Cultivating a Culture
of Inclusion and Belonging

Eighty-nine percent of Indians are familiar with the term, according to the study, which also says 90% of respondents expect companies to act and communicate about DE&I. A new report which sets out a framework for corporations to follow in the APAC region to act more relevantly and authentically to meet the local needs of the population reveals a rosy picture of Indians’ familiarity with diversity, equity, and inclusion as a staggering 89% of country’s population ensured their country to feature among the nations with highest understanding with DE&I. Fleishman Hillard’s research and analytics practice focus on Asia Pacific consumer perceptions and needs regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I).

Organizations realize that their workforce needs to mirror their consumers so that they can innovate better and offer solutions for consumers across the pyramid. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become a priority for organizations worldwide. Having a diverse workforce is not just a move in the right direction toward building a sustainable organization; there is also a business case. Organizations realize that their workforce needs to mirror their consumers so that they can innovate better and offer solutions for consumers across the pyramid. And diversity here is beyond gender; companies are going all out to hire people with disabilities, senior citizens, and from varied racial backgrounds.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), of late, has been a hot topic of discussion in corporate forums that want to make a difference to human capital in their organizations. Diversity is about making people of different religions, nationalities, gender, and age an integral part of the organization. Equity talks about equal opportunity based on capabilities free of any bias whatsoever. Inclusion is about helping individuals grow to their full potential.

DEI is an ethos that recognizes the value of diverse voices and emphasizes inclusivity and employee well-being as central facets of success. To bring those values to life, companies must implement programs and initiatives that actively make their offices more diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

Research has repeatedly shown that diverse companies have more effective teams. But many organizations acknowledge there needs to be more progress regarding having a truly representative workforce and eliminating implicit or explicit biases. The challenge is not necessarily rooted in the talent pipeline since there is more diversity in college graduates than ever. While technology and STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) at large have traditionally been considered career paths best suited for a ‘particular gender,’ it is encouraging to see a shift in this perception. If we look at World Bank data, 43% of STEM graduates in India are women, making it the highest in the world.

Research has repeatedly shown that diverse companies have more effective teams. But many organizations acknowledge there needs to be more progress regarding having a truly representative workforce and eliminating implicit or explicit biases. The challenge is not necessarily rooted in the talent pipeline since there is more diversity in college graduates than ever. While technology and STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) at large have traditionally been considered career paths best suited for a ‘particular gender,’ it is encouraging to see a shift in this perception. If we look at World Bank data, 43% of STEM graduates in India are women, making it the highest in the world.

The visibility of women in technology has always been a topic for boardroom discussions and for the pioneers of diversity. The low representation of women in technology must be analyzed through various lenses. Every year universities and technical institutes churn out 100 thousand qualified engineers from various streams. However, how many of them get absorbed in the workforce, and how many of them are women? These are some of the questions that tie back to the issue of low participation of women in technology.