices ●
Inclusion of commonly candidates through NGOs,
●
Gender-agnostic roles and known disabilities like specialised agencies,
job descriptions physical, vision and hearing job fairs and internship
●
Talent sourcing ●
Talent sourcing through job programmes
fairs, specialized agencies, ●
Spreading awareness,
●
Enabling talent development
NGOs and internship acceptance and
through mentoring,
programmes sensitisation through
sponsorship, coaching and
trainings and programmes
leadership development ●
Equal work and growth
opportunities through ●
Celebrating diversity
●
Enabling career restart
career counselling and and actively supporting
through comprehensive
mentoring LGBTQIA+ initiatives such
”returnship” programmes
●
Accessibility to premises for as Pride Month
●
Safe-space conversation
PWDs ●
Gender-inclusive anti-
support structures through
ERGs ●
Reasonable accommodation harassment policies and
in terms of desk redressal mechanism
Differentiated Practices modification, backrest for ●
Gender-neutral infrastructure
●
Inclusion of DE&I metrics chair, footrest like washrooms
in top management
scorecards, creating Differentiated Practices Differentiated Practices
accountability ●
Sourcing PwD talent ●
Creating a safe space to
from marginalised groups self-declare
●
Increasing gender diversity
11 through impact sourcing
in underrepresented roles ●
Gender-agnostic policies
and partnering with suitable
and inclusive health and
●
Gender-neutral policies and vendors benefits coverage
inclusive benefits coverage
●
Focused hiring for people ●
Psychological safety and
●
Psychological safety and with autism and others on mental health interventions
mental health interventions the neurodiverse spectra
●
Mentoring, reverse
●
Extended maternity and ●
Enabling technology for mentoring, coaching and
community support removing barriers and on-call support
●
Equity in pay, rewards and optimising performance
●
Leadership role-modelling,
benefits ●
Providing doorstep allyship and sponsorship
transportation
●
Counselling and support
●
Equity in benefits and
extended to families of
opportunities
LGBTQIA+
3
Introduction to Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion
Introduction to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
3

Understanding Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion

Belongingness
Belonging refers to the sense of feeling valued, respected and a part
of something bigger.
Encourage efforts that create belongingness to allow diverse employees
to bring their authentic selves to work.

Diversity Equity Inclusion

Diversity is the wide range Equity means treating Inclusion is the extent to which
of differences among everyone fairly. individuals feel they, along with
individuals. their diverse characteristics,
Acknowledge not everyone
are welcomed.
Leverage the vast repertoire has the same starting point.
of knowledge and experiences Eliminate inequities and Take specific steps to increase
of diverse employees to barriers to ensure a level the feelings of inclusion in all
create better ideas and more playing field. aspects of work.
sustainable solutions.

Drive DE&I efforts to enable a workforce that

feels a sense of belongingness.

13
Introduction to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Increasing Focus
on DE&I with Digitalisation
Changing Trends Remote work has made it easier for
diverse individuals to access job
opportunities but has also prevented
certain groups from accessing the
tools necessary to work in the digital
economy.

Globalisation External Social

With increased competition,
organisations are looking for the best
Factors
The change in societal architecture,
talent, regardless of their location.
along with an increase in voices of
This has created opportunities for
diverse minority groups through
diverse talent to work on a global
movements across the globe
stage.
(like the Me Too Movement and
decriminalisation of the LGBTQIA+
community) has highlighted the need
to drive DE&I efforts in the workplace.

14 Reporting and Post-COVID-19

Regulations Recovery
The growing focus on DE&I has led The pandemic has highlighted gaps
to governmental regulations around in organisations’ DE&I policies as
following and reporting certain DE&I women, LGBTQIA+ employees and
practices and outcomes. persons with disabilities were the most
impacted.
Introduction to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

DE&I in the Indian Context

India is Making Slow but Steady Progress

22% 17% 5% 4% 18%

Women in the Women in the CEOs Who are CFOs Who are MSME Held by
Workforce1 Boardroom2 Women2 Women2 Women3

India ranks 135 among 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2022 of the World
Economic Forum, falling behind Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.
While the push for DE&I is growing, and both the private and government sectors have
made concerted efforts in recent years to support workplace diversity, women’s labour
force participation in India still stands at 22.3 percent, versus the global average of 47
percent.
With the Companies Act and SEBI mandating female representation at the board level in
India, NIFTY 500 organisations have seen a tripling of women’s representation in Indian
boards in the last 10 years. 95 percent of NIFTY500 organisations have at least one female
board member. However, less than 5 percent of companies have female chairpersons and
only 7 percent have women as executive directors4.
Despite progress, there is still a long way to go in achieving gender parity in leadership
positions, and women’s representation in top management continues to be tokenistic.
Gender diversity serves as an important indicator of the overall state of DE&I in India,
as women continue to constitute a significant minority across the globe. Big gaps in the
inclusion of women may suggest that the statistics for other marginalised communities
could be more dire.

Source
1
World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report
2
Deloitte Global Women in Boardroom Study 7th Edition
3
As per Financial Express, August 2022
4
EY Diversity in Board Report, 2022

15
Introduction to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

DE&I in the Indian Context

PwD Inclusion: Employment Share2
Marginal Development
Year PwDs per 10,000 Employees

26.9 M 2018 30
PwDs in India.1 2021 32

2022 29

Organisations in India are working toward raising employability rates among the PwD
population. However, only about 11.3 percent (3.4 million out of 30 million) are working
in the organised sector, the unorganised sector, government-led schemes or are self-
employed.
FY22 saw a 10.6 percent increase in PwD onboarding by Nifty 50 companies vis-a-vis
FY213. However, PwD employees represent less than 0.5 percent of overall employee
strength in organisations.
While industries such as service and technology are leading the way with the intentional
hiring of PwDs, India Inc. has a long road, both in terms of increasing representation and
driving an equitable and inclusive culture for PwDs.

LGBTQIA+ Inclusion: Progressing in the Face of Adversity

2018 2019
Section 377 Transgender Persons (Protection
Decriminalised and Rights) Bill Passed

16 In 2019, India’s first transgender judge was appointed, and in 2020, the Indian government
announced plans to include transgender people in the country’s affirmative action
programmes.
Along with the government taking steps, India Inc. is also inching toward becoming more
inclusive, with leading companies implementing policies driving equality in treatment of all
employees, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender.
Given that decriminalisation of homosexuality in India is a relatively recent development,
LGBTQIA+ representation in India Inc. is still low.

Source:
1
As per 2011 Census
2
As per Business Standard Study, 2022
3
Economic Times, December 3, 2022
4
Technology Industry
DE&I Index
Technology Industry DE&I Index
4

Technology Industry DE&I Index —

Measuring Current DE&I Maturity

64% 55% 58% 54%

Gender Parity PwD Inclusion LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Overall DE&I
Index Index Index Index

India Inc. DE&I initiatives are at a nascent stage. It is therefore critical for
organisations to ensure that DE&I initiatives are backed by genuine commitment
and action toward creating an inclusive culture at the workplace. By prioritising
DE&I, organisations can attract and retain diverse talent, improve employee
morale and productivity, and ultimately drive business success.
The DE&I index is a reference that reflects the maturity of organisations’ DE&I
efforts. A survey was launched for the participating technology organisations,
with more than 40 questions covering various aspects of DE&I. These included
principles followed, accountability, tracking, governance, representation of
diverse talent across levels and functions, inclusive practices, policies and
programmes, and benefits across diversity groups.
To determine the DE&I score, positive points were assigned to various factors
evaluated in the survey. Additional points were assigned to strategic factors that
act as important levers for driving DE&I in the organisation. These scores were
then used to calculate the industry average scores and sub-indices scores and
were finally converted to percentages to arrive at the index for the industry.

18
5
Insights from
‘Recognising DE&I
Champions’ Study
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study
5

DE&I: Commitment to Long-Term

Impact Creation
DE&I practices implemented to solely meet regulatory CSR guidelines defeat
the real purpose behind adopting them. Research has found that looking at
DE&I initiatives purely from a business case perspective can also misfire,
because it desensitises marginalised employees by valuing them solely based
on their potential to benefit the business. A balanced approach blending both
business and social objectives is the need of the hour.
In this context, India Inc. is taking a step in the right direction. Organisations
want their head counts to mirror societal demographics; doing what is morally
just is increasingly becoming a part of their culture and values.

Objectives of DE&I
No longer just a consumer-facing strategy

95%
88%
85%
82%

74%

46%

31% 30%

Org Values Balanced Employer Enhanced Brand Customer Regulatory Other

and Culture Demographic Branding to Business Reputation and Client Compliance
Representation Attract Talent Results Expectations

Companies no longer justify DE&I solely for business benefits or to meet external
expectations. Instead, organisations are thinking about their employees’ collective
20
experience and integrating DE&I into their values and culture.
Many emphasize their willingness to go above and beyond what is necessary for a
business to create a social impact.
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Taking the DE&I Driver’s Seat at Your

Organisation
It is encouraging to see that the accountability for DE&I for nearly 73 percent of
India Inc. is shouldered by the senior-most business leaders and CEOs, not HR
alone.
According to our findings, female representation is marginally greater, at 40
percent or higher in organisations where the CEO is driving the DE&I agenda
in comparison to when the DE&I agenda is driven by a global DE&I head.
This corroborates the significance of leadership buy-in for successful DE&I
outcomes. Also, organisations having the highest budget allocation have
business leadership and Country CEOs driving the DE&I agenda.

Who Drives the DE&I Agenda?

80%
71%
70% 65%

60%
53% 52%
49% 48%
50% 46%

40% 37% 36%

32%
30%

20%

10%

0%
Country HR Business Talent Global India Country Employee India DE&I Global Board and
Head Leadership Acquisition DE&I DE&I CEO Resource Council DE&I Board
Head Head Head Groups Council Committee

To Whom do DE&I Executives Report?

● 14% Global HR Head

21 ● 8% India HR Head
● 14% Board
● 22% India CEO
● 15% Global CEO
● 7% Business Leadership
● 10% Others
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

What Gets Measured Gets Done

India Inc. seems to be doing well in tracking diversity metrics such as the
representation of diverse groups across levels, hiring percentages, leadership
representation and turnover rates. However, some of the equity and inclusion
metrics need to be strengthened.

DE&I
Metrics
85% 85%
Track Diversity Employee
in Hiring Demographics

50% 83% 71%

Diversity in Representation at Representation at
Interview Panel C-Suite Board Level

66% 46% 70%

Diversity in Participation Pay Equity
Application Pool in ERGs across Groups

22 71% 85% 76%

Retention Rate Attrition across Promotion Rate
across Groups Diverse Groups across Groups
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Tracked DE&I Outcomes Lack

Accountability and Transparency
Organisations are taking a data-driven approach to determine the effectiveness
of their efforts and where they need to improve. While business is taking
responsibility, in less than 50 percent of companies, DE&I metrics are part of
executive scorecards.
Publicly sharing DE&I numbers is still more an exception than the rule. The
absence of linkage between executive incentives and DE&I targets raises the
question of whether India Inc.’s DE&I commitment is performative without
being structural.

Tracking and Sharing DE&I Metrics

● 53% We track relevant DE&I metrics such as KPIs

to measure diversity in hiring, promotions and
attrition, and do not share the results publicly.
● 30% We track relevant DE&I metrics such as KPIs
to measure diversity in hiring, promotions and
attrition and share the results publicly.
● 12% We currently don’t have well-defined DE&I
metrics that we track but are planning to
introduce the same in the near future.
● 2% We currently don’t have well-defined DE&I
metrics that we track.
● 3% We currently don’t have any plans to define and
track DE&I metrics.

As per our survey findings, organisations reporting the highest representation

across diverse groups have executive scorecards and incentives linked to DE&I
outcomes, indicating financial incentives may give the much-needed push to the
DE&I agenda.

23 How is Accountability for DE&I Driven?

Forums or instances (e.g., engagement
surveys, focus groups)
91%

Transparency in sharing and reporting DE&I

practices and programme outcomes
84%

DE&I programmes’ success and impact is

measured in terms of programme outcomes
80%

DE&I metrics as part of executive scorecard

across levels
49%

Board authorised to impact evaluation and

compensation of leadership
42%

Other methods
37%
24
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Assessing Diversity
Outcomes in India Inc.
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Women Dominate the “D” of DE&I

Though gender diversity is the key focus area, differently abled and
generational diversity are the two fastest-growing domains for diversity
practices. The dominance of gender diversity tracking can be attributed to
factors including regulatory requirements and the push for gender equality.
India Inc. has stepped up its attempts to attract, upskill and retain more women
employees. While organisations are increasingly making the effort to track
different types of diversities, the average diversity representation reported
remains at 34 percent for women, 1.48 percent for PwD and 1.5 percent of
LGBTQIA+.

Percentage of Organisations Tracking Different Types of Diversities

Types of
Diversities
98% 73% 61%
Gender Generational PwDs
Tracked

40% 24% 19% 9%

LGBTQIA+ Supplier Marginalised Neurodivergent
Groups

Embracing PwDs in the workforce is receiving a lot of attention lately and there
is an endeavour underway to build an inclusive and conducive environment for
them. Leading organisations provide supportive infrastructure, technology, tools
and suitable HR practices to attract and retain them. The focus, however, still
remains more on physical disabilities only.
25
With regard to the LGBTQIA+ community, lack of awareness, understanding,
representation, sensitivity and historical exclusion are the main factors in the
workplace that explain the lower percentage.
Low representation of marginalised employees in Indian organisations highlights
the need for an intersectional, India-first approach to DE&I that recognises and
addresses the unique challenges faced by individuals with multiple intersecting
identities such as caste, class and region.
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

The Gender Gap is Still Staggering

Organisations use a multi-pronged approach to help women “get a foot in the
door.” Despite multiple dialogues in the C-suite around increasing women’s
diversity, the representation of women in organisations still stays low, with only
20 percent of them reporting gender diversity of 40 percent and higher.

Recruitment
Strategy 89% 89% 86%
Deployed for Ensure diverse Work with Have targets for
interview panel recruitment gender-diverse
Gender Hiring
partners hiring

84% 78% 62% 23%

Measure the Provide Review interview Use AI to check for
percentage unconscious questions for gender-neutral job
of women in bias training to gender neutrality advertising and job
applicant pool interview panel descriptions

Female Representation in the Organisation

24%

21%

26
17%

7% 7%
6% 6%
Organisations

4%
3%
2% 3%
1%
0%
20

25

55
35

40

45
>5

>6
10

15
5%

30

50
%

%
%

%
%

0%
%

%
-1

-1

-2

-2

-3

-6
-4

-4

-5
-3

-5
0%

5%

0%

5%

0%

0%
0%

5%

0%
5%

5%

Percentage of Female Employees

Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Leaking Pipeline: Uphill Battle

Companies are going the extra mile to ensure diversity at the board and
leadership levels. Despite their efforts and policy reforms, the glass ceiling is
apparent. India Inc. needs a comprehensive approach to alter the C-suite DNA,
which has predominately been male-dominated.

Steps to Ensure Diversity at the Board and Leadership Level

81%
69% 69%
59%

39%

Track Gender Mandate Work with Diversity at Mandate

Diversity Ratios Diversity Executive Leadership is Identification
at CXO Level in Board Recruiters and a CEO KPI of at Least One
Composition Search Firms Female Successor

While there is a higher proportion of women at the lower management levels, women’s
representation in senior management is concerning. About 30 – 35 percent of
organisations have less than 10 percent representation at the senior management
level and less than 5 percent representation in the board and C-suite.

Female Representation as Leadership Senior Middle Junior

Percentage of Workforce (CXO and Board) Management Management Management

<5% 30% 13% 3% 4%

27
5-10% 12% 21% 8% 4%

10-15% 9% 17% 16% 5%

15-20% 9% 18% 22% 9%

>20% 40% 31% 51% 78%

● Low/Concerning % Organisations

Gender discrimination at work is a critical factor for the loss of women from the
workforce. While 43 percent of organisations claim to immediately terminate
employees for inappropriate conduct, creation of safe spaces for diverse talent to be
able to openly raise a complaint needs to be embedded in the culture.
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

PwD Participation is Limited and

Appears to be Tokenistic
India Inc. is yet to cover massive ground in terms of inclusivity of persons with
disabilities (PwDs). Of the Indian population, 2.21 percent have a disability; yet,
87 percent of organisations have less than 2 percent PwD employees. PwDs are
mostly staffed in non-critical functions, and not in business roles.

Percentage of Organisations with

PwD Presence in Management
88%

Organisations track various types 66%

of disabilities. In decreasing order,
these include physical, hearing,
speech and cognitive disabilities.

27%

13%)

Leadership Top/Senior Middle Junior

(CXO and Board)

Percentage of Organisations Having PwD Presence by Function

87% in Non-Business Roles

48%
42%

28
25% 25%
18% 19%
13% 13% 13%

Business Control Ops and HR and Facilities Front Desk Canteen Outsourced Other
Customer Admin
Service

PwDs are part of the DE&I agenda in 83 percent of companies, but only 38
percent of them tracked a metric as simple as attrition. Organisations that track
the benefits of hiring PwDs reported them to have higher attention to detail,
higher performance on repetitive tasks, greater honesty, lower absenteeism
and lower turnover rates. Thus, tracking differential performance helps make a
stronger case for their increased representation.
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

LGBTQIA+ Representation:
Challenges Abound
While visible and vocal commitment is a positive move, with 72 percent of
organisations claiming to support LGBTQIA+ rights, only 32 percent collect
data on LGBTQIA+ identification, limiting the ability to create targeted inclusion
initiatives. Despite an estimated 15 percent of the Indian population identifying
as LGBTQIA+, among the Indian organisations that track it, a concerning 88
percent of them have less than 2 percent representation.

11% 32% 56%

LGBTQIA+ inclusion is not a We collect information on We are in the process of
priority for the organisation whether employees are part establishing ourselves as
at present of the LGBTQIA+ community an LGBTQIA+-friendly
or identify themselves as an organisation
ally of the community

62% 72%
We build a safe environment for members of the We believe we are an ally and proactively
LGBTQIA+ community to be themselves and support and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights
contribute fully

Late recognition of sexual diversity in the Indian workplace is a contributing

factor to the finding that 56 percent of organisations are still in the process of
establishing themselves as LGBTQIA+ friendly.
However, organisations are slowly but actively advocating support for the
29
LGBTQIA+ community. More than 60 percent of participating organisations run
social media campaigns and about 50 percent have updated their signatures
and/or logos and have organisation-sponsored Pride events. Fifty-four percent
of organisations run campaigns and/or programmes throughout the year (not
restricted to Pride Month).
Many organisations also have employee resource groups (ERGs) to provide a
safe space for LGBTQIA+ employees and their allies to connect.
India only decriminalised homosexuality in 2018, which is relatively recent, and it
may take some time for organisations to understand the importance of creating
inclusive workplaces for LGBTQIA+ employees and take positive actions.
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

It’s Time to Rethink the Narrow Focus

on DE&I
Supplier diversity enables organisations to mobilise traditionally
underrepresented minority groups such as women, veterans, persons with
disabilities and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Such programmes can
deepen the DE&I intention of organisations by promoting employer branding and
providing market expansion opportunities within these communities.
However, only two out of 10 organisations track supplier diversity and other
marginalized groups. The idea of diversity is typically limited to women, with
78 percent of organisations tracking women-owned suppliers and 57 percent
tracking minority-owned suppliers.

Distribution of Organisations by Supplier Diversity

44%

16%
11%
9%
7%
5% 4% 4%

<5% 5%-10% 10%-15% 15%-20% 20%-25% 25%-30% 30%-35% >35%

Representation of Marginalised Groups

39%

30
20%

11% 11%
7% 7% 5%

<2% 2%-5% 5%-8% 8%-10% 10%-12% 12%-15% >15%

To truly promote DE&I, it is important to adopt an intersectional approach that

recognises the complex interplay of identities. While some progress has been
made in terms of increasing the representation of certain marginalised groups,
such as PwD and the LGBTQIA+ community, there is still a long way to go to be
more inclusive of members of other marginalised groups.
31
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Efforts in India Inc.

Assessing Inclusion
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Best Practices for Inclusion Across

Identity Groups
It is encouraging to see organisations combine efforts that are promotion-
focused (allyships, ERGs), prevention-focused (unconscious bias training),
response-focused (grievance redressal), and ensure a mix of initiatives that
specifically target individuals (career sponsorship) and the organisation as a
whole (ERGs and networking).
Changes that embed themselves rather than superimpose themselves on ways
of working are missing across identity groups. Companies must make sure that
every employee, regardless of identity, has access to equal opportunities, just
compensation and professional growth.

Disciplinary
Action against
Diversity-Based
Unconscious Discrimination
Bias Training
ERGs and Networking for
Different Target Groups
81.2%
81.7%
Grievance 67%
Redressal for
DE&I Audits to
Discrimination 86.2% Ensure Gender-
53.7% Agnostic Policies

50.9% Formalised
Sponsorship
93.6% Programmes
Equal Access 45%
to Career
Opportunities Formalised
Allyship
32
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Infrastructural Support for Inclusion of

All Genders and PwD
There is encouraging support for women but limited inclusion for other genders. For
PwDs, the high cost of retrofitting infrastructures and historically exclusionary
design has hindered progress toward creating fully accessible workplaces. Even
some of the easiest accessibility improvements are yet to be leveraged.

66% 66%
Ergonomic Chairs for Pregnant Women Feeding and Pumping Rooms

52% 75% 76% 35%

Gender-Neutral Designated PwD PwD-Designated Automatic Doors
Washroom Washroom Parking

76% 40% 65%

Office Interior Supporting Movement Braille Stickers Creche

64% 51% 57% 48%

Transportation to Ramps and Suitable Office Regular External
Work for PwD Designated Paths Equipment for PwD Accessibility Audits

Start with the Basics

33

53% 34% 27%

Visual Magnification Reading Tools (read aloud) Auditory Tools that
Tools, Text-to-Speech Provide Transcripts
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Use of Technology for Better

Outcomes
Organisations are getting creative with deployment of technology for DE&I
enablement. A range of technologies — from AI to internet of things and many
more — are being deployed at various stages of the DE&I journey to increase
inclusion, remove barriers to accessibility and optimise performance.

Key Technology Enablers for DE&I

AI, machine learning, NLP 55.6%

Advanced networking technologies 31.1%

(5G, 6G, Wi-Fi 6, 7, and so on)

29.6%
IoT (including industrial IoT)

AR, VR, XR 20.0%

Robotics 19.3%

Connected wearable technology 10.4%

Digital twins 7.4%

3D printing and additive manufacturing 4.4%

Digital Inclusion — Seventy-one percent of organisations are using technologies

like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for trainings that address digital
accessibility needs and provide equitable resources.

34 Enabling Accessibility — Fifty-two percent of organisations have enabled accessibility

using technological interventions such as web accessibility, via text-to-speech.
Assistive Technologies — Forty-eight percent of organisations are providing assistive
technologies, automated wheelchairs and hearing aids to level the playing field for the
diverse talent.
Other Technologies — Twenty-three percent of organisations are deploying
technologies like IoT, automated devices, preprogrammed tools and applications —
addressing the specific needs of its diverse workplace talent.
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Policies and Benefits Fostering

Female Inclusion
Organisations are complementing the government’s efforts to reduce the loss of
women to parenting with infrastructure support, returnship programmes, policy
changes and flexible benefits.

67% 89% 67%

Career development
opportunities to address
Flexible work schedule;
teleworking
Time off or sabbatical for
caregiving responsibilities Policies
identified disparities

67% 24% 68%

Formalised return-to- Equal paternity and Sponsorship programmes
work programme after maternity leave to accelerate growth
career break

82% 74% 56%

Benefits Post-maternity
expense support
Counselling support
for Post-partum
Childcare support
allowance
depression

35

59% 76% 53%

Programmes to support Awareness of and Health insurance
working parents assistance with coverage for fertility
osteoporosis, treatment
menopause, cancer
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Inclusive Leave Policies

Leave trends largely mirror the amended Maternity Act. However, to make leave
policies more inclusive, leading organisations are offering gender-neutral leave,
debunking the social myth linking childcare only to women.
While the primary caregiver leave stands at 26 weeks, secondary caregiver
leave is gaining ground, with a few leading organisations offering leave of 12
weeks to the secondary caregiver. The average, however, stays at two weeks.
Also, in a move to be respectful of all family structures, a few leading
organisations provide equal leave for adoption, surrogacy and birth.

Miscarriage or Still Birth 90%

Adoption, Surrogacy 80%

Paternity Leave 90%

Menstrual 10%

Additional Leave for 30%

Families with PwD

Marriage 40%

Bereavement 70%

Study and/or Exam 30%

Sabbatical 60%
36

Cultural and Festival Days 80%

Percentage of Organisations
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Policies and Benefits Fostering

LGBTQIA+ Inclusion
Organisations seem to place a higher focus on marketable events rather
than impactful structural changes, such as support for policies related to
third-gender employment or to support gender transition. A lack of targeted
programmes and benefits points to organisations frequently hiring LGBTQIA+
employees to meet their DE&I quotas without considering how to integrate them
into the long-term workforce.

Policies

61% 64% 48%

include “LGBTQIA+” in provide education about the participate in
position search LGBTQIA+ rights movement Pride events

70% 34% 49%

conduct regular pulse donate to associated have policies and
surveys which protect charities practices related to
identity third-gender employment

61% 49% 40%

offer support through social organise company- use inclusive
media campaigns sponsored Pride events pronouns

Benefits
37 33% 46% 62%
offer newborn caregiver offer gender-neutral offer gender-neutral
leave regardless of gender relocation support insurance for employees
and their partners

39% 61% 49%

provide health insurance offer mental health provide all spousal benefits
for gender reassignment counselling to same-sex partners
and/or hormone
replacement therapy
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Policies and Benefits Fostering PwD

Inclusion
While India Inc. is moving in the right direction in terms of disability inclusion,
leaders must make sure they are fostering a positive environment for PwDs to
thrive if they want the intention to be better implemented.
Currently, 87 percent of organisations have less than 2 percent PwD
representation in their workforce. Also, their representation is skewed to
junior management and support roles. Organisations need to be deliberate
about their DE&I plans and make their policies, practices and procedures
more inclusive. Currently, 75 percent of organisations have reported having an
equal opportunity policy in place for people with disabilities, but less than 50
percent of organisations identify appropriate roles, provide specific training for
identified roles or provide for modified work norms. This indicates organisations
are overlooking PwDs when building their DE&I strategies.

Policies
Identify Appropriate Roles
48%

Specific Training for

42%
Identified Job

Processes Allowing Requests

60%
for Assistive Technologies

Modified Work Norms (e.g.,

47%
shorter hours)

Support Policies for

17%
Neurodivergent Employees

Benefits
38

62% 36%
provide reimbursement of offer reimbursement for medical
healthcare procedures and equipment (e.g., wheelchair,
specific treatments prosthetics, hearing aids)

24% 16%
provide increased coverage offer separately
under their healthcare plan defined allowances
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

Programmes Fostering
Intergenerational DE&I
Organisations need to prioritise tangible practices to promote intergenerational
collaboration. This includes ensuring age diversity in project teams and adopting
varying communication styles and feedback mechanisms for different age groups.
Despite efforts to promote intergenerational collaboration, only 35 percent of
organisations reported ensuring age diversity in project teams, and just over
half (57 percent) varied their communication styles and feedback mechanisms
for different age groups. Only 44 percent provide flexibility in designing roles,
locations and working hours for older talent, indicating a gap that needs to be
addressed to retain this talent.
While for more than 50 percent of organisations, involuntary retirement
age is between 55 and 60, most of them are happy to extend employment
opportunities on a contractual basis if an employee wants to continue
post-retirement.

69% 66% 66% 59%

offer bias training engage older offer health have a provision to
talent in education and hire veterans
mentorship awareness
programmes programmes

58% 55% 44% 25%

offer mental health upskill older talent offer flexibility in provide special
coaching for aging to stay relevant designing roles, training to older
locations and employees to
working hours reskill them
39
40
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

in India Inc.
Assessing Equity
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

How are Organisations Ensuring

Equity in Recruitment?
Ensuring equity in hiring is a critical step toward establishing diverse teams.
DE&I recruitment strategies show significant promise and potential for further
improvement through the use of AI and innovative tech solutions.

89% 89% 69% 62%

work with ensure diverse partner with review interview
recruitment interview panels organisations with questions for
partners targeted talent gender neutrality
pools

86% 61% 78% 61%

target for gender- share their DE&I assess include inclusive
diverse hiring mission statement effectiveness of hiring and
on their “Careers” hiring sources LGBTQIA+ in
page position searches

78% 23%
provide bias training to interview panels use AI to check for gender-neutral job
advertising and job descriptions

41
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

How are Organisations Ensuring

Equity in Performance Management?
Organisations demonstrate a concerted effort to mitigate the impact of
unconscious bias in performance management through various methods.
Performance management is unquestionably a matter of equity, and it is
encouraging that organisations are employing a variety of strategies to remove
unnecessary barriers for marginalised groups.
However, only 57 percent of organisations go broader and deeper in monitoring
how equitable their organisations really are. They do this by employing a
360-degree feedback mechanism, which potentially reduces the risk of bias
in ratings.

91% 78%
analyse ratings given to male, analyse the percentage of women
female and other marginalised versus men in performance and
groups to ensure there is no bias. potential distribution.

86% 68%
have a process where employees analyse goals and targets to
can share concerns about ensure absence of bias.
performance ratings.

42
78% 57%
track career growth of diverse use 360-degree feedback to
employee groups across levels to ensure multiple reviews and
monitor equality in opportunity. reduce potential bias.
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

How are Organisations Ensuring

Equity in Training and Development?
DE&I efforts in talent development fall short on mentoring and integration.
While 72 percent of organisations claim they have formalised mentorship
programmes for diverse groups, only 28 percent have a mentorship programme
for LGBTQIA+.
Also, only half of the surveyed organisations have sponsorship programmes
and job-shadowing opportunities, indicating a lack of adequate action-oriented
development opportunities. Organisations seem to focus on isolated training
for specific groups instead of more inclusive approaches that involve diverse
groups working together.

84% 79%
identify candidates from diverse practice building teams of
groups in talent development individuals from diverse groups
programmes

54% 45%
offer job-shadowing opportunities provide job-sharing opportunities
for high-potential candidates from for employees from diverse groups
diverse groups

51% 72%
43 provide formalised sponsorship offer formalised mentoring
programmes to support and programmes to support employees
promote diverse groups belonging to diverse groups
Insights from ‘Recognising DE&I Champions’ Study

How are Organisations Ensuring

Pay Equity?
While organisations widely conduct a periodic pay analysis, lack of
communication and transparency still exists. This suggests there is still a
long way to go in promoting accountability and understanding of the current
state of equity within organisations. Although 88 percent of organisations
conduct periodic salary analyses to determine pay equity gaps, only a minority
of organisations share the data transparently with their employees and
stakeholders.
The use of certified software tools or consultancy services for pay equity
analysis is on the rise, indicating a growing recognition of the need for objective
and reliable methods to rule out bias.

88% 17%
conduct periodic salary analyses share pay ranges and/or
to determine pay equity gaps. comparative ratios transparently
with employees,

15% 45%
transparently share pay equity use certified software tools or
data with employees, consultancy services to undertake
pay equity,

44 90% 25%
remunerate PwDs in the same transparently share pay equity
manner as others. data in annual reports.
6
Recognising
DE&I Champions:
Best Practices
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices
6

Best Practices for Diversity,

Equity and Inclusion
Unlocking The Power of DE&I
This research delivers insights into different philosophies, approaches and
a wide range of practices adopted by organisations across the talent life
cycle in an endeavour to drive, sustain and scale up their DE&I agendas. A
comprehensive collection of best practices has been compiled, highlighting
organisational focus on three diversity groups: female excellence, PwD
and LGBTQIA+. We believe this will have a significant impact on both the
organisations themselves and the broader community in terms of DE&I.

What are Best Practices?

●
Established techniques, approaches or strategies that have shown
efficacy in attaining DE&I outcomes
●
Highly effective means of fostering an inclusive and equitable work
environment

Why are They Best Practices?

●
Influence culture by promoting a transformation in values, mindset,
behaviour and social norms that embrace DE&I
●
Profound impact created on organisations
●
Relevant and aligned to business purpose
●
Scalable across all levels and all functions in the organisation
●
Sustainable over an extended period

Why are They Useful to Know?

●
Enhance the probability of attaining DE&I objectives
●
Optimise the utilization of limited resources through identifying and
46 implementing the most effective interventions
●
With DE&I constantly evolving, organisations can maintain competitive
advantage by staying abreast of these practices
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Best Practices in
Female Excellence:
The Strength Lies in
the Differences

47
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Best Practices for Female Inclusion

and Equity
Creating a Safe and Inclusive Workplace for the
Advancement of Professional Women
Women in India continue to be seen as primary caregivers, with continued
pressure to juggle their personal and work responsibilities. At the workplace,
strong gender perceptions reinforced as biases and stereotypes often get
translated into unequal opportunities, hindering the career advancement and
wellbeing of women. It is crucial for organisations to recognise the diverse
needs of women and foster a culture of acceptance and respect where women
can bring their authentic selves to work. Where they can contribute their
unique perspectives without the fear of judgment. Where they will have equal
opportunities and be enablers for career advancement.

Organisations Invested in Diversity Demonstrate Their Commitment

with Specific Practices

Gender-agnostic roles and job Talent sourcing via job fairs,

descriptions specialised agencies, NGOs and
internship programmes

Talent development enablement Safe space conversations and

through mentoring, coaching and support structures through ERGs
leadership development

48

Some Organisations Have Gone Above and Beyond with Inclusion

Inclusion of DE&I Increasing Wom- Gender-Neutral Psychological Equity in Pay,

Metrics in Top en’s Diversity in Policies and In- Safety and Rewards
Management Underrepresent- clusive Benefits Mental Health and Benefits
Scorecards, for ed Roles Coverage Interventions
Accountability
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Rethink talent acquisition to mobilise diversity

through exclusive sourcing. This enables career
restarts and creates opportunities for the less
advantaged.

Drawing from an Exclusive Talent Pool

To create diversity in the talent pool, organisations are investing in sourcing
from exclusive channels, embedding inclusive methods (like gender-agnostic job
descriptions) in sourcing and hiring, using artificial intelligence to remove bias
from assessments, mandating diversity in the interview panel and establishing a
desired percentage of representation of diverse applicants.
●
A women-only campus gives organisations access to a large pool of
diverse talent
●
Diversity-specific sourcing vendors enable the mobilisation of diverse talent
●
Employee referrals promoted with a premium and/or incentive for diversity
●
Equitable opportunities for lateral movement and upskilling initiatives for
underrepresented jobs
●
Train-and-hire models enable organisations to build a steady talent pool
through the assimilation of talent upskilled to be productive at the workplace

Help Her Begin Again

Organisations are actively hiring experienced professionals on a career break
through a holistic returnship programme. The programme spans from sourcing
and hiring to taking care of the training needs of employees.
●
An alumni network is a proven method of sourcing diverse and experienced
talent
●
Many organisations have mandated diversity representation while hiring
experienced talent for leadership roles
●
Paid internship and on-the-job training support help candidates settle into
49 their roles

Creating Opportunities through Impact Sourcing

A socially responsible model enables enterprises to improve business outcomes
by hiring and providing career opportunities to people from underrepresented
sectors of society. The model not only helps keep costs low, but also builds a
stable, engaged and diverse workforce.
●
Organisations either go for direct hiring and use their premises as training and
skilling hubs or hire a diversity supplier to take care of sourcing and training
requirements.
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best

Practices in Talent Acquisition
Embracing Diversity: Creating Equal Opportunities for All

Context Intervention Impact

A large technology In the pursuit of achieving 50 percent female More than 400
and consulting representation, the organisation is taking steps for participated
firm with focused removing bias with: through the
efforts and impact sourcing
●
Sensitisation trainings for hiring managers
programmes in initiative, which
hiring diverse
●
Mandating diversity of interview panels saw more than 80
talent has close to Their focused sourcing and hiring initiatives include: percent full-time
50 percent female equivalent (FTE)
●
Impact sourcing — experiential learning programme
representation. conversion.
providing on-the-job training to women from
disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds
●
Hiring a considerable number of diverse applicants
through exclusive job fairs and special employee
referrals

A large Indian The organisation embeds inclusion in talent More than 3,000
ITeS organisation acquisition by tracking and monthly reporting of hired in two
reached 47 gender-based DE&I metrics such as: years through
percent female ●
Percentage of women hired the referral
representation programme.
by mandating
●
Diversity in the interview panel
DE&I practices ●
Mandating representation of diverse applicants
in sourcing and
The organisation has implemented a unique internal
hiring.
referral programme to promote diversity hiring. The
programme offers incentives for diversity referrals.

50
A large real estate To increase female representation in their industry More than 76
company in India sector, the organisation is taking steps like: percent of their
is changing the ●
Mandating the replacement of any female head entry-level hires
diversity spectrum count by hiring only women candidates were women in the
in an industry previous year.
underrepresented
●
Sourcing women early in their careers through
by women. management trainee and internship programmes
●
Sourcing for factories through apprenticeship
programmes
●
Inclusive onboarding and support at all levels of
talent life cycle
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Focused talent development unleashes potential

for diverse talent by providing opportunities for
learning and advancement.

Nurture and Create Leaders of Tomorrow

Hiring diverse talent alone cannot solve the problem. The talent must be
equipped to grow, and eventually lead. A successful leadership development
programme blends an equitable leadership succession plan with unbiased
processes. A few impactful practices include:
●
A customized leadership development plan that considers the aspirations of
the candidates
●
Skill-building programmes in technology and other sought-after skills,
creating equal opportunities in high-impact roles
●
Blended leadership development at all levels of the talent life cycle to create a
healthy pipeline of future leaders

Unlocking the Potential

Mentoring and coaching interventions at every level of the employee life cycle,
combined with equal opportunities and effective tracking and governance,
provide clarity and bolster commitment.
●
Leverage senior leaders as role models and mentors
●
Tap external leaders to network with diverse head count to create meaningful
learning opportunities
●
Organisation-sponsored trainings and sessions from esteemed institutions
such as Harvard and IIMs
●
Prepare and coach women for lesser-represented roles such as
manufacturing, sales, supply chain and real estate

51
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best

Practices in Talent Development
Nurturing Diversity: Creating Equity in Learning
and Development

Context Intervention Impact

An IT services The organisation applies a thorough approach 91 percent of

organisation has made to nurture diverse talent. participants said
inroads by providing the programme
●
Development programmes to prepare female
well-rounded support increased their
employees for leadership roles
to its diverse talent confidence in their
through learning
●
Role models to provide career support for leadership and/
platforms and career young, diverse talent or management
counselling, along with ●
A comprehensive woman-in-tech programme abilities.
other initiatives.

A global multinational The organisation has integrated policies with Achievement

FMCG player is processes to create a greater impact. of more than
deploying inclusive ●
Leadership development programme 50 percent
talent development deployed at the early career stage
representation of
practices by mandating women in senior
the inclusion of diversity
●
Have a mandate of 50 percent of women management.
at all stages. profiles for all open roles
●
Mandate of women candidates for succession
planning

An FMCG organisation Robust coaching and development programmes Women in top

drove women focusing on career advancement and equitable leadership grew
representation from 30 opportunities. from 31 percent to
52 percent to 40 percent 38 percent in two
●
Skill development for underrepresented roles
in two years. They are like sales and supply chain years.
also making a case for
inclusion of women in
●
Coaching for balancing professional and
underrepresented roles. personal lives and strengthening business
acumen
●
Sponsorship programme to create advocacy,
accountability and tangible action plans
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

A holistic approach for total rewards provides a

comprehensive range of benefits to address the
diverse needs of women at work.

Access to a Range of Benefits and Healthcare Services

To cater to equitable rewards, wellness and healthcare needs for a diverse
workforce, it is important for organisations to recognise and facilitate a
comprehensive rewards structure which takes care of the nuances:
●
Organisations are increasingly adopting gender-neutral parental policies.
●
Organisations are also allowing flexible hours, part-time hours and transport
and traveling benefits.
●
Wellness programmes often include holistic coverage for mind, money and
work-life balance.
●
Going beyond the statutory and hygiene coverage for childcare, organisations
are providing travel support for primary caregivers.

Supporting the Journey to Motherhood

Organisations providing comprehensive benefits and support during and
post-maternity have witnessed a significant jump in the retention of women
colleagues; here are some examples:
●
Organisations provide personalised support through the three phases of
maternity – pre-, during and returning to deployment.
●
More organisations are offering extended maternity leaves and paid caregiver
leaves (six months for primary, three months for secondary).
●
Some organisations go the extra mile by providing healthcare coverage
for infertility treatment, legal surrogacy, egg freezing and oocyte
cryopreservation.

Enabling Community Building

Another important step in gender inclusion is building strong community
53 support. ERGs play an important part in building these communities, leading to
higher engagement with diverse employees.
●
Women in technology and sales provide networking support for the related
skill set.
●
Networking so all female employees can learn, collaborate, share their
experiences and support each other.
●
There are other ERGs for career support, single mothers and others, helping
build sisterhood and support.
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best

Practices in Rewards and Benefits
Supporting Diversity: Rewards and Benefits
Coverage, Maternity and Community Support

Context Intervention Impact

A large technology and The organisation has a holistic benefits The retention
consulting organisation programme addressing the nuances of rate is over 99
has deep-rooted diversity. percent for women
inclusive policies returning from
●
Returning mothers programme provides
and a well-rounded maternity leave.
staffing support, flexible work options and
programme around
coaching for seamless assimilation
rewards and benefits.
●
Connect with more than 100 childcare
centres for the parents
●
100 percent pay equity ensured
●
21 gender-neutral policies to provide equity in
benefits

A large multinational This organisation has equity at the helm while The median pay
FMCG organisation is assimilating diverse talent. gap in India is
one of the pioneers in ●
Median pay gap has turned in favor of women favourable to
equitable rewards and through an extensive pay equity initiative women by a few
benefits. notches.
●
Differentiated maternity benefits include up
to 12 months maternity leave
●
Women travelling for work get airfare and
accommodation support for infant children
and additional caregiver
54

An FMCG organisation The organisation has a policy structure which 100 percent pay
witnessed a threefold enables better retention and engagement of parity achieved.
increase in women women.
leaders in two years ●
Menstrual leave policy in place (one paid
on the back of strong menstrual leave per month)
retention numbers and
longevity of diverse
●
Distinct childcare reimbursement policy
head count. provides paid caregiver leave (six months for
primary, three months for secondary)
●
Provides flexibility of work location and the
freedom to bring children to work
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Implement talent-inclusion practices that focus

on embedding DE&I into a 360-degree wellness
approach.

Building an Inclusive Culture

While strategies can outline the direction and goals, the organisation’s culture
influences how effectively those goals are implemented to create the last-mile
impact.
Some of the culture-building exercises organisations undertake include:
●
Unconscious bias training for all colleagues
●
Thought leadership through podcasts and webinars
●
Dedicated events and celebrations of specific days
●
Industry forums and sharing of best practices
●
Recognition of DE&I changemakers in the organisation
●
Use of appropriate vocabulary while addressing diverse talent

Upping the Wellness Game

Recent years have seen many organisations switching gears on their wellness
approach for the entire employee base.
However, some organisations demonstrate a deeper understanding of the social
structures where women shoulder additional responsibilities in their personal
spheres. Organisations have therefore addressed the unique wellness needs in
the form of:
●
Physical wellness awareness programmes specially designed for women
●
Regular health checkups during the three stages of maternity: pre-maternity,
during maternity and post-maternity
●
Emotional and mental wellbeing sessions
●
Wellness and menstrual leaves
55 ●
Counseling services to address mental wellness
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best

Practices in Talent Inclusion
Diversity at the Core: Building a Culture of Inclusion
and Driving Wellness

Context Intervention Impact

A large This organisation deploys effective metrics tracking Female

multinational at the centre to build a culture of inclusion. engagement
technology firm score higher
●
Track DE&I milestones for three years with 50
with 40 percent than the overall
percent weightage for gender diversity
women on its organisational
board — the
●
Celebrating diversity through Women’s Day and average.
highest among observing Breast Cancer Awareness Day in October
industry peers — ●
Build thought leadership through webinars,
also showcases its leadership networking and events
inclusive culture ●
Wellbeing initiatives directed toward emotional,
and practices.
physical and financial wellbeing

A big technology An all-around programme taking care of professional More than

organisation has and personal priorities in parallel. 80 percent
an embedded ●
Exclusive “Women in Technology” programme to engagement
culture of equip talent with niche skill set requirements score for women,
inclusion, driving a notch higher
higher female
●
Flexible working policy provides work-from-home than that of male
engagement options and other considerations, such as offering employees.
across the a location-agnostic workplace to balance work and
organisation. home commitments
●
Learning sessions for returning mothers and
parents across parents and childcare, and
56 balancing work with those commitments

A global FMCG The organisation has well-defined practices, Engagement

organisation is enabling inclusion internally and in the community score for female
striving to build through various initiatives. employees in
an inclusive ●
Building organisational culture through a globally India has been
ecosystem through curated mandatory curriculum on conscious inclusion consistently higher
a 360-degree than the overall
approach.
●
Workshops on gender intelligence and unconscious bias benchmark scores
●
Social impact initiatives directed toward community in the organisation
in the space of health, hygiene, nutrition, gender globally.
inclusion and economic equality
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Create an inclusive organisation that nurtures the

community and helps it to thrive.

Impacting the Community

Organisations are taking strides to build inclusivity by making a community
impact. They do this through targeted initiatives around employment and
livelihood, including:
●
Skill development initiatives
●
Helping set up microenterprises
●
Targeted programmes to empower women at the grassroots level
●
Organisation-sponsored foundations running exclusive programmes for
female empowerment
●
Train-to-hire model to hire women from tier two and three cities

Changing the Status Quo

A few organisations are changing the talent landscape by targeting specific
functions and roles that traditionally have scarce female representation. Notable
themes include:
●
Women in technology
●
Women in sales
●
Women in the supply chain
●
Women in real estate

57
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best Practices

for Making a Community Impact
Creating Opportunities: Community Outreach and
Bringing the Change

Context Intervention Impact

A large technology and The organisation has well-established More than 70,000
consulting firm has long- programmes running for years that create a women impacted
established programmes significant impact in the community. through the skill
empowering women development
●
Skill development initiative to help
at the grassroots initiative.
women from deprived communities set
level.
up microenterprises. leading to financial
independence
●
Participation in industry forums, government
think tanks; media spaces (print, electronic,
broadcast) to drive external advocacy

A leading FMCG The organisation has a focused approach for Increase in women
organisation is a increasing female representation on all fronts. in frontline roles
trailblazer in advocacy ●
An exclusive programme to source, train and by more than 5
for women in roles which hire female talent from the community in percent in two
were largely male. sales roles at the grassroots level years.

●
Flagship programme combining community
outreach (women and girls) with employee
learning, making a significant impact by
preparing talent for employment

A software and services Practices designed to increase employable Recently won the
58
provider was ranked in skills among women and girls. Best Workplace
the top 20 organisations ●
Community-directed programme to enhance for Women
for promoting inclusion engineering skills for female students through award for two
and initiatives focused mentoring consecutive years.
on women.
●
Promote educating girls and women in
science, technology, engineering and math in
government schools and low-income private
schools to impart employable skills early on
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Best Practices for

PwD Inclusion:
Embracing Uniqueness
in Diversity

59
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Best Practices for Mainstream

PwD Inclusion
Creating a Support System that Cultivates Equal
Opportunities to Thrive
People with disabilities lack opportunities for mainstream education support
and for the development of social skills, thereby reducing their chances of
employment. Lack of mentoring support and an absence of accessible and
enabling infrastructure heightens stress and hinders their optimal performance.
Lack of equal opportunities and embedded biases only worsen the situation. It is
crucial for organisations to foster inclusion through a culture of acceptance and
equity where all employees can thrive.

Organisations Invested in PwD Inclusion Demonstrate Their

Commitment with Specific Practices

Inclusion of common disabilities Talent sourcing through job fairs,

like physical, vision and hearing specialised agencies, NGOs,
internship programmes

Accessibility to premises for Equal opportunities for all

people with disabilities

Equal rewards and benefits Reasonable accommodation in

60 terms of desk modification, back
rest for chair, footrest

Some Organisations Have Gone Above and Beyond

Equal work Enabling Hiring people Providing Identifying PwD

and growth technology on the autism doorstep talent from
opportunities for removing and other transportation marginalised
through career barriers and neurodiversity groups through
counselling and optimising spectra impact sourcing
mentoring performance
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Provide equal employment opportunities and

onboarding support for people with visible and
invisible disabilities.

Hire from Inclusive Sources of Talent

Organisations are exploring and leveraging multiple sources for talent,
including:
●
Talent suppliers help source people with disabilities across roles. This
can be instrumental in introducing more PwD talent into the mainstream.
●
PwD job fairs provide access to a large pool of exclusive diverse talent.
●
Internal referral programmes help promote PwD hiring.
●
Impact sourcing is a low-cost technique to hire talent from marginalised
sections.

Engage with Vendors to Onboard Talent

Organisations hire vendors to onboard talent and to equip them with the
required skills for the job.
●
A train-and-hire model equips aspirants with the required skills.
●
Paid internships help diversity candidates get acquainted with on-the-job
requirements.
●
Staff sensitisation trainings help with the smooth assimilation of talent.

Focused Hiring for People with Unusual Impairments

A few organisations have started looking beyond physical disabilities and are
making conscious efforts in hiring and retaining talent with other disabling
conditions.
●
Some are hiring and nurturing talent with vision, hearing and speech
impairment.
●
This creates a safe space for people on the autism spectrum and those
61 with other neurodiversity concerns.
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best

Practices in Talent Acquisition
Embracing Diversity: Creating Equal Opportunities for All

Context Intervention Impact

A large technology The organisation makes a solid case for inclusion by adopting More than 80
and consulting a 360-degree approach for acquiring diverse talent. percent FTE
firm has increased conversion rate
●
Hiring employees across 21 types of visible and invisible
PwD head count of PwD interns.
disabilities
by 30 percent in
two years, with a
●
Experiential learning programme helped train and
6 percent higher onboard 400-plus participants
retention rate. ●
Employee referrals scheme with special referral amount
received 900-plus resumes
●
Exclusive job fair helped hire more than 600 employees
with disabilities
●
Impacted the community through a skill development
initiative, making more than 15,000 employment-ready

A large technology The organisation is sourcing from all the avenues of More than 45
organisation has diverse talent. percent trained
seen more than a ●
Hired talent suppliers like Youth4Jobs for sourcing of
candidates
3.5-fold increase diverse talent
placed in IT,
in PwD hiring over ITeS, BFSI.
the last five years.
●
Established inclusive hiring programme for
neurodiverse candidates
●
Empaneled 15-plus vendors for train-and-hire
programme to provide training and onboarding support
●
Launched exclusive job portal mobile app, providing all
information needs of PwD, including job search
62 ●
Offered livelihood opportunities for youth with
disabilities

An IT services While sourcing diverse talent, the organisation Accessible

organisation has has a special consideration for sourcing from the hiring drives
seen a 61 percent disadvantaged section of the society. helped
increase in PwD engage more
The organisation hires and engages with people with
head count in two than 1,500
multiple types of visible and invisible disabilities.
years. candidates with
●
Empaneled NGO partners and vendor partners for the disabilities.
sourcing of diverse talent
●
Exclusive “College Connect” programme helped hire
fresh PwD talent
●
Conducted exclusive hiring drives in partnership with
clients for the larger impact
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Focused talent management, rewards and

benefits practices unleash unique potential and
remove barriers to performance.

Nurturing Talent to Unleash Potential

Going beyond acquiring diverse talent, organisations are making efforts to
create a comprehensive ecosystem and learning environment for differently
abled talent.
●
Partner with diverse suppliers for job mapping and upskilling.
●
Provide year-round in-house career counselling.
●
Offer career and engagement surveys.
●
Provide one-to-one mentoring.
●
Track performance on a regular basis.
●
Participate in individual development planning.

Optimising Performance by Removing Barriers

Enhance the performance of your diverse workforce by removing barriers:
●
Hire sign language interpreters for talent who are hearing-impaired.
●
Offer an exclusive help line for PwD staff.
●
Use advanced technologies such as artificial reality, artificial intelligence,
machine learning, robotics, IoT and others to remove barriers to productivity.
●
Provide Braille support and visual enhancement tools.

Equity in Benefits and Opportunities

To help PwD talent address their unique challenges, organisations are providing
benefits and concessions such as:
●
Expanded medical insurance covering disability-related ailments
●
Financial aid for assistive devices like wheelchairs and walkers
63 ●
Easy loans or financial support
●
Expanded tenure for dependents with disabilities
●
Equitable pay and opportunities enabled through policy implementation
●
Tracking promotions of PwD as compared to overall talent
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best

Practices in Talent Management
Nurturing Diversity: Upskilling, Enabling and Tracking Performance

Context Intervention Impact

A large technology The organisation has a clear goal of creating a safe and More than 100
and consulting equitable culture where employees can be comfortable percent increase
firm has created sharing vulnerabilities. in self-declaration
an equitable and in five years.
●
Promoted inclusion by providing equal
safe space for
opportunities for career advancement
PwD employees,
encouraging self-
●
Filled the skill gap through mentoring and/or
declaration of their upskilling initiative
disabilities. ●
Tracked retention and promotion rates as crucial
metrics
●
Provided separate defined allowances for the PwD
employees, including an allowance for a personal
care assistant
●
Provided increased coverage under the healthcare plan

An IT services This organisation is helping PwD address the More than

firm is creating nuances and complexities of employment. 50 percent
a conducive ●
Published a career survey to check in on the unique learning
environment by aspirations of employees penetration.
providing career
support and
●
Created a customised learning programme to
through additional address career aspirations and progression
benefits crucial for ●
Provided sign language interpreters to make
PwD employees. meetings and trainings inclusive
●
Provided additional healthcare coverage along with
64
ESIC, and reimbursement for assistive devices
●
Offered a door-to-door transport facility

IT/ITeS The organisation is helping ensure the career aspirations 90 percent

organisation and learning needs of PwD colleagues are met. retention for
has created an ●
Provided regular career counselling to assess PwD head count
ecosystem to aspirations of employees with disabilities because of
provide employees its distinctive
with disabilities an
●
Offered an exclusive career progression initiatives.
equal opportunity programme and mentoring support
to perform and ●
Periodically tracked performance
grow. ●
Provided special loans, along with special
allowances, for the employees with disabilities
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Create a customised talent support structure to

help people with disabilities overcome practical
challenges.

Removing Barriers through Accessibility

Accessibility is mostly looked at as removing physical constraints. But in this
era, removal of invisible constraints is just as important for an organisation
hiring people with disabilities.
●
Digital accessibility can be achieved by Integrating apps and platforms.
Example: Screen readers that parse a website for a user with visual
impairments.
●
Ensure videos and images include appropriately descriptive alt-text.
●
Perform regular accessibility audits to ensure compliance.
●
Conform to the accessibility standards from the PwD Act 2016 and provide
barrier-free access and emergency evacuation.

Providing Customisations through Reasonable Accommodation

Organisations should be willing to provide reasonable customisations in
infrastructure or provide equipment and/or flexible work options that give PwDs
a reasonable level of comfort at the workplace.
Some examples are:
●
Modifying or adjusting the height of desk
●
Transport facility, with special cab to carry wheelchair
●
Flexibility in work roles to accommodate disabilities
●
Provision or adjustment of a product, equipment or software to enable comfort
●
Accessible meetings with closed captions and/or live transcription for video
conferences

65
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best

Practices in Talent Support
Including Diversity: Removing Visible and Invisible Barriers

Context Intervention Impact

A large technology The organisation is going beyond the standards under More than 6
and consulting the RPwD Act and is tracking to global standards of percent higher
firm has seen a accessibility. retention levels
threefold increase for PwD vis-à-vis
●
Going over and above RPwD Act for providing
in PwD head count overall employee
physical accessibility solutions
in the past five group.
years as a result
●
Taking care of digital accessibility by making
of meeting the 75 percent of applications accessible based on
accessibility needs universal guidelines
of its employees. ●
Exclusive department for providing accessibility
solutions, such as assistive devices and/or
technology
●
Reasonable accommodation support tool to raise
customisation requests

An IT/ITeS The organisation has deployed technology to prioritise Organisation

services digital accessibility. witnessed more
organisation has ●
Infrastructure audit every year to ensure physical than 90 percent
seen a 50 percent accessibility of the work premises
retention rate for
increase in PwD PwD head count.
head count in the
●
Digital accessibility through AI-enabled meeting
past five years platforms that transcribe speech to text
because of various ●
JAWs software for providing accessibility solutions
initiatives toward for visually impaired employees
an accessible ●
Sign language interpreter for meetings that include
66 workplace.
those with hearing impairment

A professional This organization is a pioneer in the industry, providing Awarded for

services firm has support structures that are inclusive of neurodiversity. best practices
seen a whooping ●
All workplace premises ensure physical accessibility in disability
96.4 percent inclusion.
retention of its
●
Emergency response team for evacuation of
PwD head count employees with disabilities
because of the ●
Centralized team to ensure accessibility and
support structures assistive tech for PwD
provided. ●
Exclusive accessibility centre to address the needs
of employees with neurodiversity challenges
●
Reasonable customization requests fulfilled for
persons with disabilities
Text Here

Promoting
LGBTQIA+ Inclusion:
Best Practices for
Creating a Welcoming
and Supportive
Environment

67
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Best Practices for LGBTQIA+

Diversity and Belongingness
Creating a Conducive Environment for the
Community to Thrive
The LGBTQIA+ community faces several challenges within organisations
that hinder their professional growth and wellbeing. The pressure to conceal
their identity adds to the emotional burden, impacting mental health and job
satisfaction. Unequal opportunities and biases can hinder career advancement
for LGBTQIA+ employees. Hence, it is crucial for organisations to foster a
culture of acceptance and respect, where all employees can thrive.

Many organisations have adopted specific practices as part of their

DE&I commitment.

Gender-inclusive anti-harassment Gender-neutral policies and

policies and redressal mechanism inclusive health and benefits
coverage

Sourcing of LGBTQIA+ candidates Inclusion of DE&I metrics in top

through specialised agencies, management scorecards
NGOs, job fairs and internship
programmes

68 Some Organisations Have Gone Above and Beyond

Safe space to self-declare Gender-neutral policies and Leadership role-modeling

inclusive benefits coverage and allyship

Counselling and support Mentoring, reverse Psychological safety and

extended to families of mentoring and coaching mental health interventions
LGBTQIA+ on-call support
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Empower the LGBTQIA+ community through

inclusive rewards and benefits, ensuring equality
and fairness, supporting their wellbeing and
establishing enabling infrastructure.

Access to Equitable and Specific Benefits and Healthcare Services

The wellness needs and healthcare experiences for individuals with diverse
sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression make it important for
organisations to recognise and facilitate equitable and respectful wellness and
healthcare services through:
●
Coverage of same-sex partners as couples for benefits
●
Comprehensive medical and insurance policies that encompass surgical
interventions, gender affirmation procedures, facial reconstruction processes,
prosthetics, hormone therapy and other vital healthcare needs
●
Acknowledging and providing coverage for mental health by implementing
mental wellbeing programmes and facilitating access to psychiatric
interventions and support

Equitable Policies and Practices across Diverse Gender Identities

Addressing the unique needs and challenges of the LGBTQIA+ community by
addressing matters like:
●
Gender-inclusive leave policies, including
○
Parental and adoption leave for primary and secondary caregivers
○
Leaves for miscarriage for employees and their partners
○
Surrogacy leave for same-sex partners
●
Paid leave for specific medical procedures like gender affirmation surgery;
leave for tubectomy
●
Relocation benefits for same-sex partners
●
Supportive policies against domestic violence
69
●
Gender-inclusive policies on anti-discrimination and prevention of sexual
harassment

Establishment of Infrastructural Support

Establish an infrastructure that enables seamless execution of policies
and practices. Create a conducive environment to support the LGBTQIA+
community through:
●
Systems and processes for self-declaration of gender, sexual orientation and
domestic partner
●
Gender-neutral infrastructure like washrooms
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best

Practices in Rewards and Benefits
Embracing Diversity: Unlocking Rewards and Benefits for
LGBTQIA+ Empowerment

Context Intervention Impact

A global capability The organisation provides a gender transition 89 percent

centre is dedicated toolkit and extends relocation benefits to of employees
to building a diverse domestic partners. feel free to be
workforce, fostering themselves as per
It offers gender-inclusive parental leave,
an inclusive culture by the internal survey.
leave for tubectomy procedures, support
adopting some exclusive for domestic violence cases and partner’s
practices.
miscarriage — ensuring inclusivity and support
for the LGBTQIA+ community.

An Indian technology The organisation has adopted an inclusive code Observed a

multinational of business conduct and has established a 50 percent
corporation is global policy against LGBTQIA+ discrimination. increase in self-
committed to integrating It has successfully created a safe environment
declarations in FY
diversity into all aspects for its employees for self-declaration of
2022-23.
of work and encouraging gender and sexual orientation in confidence to
employees to always be managers and/or the organisation.
their authentic selves.

An Indian banking The organisation assimilates and encourages Strong governance

and financial services LGBTQIA+ community members to bring their practices, tracking
organisation seeks to authentic selves to the workplace. of DE&I practices,
create an inclusive, ●
Gender-inclusive policies and practices impact and public
equitable environment reporting of
70 Comprehensive insurance and medical
through their robust metrics.
●

DE&I principles. policies covering surgical and psychiatric

interventions
●
Paid leave for gender affirmation surgery
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Foster LGBTQIA+ awareness within organisations

to cultivate an environment of respect and
understanding. Enable employees to thrive as their
authentic selves.

Fostering Inclusivity and Acceptance by Creating Awareness

Creating awareness about LGBTQIA+ issues within organisations is crucial
to promote understanding, acceptance and the creation of supportive
environments. This enables LGBTQIA+ individuals to thrive and contribute their
unique perspectives.
●
Innovative approaches like theatre-based sessions to engage and create
awareness
●
Forums to share diverse stories such as testimonials, short videos, bytes
newsletter and speak-up campaigns
●
Sessions with members of the LGBTQIA+ community to share their personal
journeys
●
Sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression awareness
sessions to share anecdotes and connect with inspirational people.

Creating Sensitisation through Trainings and Programmes

Driving LGBTQIA+ sensitisation through trainings and education programmes is
crucial for cultivating an inclusive and respectful culture. Initiatives undertaken
by organisations to challenge biases and promote empathy include:
●
Workshops for leaders and managers focusing on empathy, respect, trust,
empowerment, unconscious bias and empowerment
●
Organisation-wide regular sensitization programmes and campaigns,
including the Pronouns Campaign, Hues of the Rainbow, Use of Preferred
Names and Pronouns, Promotion of Neutral Language
●
Inclusive leadership and unconscious bias trainings for employees across the
organisation
71

Celebrating Diversity and Actively Supporting LGBTQIA+ Initiatives

Events and celebrations play a vital role in cultivating a sense of belonging,
promoting inclusivity and demonstrating a commitment to equality.
Organisations are empowering LGBTQIA+ individuals to bring their authentic
selves to work through:
●
Pride Month branding and celebrations with webinars and podcasts
●
Promotion through branding initiatives and collateral: ERG guidebook,
podcast and employee toolkit
●
Pronouns for electronic signatures
●
Pride logos and infographic to highlight LGBTQIA+ terminology.
●
Multiple channels for grievance redressal (POSH committee, corporate
ombudsman, CARE team).
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best

Practices in Sensitisation
Embrace the Rainbow: Fostering LGBTQIA+ Awareness
for an Inclusive Workplace

Context Intervention Impact

A digital customer The organisation places a strong emphasis on Success

experience leader branding and engagement, evident through determined
believes in creating an the introduction of Pride logos, LGBTQIA+ through the active
environment to learn, infographics, ERG guidebook and podcasts. involvement
grow and embrace of employees
●
Promotes the usage of pronouns and
diversity and inclusion in in driving the
preferred names, creating an inclusive
everyday life. agenda.
environment
●
Drives awareness through workshops,
e-training modules and theatre-based
sessions

An Indian multinational The organisation has created dedicated LGBTQIA+

IT services and communities to actively drive the agenda. communities have
consulting organisation ●
Launched various forums to facilitate grown five-fold
is committed to fostering connections with inspirational individuals for
since the launch.
five dimensions of meaningful dialogue
diversity.
●
Created a program to share stories through
testimonials, videos, newsletters and
campaigns to foster a culture of openness
and participation
●
Established multiple channels, including a
POSH committee, corporate ombudsman
and CARE team, to address grievances and
72 ensure a safe environment

A global MNC The organisation has implemented in-house Three times

specialising in IT sensitisation programmes such as the growth in ERG
services and consulting Pronouns Campaign and Hues of the Rainbow. membership within
believes in creating ●
Established forums that provide opportunities a year of launch.
an environment where to share personal journeys through sessions
everyone feels they with the LGBTQIA+ community
belong.
●
Dedicated Leaders Learning Programme
for LGBTQIA+, encouraging executives
to serve as role models and champions
of inclusion.
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Implementing focused talent management

initiatives for LGBTQIA+ individuals involves
providing equal opportunities, building capabilities
and effectively managing career aspirations.

Engaging in Inclusive Sourcing and Hiring

Organisations are actively pursuing various channels to source and hire
individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community. Some of the best practices
observed in talent acquisition are:
●
Establish diversity hiring targets, emphasising the commitment to diversity
and inclusion.
●
Collaborate with LGBTQIA+ hiring consultants and agencies; sponsor and
participate in LGBTQIA+ career and job fairs.
●
Engage with specialised vendors for LGBTQIA+ train-to-hire programmes.
●
Offer internal referral programmes to promote LGBTQIA+ hiring.
●
Provide innovative tools to mitigate bias in job descriptions.
●
Conduct unconscious bias simulations and trainings for hiring managers and teams.

Focused Capability Building through Internships and Mentoring

Empower LGBTQIA+ employees by providing opportunities for professional
development by launching internships and mentoring programmes:
●
Tailored onboarding assistance for LGBTQIA+ employees demonstrates
value and care.
●
Internship programmes offer the potential for future employment for
LGBTQIA+ individuals.
●
Networking forums connect LGBTQIA+ employees with leaders, providing
enhanced exposure.
●
Mentoring initiatives led by leaders specifically for the community prepare
them for the future.
73
●
Custom-made upskilling and counselling initiatives focused on building
capabilities for LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Managing Career and Growth Aspirations

Creating equitable career and growth opportunities for LGBTQIA+ employees,
enabling them to contribute their unique perspectives and skills to propel
organisational success. Best practices include:
●
Assess factors impacting the careers of underrepresented groups and
promote equitable career opportunities.
●
Monitor and track career growth of colleagues from the community
with a feedback loop.
●
Conduct regular reviews to ensure pay and benefits equity, promoting
fairness and equality.
●
Facilitate the participation of LGBTQIA+ community members in
leadership development initiatives.
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best Practices

in Talent Acquisition and Development
Diversity at Its Core: Embracing the Full Spectrum of Talent

Context Intervention Impact

A leading global bank The organisation collaborates with specialised A multifold

has established strong agencies and actively engages in targeted increase in
ERGs to drive their career and job fairs to facilitate impact sourcing. pledge toward
diversity and inclusion inclusiveness of
●
Conducts specialised trainings for hiring
strategy. LGBTQIA+ staff.
managers and teams to mitigate biases in the
recruitment process
●
Launched mentoring programmes led
by community leaders, offering regular
interactions with senior leaders for exposure
and guidance
●
Career growth is actively tracked, with regular
feedback and support provided
●
Regular audits of pay and benefits equity are
conducted

An Indian multinational The organisation has incorporated LGBTQIA+ Internship

conglomerate firmly hiring targets into performance evaluations, to programme
embraces diversity ensure active support. has garnered
across teams, businesses ●
Personalised onboarding process catering to success with more
and communities, the specific needs of community members, than 20 enrolled in
recognising its power demonstrating acceptance, value and care FY 2022-23.
to drive innovation and
growth.
●
Internship programmes introduced for
LGBTQIA+ individuals, offering the
74 opportunity for potential conversion to full-
time employment, ensuring professional
growth and development

A global capability The organisation utlises tools to detect bias Achieved a

center prioritises in job descriptions, promoting fairness in the belonging score of
diversity, equity and hiring process. 90 percent gauged
inclusion, fostering ●
Referral leagues are implemented to through internal
a sense of belonging encourage LGBTQIA+ hiring through surveys.
where all differences are employee referrals
valued and practices are
equitable.
●
Efforts are made to ensure equitable
career opportunities by identifying and
addressing factors that impact the careers of
underrepresented groups
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Foster allyship with LGBTQIA+ individuals

by prioritising psychological safety with an
environment where they feel secure and accepted.

Fostering Allyship and Inclusion for LGBTQIA+ Individuals at the Workplace

Organisations are fostering an environment that supports allyship among
employees by establishing safe spaces, offering resources and support for
allies, acknowledging and celebrating allyship within the workplace through:
●
Established ERGs as community hubs for LGBTQIA+ members and allies to
foster collaboration, support and advocacy
●
ERGs driving initiatives such as Pride Month celebrations, awareness
campaigns and representation efforts, and amplifying community messages
●
Reverse-mentoring of senior leadership for increased awareness and
reduction of biases toward LGBTQIA+ community members
●
Coaching and mentoring opportunities for LGBTQIA+ community members
and their allies
●
Promoting visibility of LGBTQIA+ individuals in leadership positions to serve
as role models

Nurturing Mental Wellbeing and Psychological Safety for LGBTQIA+ Individuals

Support mental wellbeing by offering programmes to create a safe and inclusive
environment, specifically addressing the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+
individuals through:
●
24-7 employee wellbeing assistance programme, providing support tailored to
LGBTQIA+ employees
●
Focus group discussions and listening circles to assess the wellbeing of staff
●
Specialised sessions with psychologists and wellness experts who have
expertise in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community
●
Safe-space conversations for employees to share their stories and learn from
75 other allies and LGBTQIA+ employees
●
Rainbow Room platforms for members and allies to come together and engage
in discussions about mental health
●
Encourage the participation of members and allies through initiatives like
“Bring Your Buddy” programmes
Recognising DE&I Champions: Best Practices

Case Studies Highlighting Best

Practices in LGBTQIA+ Inclusion
Pride in Action: Transforming Lives, Inspiring Communities

Context Intervention Impact

A leading global The organisation has launched reverse- Increase in number

financial information mentoring programmes to raise awareness and of colleagues
organisation is decrease biases among senior leadership. coming out to
committed to colleagues and/or
●
Feature LGBTQIA+ senior leaders as role
embedding an inclusive the Pride Network
models to promote inclusivity and provide
culture that values Team.
association for others
diverse perspectives
and embraces diversity
●
24-7 Employee Wellbeing Assistance
of every kind. Programme accessible to all employees, and
other business stakeholders like contractors;
this support is extended to partners beyond
traditional family units as well

An Indian multinational The organisations conduct coaching and More than 37,000
IT services and mentoring sessions for community members associates have
consulting organisation and allies. taken a pledge
supports various ●
Rainbow Rooms for mental health discussions as champions
purpose-led ERGs to of equity toward
give employees a safe
●
Dedicated sessions planned on psychological LGBTQIA+
space to share, learn, safety inclusion.
collaborate and grow. ●
Actively supports ERG members in driving
Pride Month celebrations, awareness
initiatives, and community representation
●
Launched a unique “Bring Your Buddy”
programme for members and allies

76
A global business The organisation conducts focus group 200-plus allies in
services organisation discussions and listening circles to gauge staff the organisation;
is dedicated to sentiment and address their needs through: this is a 380
building teams that ●
Provision of dedicated employee assistance percent increase
represent diversity of through partnerships with experts in in allyship and
thought, experience LGBTQIA+ mental health members in 2022.
and perspective in the
communities where they
●
Creation of a visible ally network to increase
do business. awareness and promote acceptance
●
Campaigns for employees to encourage self-
identification
7
Recommendations
How Do We Effectively
Drive DE&I in
Organisations?
Recommendations
7

Cornerstones for Structurally

Embedding DE&I

Leadership Commitment Laser-Focused Approach to Tracking

●
Set aspirational goals and establish DE&I Data and Metrics
as a key component of business strategy. ●
Data is a critical lever for advancing DE&I:
●
CEOs should actively champion DE&I Define and measure KPIs that help drive
initiatives and co-share responsibility with the organisation toward its DE&I goals
and outcomes.
senior executives and board members for
creating an inclusive workplace culture. ●
Track diversity beyond mere representation.
●
Establish accountability by linking DE&I Cover the breadth and depth of diversity
data and track actions that impact numbers.
performance to executive compensation.
In doing so, organisations will be able to ●
Track equity in compensation, performance
create a multiplier effect of incentivising feedback, promotions, mentorship, training,
DE&I improvements across organisations. sponsorship programmes, access to
opportunities and recognition.
●
Communicate progress to decision makers
and other important stakeholders, including ●
To ensure there is equity for all employees,
employees and external entities. track and analyse data on organisation
facilities, benefits, accessibility and overall
culture.
●
Use pulse survey feedback, satisfaction
index, engagement score and ERG
participation rates to stay up-to-date on
inclusion in the organisation.

78
Recommendations

Mitigating Bias at a Systemic Level Intentionally Drive DE&I Culture

●
Mitigate bias proactively and intentionally. ●
Expand the interpretation of diversity
beyond gender.
●
Focus on diversity hiring, not diversity
hires. Reevaluate your talent supply chain ●
Have structured processes to move people
from time to time to mandate diversity in and systems along; drive a fundamental
the applicant pool and in the interview cultural shift from “tick-the-box” to viewing
panel. Provide just-in-time primers to hiring workforce policies and processes through a
managers. Embrace the differences so you DE&I lens.
can move from culture-fit to culture-add. ●
Move beyond the numbers: Stay up-to-
●
Use 360-degree and multisource feedback. date and include diverse ways of capturing
Leverage technology with bias identification employee feedback. Build ERGs, use
capabilities to predict patterns, mitigate bias inclusive language and create a safe space
and accelerate change in the performance for employees to bring their authentic selves
management system. to work.
●
Drive pay equity with external pay equity ●
Raise awareness about implicit bias and
experts to identify pay disparity and drive find visible ways of promoting diversity and
compensation equity. inclusion.
●
Democratise opportunities for development
programmes, mentoring and sponsorships.
Use reverse mentoring to break down
traditional systemic bias that impedes
growth.
●
Conduct routine reviews of equity policies
and practices.

79
Recommendations

Incorporate Changes across the

Employee Life Cycle
DE&I Must be Embedded in Company Culture
from Hiring to Advancement and Beyond

Are We Fostering a Diverse and Inclusive Environment?

Attract Select
Partner with organisations and networks that Foster accountability by having TA teams
have targeted talent pools to ensure a diverse explain the rationale for failure to source and/
applicant pool. or reject diversity candidates.

Onboard Develop
Give employees the opportunity to clarify ●
Create opportunities for diverse individuals to
and communicate their expectations of work together in integrated teams.
organisational support. ●
Give visibility of high-potential diverse talent
to senior leaders through mentoring and
reverse-mentoring opportunities.

Retain Groom
Conduct periodic audits of policies, benefits ●
Develop robust internal career development
and infrastructure to ensure inclusivity of all opportunities for diverse candidates.
identities. ●
Mandate identification of at least one
diversity successor for leadership positions.

80

Reward Assess
Use certified software tools or consultancy ●
Conduct comparative analyses of
services for pay equity analysis to rule performance ratings and career growth of
out bias. diversity groups to prevent potential bias.
●
Designate inclusion advocates in talent
forums to ensure no biases seep in.
Recommendations

Supplement Structural Changes with

Targeted Scaffolds
Additive Programmes and Targeted Policies are
Necessary to Complement Structural Changes for DE&I

Gender Diversity Sexual Diversity

●
Use AI technology to ensure gender-neutral ●
Create a safe space for LGBTQIA+
advertising and job descriptions. employees to self-identify.
●
Extend policy and infrastructural support ●
Introduce gender-neutral polices and
to diverse family structures (surrogate, language where possible.
adopting) and individual circumstances ●
Recognize and support non-traditional
(single parents).
relationships by extending benefits and
●
Provide extended paternity leaves to policy support to same-sex couples.
recognise the role of men as caregivers and ●
Focus on sustainable practices and
advance the idea of shared responsibility in programmes, such as mentoring, that last
parenting. beyond Pride Month.

Ability Diversity Religious and

●
Track all kinds of disabilities — physical as
well as cognitive.
Cultural Diversity
●
While tracking is complicated, organisations
●
Create targets for PwD representation in must design practices and policies that
business-critical roles and identify relevant assume all religions and cultures are
jobs suitable for them. present in the workplace.
●
Communicate exact job requirements and ●
Allow employees to choose holidays based
organisation support to allow PwDs to on cultural and/or religious observations
81 assess their own candidacy. they wish to celebrate.
●
Create and provide channels where PwDs
feel comfortable requesting infrastructural
support.

Supplier Diversity Generational Diversity

●
Help businesses explore diverse talent ●
Prioritise tangible practices, such as
and understand the needs of the working in integrated teams, to promote
underrepresented groups. intergenerational collaboration.
8
Annexure
Demographic Spread of the
Organisations
Annexure
8

Demographics
Industry and HQ Location

Industry Classification of Headquarters of

Participants Participating Organisations

Industry Percentage

Technology 45.7%

Other 17.9%

Professional Services 5.4%

Manufacturing 3.6%

Banking 3.6%

FMCG, Consumer Non-Durables 2.7%

Life Insurance 2.2%

Knowledge Process
2.2%
Outsourcing
● 17.4% Delhi/NCR
Telecom Services 1.8% ● 20.5% Mumbai
● 25.1% Bengaluru
Pharmaceutical 1.8%
● 10% Chennai
NBFC 1.8%
● 1.4% Hyderabad
Semiconductors 1.8% ● 9.1% Kolkata

Medical Technology 1.3% ● 10.5% Pune

● 5.9% Others
General Insurance and
0.9%
Reinsurance

Investment Banking 0.9%

Entertainment and Media 0.9%

83
Funds, Asset Management 0.9%

Real Estate and Infrastructure 0.9%

Retail (Wholesale and

0.9%
Distribution)

Metals and Mining 0.4%

Hospitality and Restaurants 0.4%

Auto Suppliers 0.4%

Auto Producers 0.4%

Oil and Gas 0.4%

Aerospace Engineering 0.4%

Annexure

Demographics
Revenue and Employee Size

Revenue Classification Size of Organisations by

Employee Count

Revenue Range Percentage

< $10 million 18.3%

$10 – $50 million 14.4%

$50 – $100 million 13.9%

$100 – $150 million 4.4%

$150 – $200 million 8.9%

>$200 million 40.0%

● 47% Small (<2,500)

● 28% Large (>10,000)
● 25% Large (>10,000)

84
Annexure

DE&I Tracking
By Industry Type and Organisation Employee Size

Gender Diversity

98% 98%
Tech Non-Tech

97% 98% 100%

Small (<2,500) Medium (2,500-10,000) Large (>10,000)

Generational Diversity

73% 72%
Tech Non-Tech

64% 77% 76%

Small (<2,500) Medium (2,500-10,000) Large (>10,000)

PwD Inclusion

64% 51%
Tech Non-Tech

85 50% 63% 69%

Small (<2,500) Medium (2,500-10,000) Large (>10,000)

LGBTQIA+ Inclusion

43% 30%
Tech Non-Tech

27% 45% 53%

Small (<2,500) Medium (2,500-10,000) Large (>10,000)
Annexure

DE&I Tracking
By Industry Type and Head Count

Formal DE&I Policy in Place

80% 79%
Tech Non-Tech

83% 84% 87%

Small (<2,500) Medium (2,500-10,000) Large (>10,000)

Executive Payouts Linked to DE&I Targets

31% 53%
Tech Non-Tech

36% 92% 42%

Small (<2,500) Medium (2,500-10,000) Large (>10,000)

Dedicated Budget Alloted for DE&I

73% 72%
86 Tech Non-Tech

51% 84% 85%

Small (<2,500) Medium (2,500-10,000) Large (>10,000)
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