Committed to hiring DEI community and make workplace more inclusive – GCPL

Recently, Godrej Industries Group and the group companies including Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), successfully culminated the celebrations of Pride Month. However, for a company which over the years has taken multiple initiatives to advance LGBTQIA+ and other kinds of inclusion, the celebrations don’t stop here.

In today’s ever-evolving corporate landscape, the pursuit of workplace equity, diversity, and inclusion has become a priority for organizations around the world. The journey from policy to practice in this endeavour is both transformative and challenging, but it’s one that we are committed to wholeheartedly.

For GCPL’s two new upcoming Greenfields plants in Tamil Nadu (Thiruporur Taluk) and Madhya Pradesh (Malanpur), the company’s plan is to employ 50% of women for these facilities along with 5% of employees from LGBTQ and people with disability (PWD) communities.

 

The existing manufacturing unit at Malanpur in Madhya Pradesh already have 20% women representation in workforce. This Malanpur GCPL plant currently reports at-par industry standards for women’s representation, but the aim is to push ahead and raise standards for representation in the workforce, setting targets for gender-balanced hiring as well as hiring of persons with disabilities for the new upcoming greenfield expansions, including the factory at Malanpur.

 

Nisaba Godrej, Executive Chairperson, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) said, “I'm very glad of we have celebrated Pride Month, which is a great affirmation of the diversity of our people, of the communities we belong to, and of India itself. But Pride is also a year-round endeavour for us at Godrej. Our celebrations in June were a culmination of the efforts we've make to advance LGBTQIA+ inclusion and to be constant partners to the community, both within Godrej and in society at large."

At Godrej, in addition to leveraging data and goal setting to advance diversity and inclusion, the company places a significant emphasis on fostering a culture of storytelling that creates emotional connections. This approach helps people recognize that a more inclusive world ultimately enhances our collective quality of life.

Across the group, senior managers have publicly committed to bolstering efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), emphasizing support for historically marginalized communities, including queer individuals, as integral to their business objectives for the financial year.

Parmesh Sahani, Head of Godrej DEI Labs, emphasized the importance of genuine allyship: “At Godrej DEI Labs, we go beyond performative gestures. We measure our success through an inclusion scorecard, employee feedback, and a continuous improvement process driven by data and open dialogue.”

He underscored their focus on creating a safe environment where LGBTQ+ employees can thrive authentically, integrating policy advancements, health benefits, communications, and cultural initiatives to affirm: ‘Whoever you are, you are safe here, and you are welcome.’

Godrej Industries Group promotes ongoing progress through structured initiatives. These include workshops on allyship, gender-affirming care, queer relationship counseling sessions, and updated medical policies tailored to better support queer and transgender employees. Senior management’s dedication to DEI is aligned with the company’s business goals, fostering a culture that embraces diverse perspectives to drive innovation and sustainable growth.