Through the Women Led Network, Mahindra creates a nurturing space where women can connect, share experiences and provide guidance to one another

To honour International Women’s Day (IWD), Mahindra Group curated a series of events focused on fostering inclusion and empowerment within its workforce. Led by the Women Led Network (WLN), these initiatives transcend mere celebration, embodying a resolute dedication to driving meaningful change and supporting women employees.

Deep-rooted DEI

Mahindra Group’s dedication to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is deeply ingrained in its organisational culture, exemplified by its segmented DEI framework - head, heart and hand. These segments steer targeted initiatives company-wide, ranging from progressive policies like the five-year maternity policy to leadership programmes designed specifically for women. Additionally, Mahindra proactively addresses unconscious bias and fosters allyship across diverse intersections as part of its comprehensive DEI strategy.

Central to Mahindra’s DEI endeavours is the WLN, an Employee Resource Group created within GCO. Serving as a nurturing hub, the WLN facilitates connections among women, enabling them to share experiences and offer mutual guidance and support. Mahindra utilises the WLN to cultivate meaningful pathways centred on development, leadership connections, networking and wellness initiatives.

This IWD, Mahindra Group and the Women Led Network set out to create tangible impact rather than just marking the occasion. The goal was to implement meaningful interventions that would resonate throughout the organisation.

Dynamic initiatives kick-off

The month-long festivities kicked off with a dynamic Speed Mentoring session, where women had the opportunity to connect with experienced mentors (men and women leaders) for guidance and support. This initiative provided invaluable insights and fostered professional growth among participants.

Promote holistic well-being

Prioritizing women’s health and well-being, Mahindra Group offered free comprehensive health screenings to its female workforce. These screenings encompassed vital tests such as mammograms, pap smears and personal nutrition consultations, underlining the organisation’s dedication to promoting women’s health and holistic well-being. 

An inclusive intervention “Mindful Movements and Yoga” for all employees, offering a holistic approach to well-being through physical activity was also offered.

Inspiring inclusion through innovation

In line with the theme for IWD, i.e. inspire ‘Inclusion’, and to further build on our work done around building an inclusive workplace, we made a short video on what our employees understood by inclusion and how our leaders were driving inclusion across the organisation. We further delved into inclusion immersion, via an innovative nukkad natak series for all our employees, leveraging theatre and drama to discuss inclusive behaviours, allyship, addressing unconscious biases (not just gender, but also LGBTQIA, PWD, age, privilege mental health etc). The thought provoking and engaging initiative was received with overwhelming feedback from leaders and employees alike and is one of the many initiatives we have been running to truly sensitize, and continue to build on the awareness, with regular dialogues and sustained efforts. 

In support of the International Women’s Day theme of ‘Inclusion’, the organisation created a short video to understand how employees view inclusion. It also showcased leadership efforts to promote inclusivity throughout the organization.

Panel discussions

The highlight of the celebrations was a series of panel discussions featuring both internal and external leaders. The internal panel, moderated by Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Chief Group Public Affairs Officer, included esteemed Mahindra leaders such as Amarjyoti Barua, Ruzbeh Irani and Kausalya Nandakumar. This was followed by an external panel moderated by Rucha Nanavati, CIO, Mahindra Group, featuring prominent figures and changemakers like Arundhati Bhattacharya, Kamolika Peres and Chandra Iyengar. These discussions emphasised DEI priorities and provided insights into advancing inclusion not just within the organisation, but across industries and impacting communities. 

Fostering connections and creativity

The festivities also included focused group discussions and leader connects via Social Lunch, fostering camaraderie and valuable connections among colleagues. Moreover, the ‘Modern Mosaic’ session offered a creative platform for participants to express themselves and bond over tactile experiences and find the time to be mindful and destress. 

Through these initiatives, Mahindra Group and the Women Led Network reaffirmed their commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued, supported and empowered to thrive. We didn’t just want to celebrate the day; we wanted to create impact through meaningful and high impact initiatives that allowed room for true inclusion and inspire many in the process.