Infosys, Wipro among 6 companies pledging to follow UN prog on gender equality promotion

NEW DELHI: Six prominent Indian companies today pledged to follow a programme which ensures promotion of gender equality as part of their policy, which has been formulated by a UN body.

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women is propagating a seven-point agenda for corporates, which include creating high-level leadership for gender equality and treating women and men fairly at work.

According to the UN Women Office for India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka, six corporate houses -- Infosys, Wipro, CocaCola, Jindal Steel, Paharpur Cooling Solutions and HCL -- have approved the programme and are in the process of implementing it.

"India Inc growth story is globally admired, it is time that they acknowledge that empowering women is essential for building strong economies" said Sushma Kapoor, Deputy Representative of the UN Women Office in India.

A 2010 study shows that only 5 per cent of the women employees in India make it up to the company boards or reach the level of a CEO in Indian companies.

"In CocaCola, 24 per cent of our employees are women and we have them working in the very basic levels, but we are trying to increase the numbers after we have signed up to this program" said Deepak Jolly, vice president of public affairs and communications at CocaCola India.

"With the change in the economic situations in the country there are more women coming forward to join these companies, while the businesses make money it is important how they incorporate these principles to empower women" said Muhammad Musa, CEO and Country Director of CARE India.

When asked about the dropping number of women employees in each of the corporate houses, after they go for maternity leaves, Richard Lobo, head of employee relations at Infosys, said, "We have had 89 per cent of our employees coming back to work and joining their position, but we have to do more in the region in providing benefits to them."