In the second half of the inaugural day of India Inclusion & Diversity Week, Dow India hosted a strategic roundtable discussion in partnership with Catalyst, a global nonprofit that works to create more inclusive workplaces for women. The external participants for the discussion, held under aegis of India Women’s Innovation Network (IWIN), included 25+ representatives from Dow, BASF, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Unilever, Ernst & Young, Future Generali, MSCI, DuPont and other companies.
The round-table, facilitated by Shachi Irde, Advisor to Catalyst, discussed the nuances of the day-to-day experience of workplace exclusion and inclusion. Marco Voelker, EMEAI regional inclusion leader and Sudhir Shenoy, CEO, Dow India, delivered the introductory remarks. The round-table concluded with a number of actionable initiatives and ideas for Dow India inclusion team and others to consider and implement in coming years. India ERG leaders, as well as some members of Dow India leadership team, were in attendance.
Catalyst’s Vandana Juneja, VP, Asia-Pacific, shared: “Our research demonstrates that employees who experience inclusion are more likely to suggest ideas and new ways of doing work; they demonstrate greater team citizenship and innovation. As a result, it is important to consider how to make inclusion visible, interrupt exclusionary behaviours, and take action to bring inclusion to life every day. We would like to thank our host, Dow India, for their generous support in hosting this important conversation.”
Speaking about the initiative, Sudhir Shenoy said: “While a lot is said about creating gender-balanced and vibrant workplaces, we need to do much more to ensure we bridge the gap between words and action at an industry level. Diversity is about ensuring representation, but it means little without actual inclusion, offering everyone a seat at the table. Through initiatives such as this round-table, we are taking steps to know industry best practices and exploring ways to make our inclusion journey at Dow India meaningful and impactful.”