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Two-day ‘FICCI DE&I Conclave’ concludes with a focus on fostering diversity, equity and inclusion in the workspace, society
Jun 12, 2024
MUMBAI, 12 JUNE 2024: FICCI today concluded the two-day ‘2nd edition of FICCI DE&I Conclave’ event designed to bring together leaders and professionals from diverse sectors to discuss and explore strategies for fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and society. Day one of the Conclave was a Masterclass and day two was the Conclave.
While addressing the conclave through a video message, Dr Anish Shah, President, FICCI said, “Globally, we have seen a shift in recognizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) as essential for sustainable growth. Studies show that diverse and inclusive teams are more innovative, productive, and resilient.”
In her special address, Padma Bhushan Rajashree Birla, Chairperson, FICCI Aditya Birla CSR Centre for Excellence stated that this is a milestone conclave for involving a definite roadmap to be played out collectively to embed diversity, equity and inclusive processes at our workplaces and beyond.
“I think of diversity, equity and inclusion as the three sides of a values driven corporate triangle. These three dimensions are interconnected and collectively affirm an organization’s fostering diverse cohorts of individuals: multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-abled and multi-oriented in their partner preferences, among other factors,” she added.
In his welcome remarks, Keshav Suri, Chairperson, FICCI DE&I Task Force & Executive Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group said that corporates and India Inc. have the tools to empower the marginalized communities. He emphasized the importance of equity and empowering marginalized communities.
Sudakshina Bhattacharya, President and CHRO, HDFC Ergo General Insurance said, “Since I started my journey at HDFC ERGO, we have had a laser focus on improving our diversity, creating an equitable workplace. That continues to be realized as we have doubled our gender diversity percentage over the last few years and started development programs that have enriched the diversity leadership of the organization.”
FICCI also announced the launch of ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Awards’ during the Conclave. This pioneering initiative aims to recognize and celebrate organizations who have made significant contributions to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within their workplaces. The awards highlight best practices, innovative programs, and impactful initiatives that drive DE&I forward.
The conclave also witnessed two captivating fireside chats, bringing together influential leaders and creative minds from various industries.
The first fireside chat featured an enlightening conversation between Dr Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson & MD of Bharat Hotels Limited and Past President of FICCI, and Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairperson and CEO of Salesforce India.
The second fireside chat gathered notable figures from the Indian film industry. Moderated by Rajeev Masand, renowned Indian Film Critic and Senior Journalist, the panel included Faraz Arif Ansari, Film Director; Sushant Divgikr aka Rani Ko He Nur, Indian Actor & Singer; Tushar Tyagi, Film Director; and Gazal Dhaliwal, Indian Screenwriter.
During the conclave, various topics including ‘Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)’, ‘Supplier Diversity and Procurement Practices’, ‘Importance of Data and Metrics’ and Understanding and Navigating a Multigenerational Workforce were also discussed.
Nikhil Taneja, Founder, Yuvaa; Ramkrishna Sinha, Co-Founder, Pride Circle; Divya Srivastava, Head of Rewards and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, HUL; Shweta Singh, Community Partnership & Sustainability Lead, Corteva Agriscience Seed Private Ltd.; Shahvir Irani, Director, HR - Talent Strategy and Inclusion & Diversity Lead, Accenture; Shriram Parthasarathy, Social Media Marketing Operations Lead, Microsoft Asia & Thierry Van Helden, Deputy Counsel General, Consulate General of the Kingdom of Netherlands also spoke at the event.
The event concluded with a cultural performance from Dancing Queens, India’s first professional dancing group comprised of transgender individuals. Dancing Queens are pioneers in using the art of dance to advocate for transgender rights and promote acceptance
The program was supported by The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, HDFC Ergo General Insurance, Aditya Birla Group, Keshav Suri Foundation & Corteva Agriscience.
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