The Udaiti Foundation (TUF), a leading women’s economic empowerment organization, today unveiled its groundbreaking initiative, “Close the Gender Gap” (CGG) data hub, with the goal of driving transformative changes in gender representation and policies within the formal sector at the “Women in India Inc” Summit.
The CGG platform achieves a historic milestone by compiling longitudinal data from 2000 companies based on market capitalization, providing an unprecedented perspective on gender representation and policies. The platform illuminates gender dynamics within private-sector organizations. Women are more prevalent in larger organizations, but they face a glass ceiling. Smaller businesses, on the other hand, have more women in leadership positions. There is much ground to cover when it comes to women’s leadership on boards; 43% report one mandatory female Board member, with a mere 11% reporting more than two female BoDs. This highlights the importance of increased commitments to gender inclusion in leadership and beyond. Against this backdrop, a ray of hope shines through: the formal sector has seen a commendable 3% increase in women’s representation over the last year.
This event drew high-level corporate stakeholders, bringing together industry leaders and experts to engage in critical discussions about hiring, retention, advancement, and leadership of women in corporate India. Naina Lal Kidwai, Former Group Head HSBC India & Former President, FICCI, Jasjit Kang, SVP & Business Head, Digital Operations & Platforms, Wipro; Manjaree Chowdhary, Senior Executive Director and General Counsel, Maruti Suzuki India; Pankaj Rai, Group Chief Data Analytics Officer, Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt Ltd; Sabeena Shaji, Vice President, Human Resources etc.
The Udaiti Foundation
“Rhetoric alone will not be enough to drive gender equality in corporate India,” said Padma Shri Naina Lal Kidwai, Former Group Head HSBC India and Former President, FICCI. To achieve meaningful outcomes and long-term change, we need sharp baseline data and top leadership accountability.”
“More than a platform, CGG is an invitation to companies, boards, experts, policymakers, and employees to join hands, leveraging our data hub to catalyze commitments and drive meaningful action for gender parity at work,” said Pooja Goyal, CEO of The Udaiti Foundation. It is more than a tool; it is a movement to accelerate progress, foster inclusion, and create a workplace where everyone thrives.”
In his opening remarks at the summit, Ashish Dhawan, Advisor at The Udaiti Foundation, stated that “women’s economic empowerment is a key driver of national economic growth.” Women’s education levels in India have steadily increased over the last three decades, but this has not translated into higher female labor force participation rates. As India approaches significant growth, it is critical that we develop data-backed evidence to increase the share of quality jobs, advance women’s enterprise, and construct gender infrastructure.”
CGG aligns with broader industry movements, offering comprehensive evidence to understand the gaps, cross-learn, and develop policies based on actual data, paving the way for a future where gender equality is actively pursued and seamlessly integrated into the professional realm. As a result, CGG encourages stakeholders to champion diversity by fostering tangible change with tangible resources.
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