Globally, white-collar gender diversity in the workplace has become as politically correct a cause to espouse as, say, corporate social responsibility.
Banks and financial institutions have proved to be the only ones in corporate India's otherwise dismal gender diversity performance, according to a report published by Standard Chartered Bank.
E-commerce players also realise the value proposition women employees bring to the table.
British ice dancer Lewis Gibson says he would like to see same-sex partnerships allowed on the international stage in his event, adding his voice to a growing movement in favour of the change.
The replacement hired for women dropping out is invariably a man
The University Grants Commission's (UGC) new regulations on promoting equity in higher education institutions have sparked protests and legal challenges. This article explains the regulations, the concerns raised, and the government's response.
'What has changed is that the new regulations are backed by a clear enforcement framework. They have real consequences and, for the first time, make compliance unavoidable.'
US, China and Japan have no quotas for women and have had the lowest increase in female directors.
'It's harder to attract women initially, but once they come in, retention is significantly higher.'
The country's biggest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), plans to hire around 3,500 officers to bolster its operations and enhance service delivery nationwide.
Beyond the empty stands and coronavirus-induced delay, this year's Indianapolis 500 will see another profound change at the famed Brickyard on Sunday -- for the first time in 21 years, there are no female drivers on the starting grid.
'Once the actual scope is understood, it becomes evident that the framework is about internal redress and course correction, and in no way criminalisation.'
Researchers and students at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) protested against hateful graffiti targeting a specific community that appeared on campus. The graffiti was discovered shortly after a blast near the Red Fort in Delhi. Students and faculty members participated in rallies and put up posters denouncing the messages and reaffirming the institute's commitment to pluralism and secularism. The ISI Director condemned the act and pledged to take remedial measures.
Several US companies, including McDonald's, Walmart and Facebook parent company Meta, have ended or scaled back their DEI programmes since Trump was elected in November last.
As a protege of Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to scale bilateral ties much higher. Trade and investment shall grow. People-to-people contacts shall be scaled up, points out Dr Rajaram Panda.
'For all you know, in the next five years there could be a path-breaking cancer treatment and I may be absolutely fine. Or maybe I won't be. I have to live with both scenarios.'
Dr Sonali Ghosh, the first woman to head the Kaziranga National Park and the first Indian to win the IUCN's Kenton Miller Award, has turned her childhood love for nature into an inspiring career in wildlife protection and leadership.
If you want to inspire the young workforce, focus on building transparency, purpose and social responsibility, says notes Varun Sachdeva, SVP and APAC head, NLB Services.
A new report, "India Justice Report 2025", highlights the stark gender disparity in India's police force, with less than 1,000 women holding senior positions like Director-Generals and Superintendents of Police. Despite growing awareness about the need for gender diversity in law enforcement, not a single state or Union Territory has met its target for women's representation in the police force. The report also emphasizes the significant challenges faced by the justice system as a whole, including infrastructural deficiencies, overcrowding in prisons, and inadequate staffing levels. The report calls for systemic reforms to address these issues and ensure a more equitable and accessible justice system for all.
Robust backing from the government and a desire to stage big-ticket events make India a strong candidate to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
'The quality of justice is directly linked to the quality of judges -- if that suffers, justice delivery suffers.'
In March, the United Kingdom's then sports minister Lucy Frazer called on sporting bodies in the country to reassess their rules on transgender athletes competing in women's sports to ensure fairness.
Gender is the main focus of the diversity efforts of companies in India, said a survey by HR consulting firm Mercer. According to Mercer's Asia Pacific Diversity & Inclusion, over 90 per cent of the participants surveyed list gender as the main focus of their diversity efforts in India.
The boardrooms of India's large listed companies are steadily expanding as corporate governance standards tighten and regulatory compliance rises. Boards of Nifty 100 companies boasted an average of 10.52 members as of FY24, compared to 9.86 in FY21 and 10.48 in FY23, according to the fifth edition of Excellence Enablers' Survey on Corporate Governance, an initiative led by M Damodaran, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).
The guidelines for community cricket will assist clubs, players, administrators, coaches, and other volunteers deliver a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment, free of harassment and discrimination for gender diverse players at the game's grassroots.
Trump said his administration also dismissed Biden-era lawsuits against police and fire departments that were portrayed as racist for using writing tests, physical exams, and credit checks in their hiring processes.
In a move towards gender inclusion, Tamil Nadu has partnered Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL) to offer a 5 per cent job reservation for LGBTQAI+ and people with disabilities at GCPL's upcoming fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing unit in Thiruporur in Chengalpattu district. According to industry experts and activists, while companies acknowledge transgender communities, this is the first time the entire spectrum of gender minorities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (one's sexual or gender identity), asexual and intersex, is receiving such a notable share of job participation in the private sector while signing memoranda of understanding with states.
Microaggressions may be subtle but their impact is deep. If ignored, they can lower morale, stifle diversity and hold people back, says Shruti Swaroop.
Kirsty Coventry smashed through the International Olympic Committee's glass ceiling to become the organisation's first female and first African president in its 130-year history.
Retirement fund body EPFO added 16.05 lakh net new members in December, which is 9.69 per cent higher compared to November 2024, as per the payroll data released on Tuesday. Further, a labour ministry statement said there was a growth of 2.74 per cent in net payroll additions compared to December 2023.
In the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls, there were 135 women candidates while in the second phase, there were 100 women candidates, bringing the combined total for the first two phases to 235 women candidates.
Tatas, Ambanis, Adanis, Birlas contributed an average of Rs 800 crore to Rs 1,000 crore per family group.
Temples across Uttar Pradesh were packed with devotees on Sunday for Ram Navami, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath leading prayers at the Gorakhnath Temple. Heavy crowds were witnessed at temples in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Varanasi, where security was heightened. In Gorakhpur, Adityanath performed the traditional kanya pujan ritual, while in Varanasi, a 51-foot statue of Lord Ram has become a major attraction. The festival was celebrated with enthusiastic fervor across the state.
Gender diversity at the top can improve financial returns.
"Lady candidates need not apply." So read the postscript in a job notice from Telco (now Tata Motors) on a notice board in the corridors of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (now Bengaluru), in 1974. Irked, Sudha Murty, who was then pursuing her masters in computer science at the institute, wrote a postcard to JRD Tata, expressing her surprise at this gender discrimination, especially since the Tata Group were pioneers on many fronts. Shortly, Murty became the first woman on the firm's shop floor.
A Haridwar-based community welfare organisation, Divya Prem Seva Mission, will host a series of seven lectures on diverse themes, including one on the contentious subject of simultaneous polls, at its camp at the Maha Kumbh site in Prayagraj. The lecture series, starting on January 12, will also cover topics like Swami Vivekananda's philosophy, India's glorious past, global terrorism, gender equality, and the challenges of privacy and safety on social media. The organization has been involved in philanthropic activities for 29 years and is raising awareness about the discrimination faced by people with leprosy.
Women leaders, succession planners and lawyers say doors in family businesses are opening but a stronger push is needed.
Retirement fund body EPFO has registered 13.41 lakh net new members addition in October 2024, according to showed latest payroll data. This signifies increased employment opportunities and heightened awareness of employee benefits, bolstered by EPFO's effective outreach initiatives, a labour ministry statement said on Wednesday.
The monthly Rs 2500 payment for poor women is expected to cost Rs 11,000 crore while the pension scheme of Rs 2000 for every senior citizen will cost around Rs 4100 crore. The Yamuna clean up will cost over Rs 10,000 crore while a similar amount is required to upgrade Delhi's hospitals. Ultimately, the new BJP government will have no choice but to ask the centre for financial support, notes Rashme Sehgal.
'Equal treatment for female athletes requires the IBSF and IOC to allocate the same number of sled spots to women bobsledders as men'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances