Inclusivity is now more important than ever, especially since individuals spend the majority of their day at work. It is essential to recognize that true progress towards equality extends beyond legal protections. It requires creating environments where all employees can thrive without fear of discrimination or exclusion.
In collaboration with Accenture in India, The Quint recently hosted a virtual panel discussion on #PrideMeansMore: Leading with Pride in Today's Workplaces. Executive Editor Shelly Walia brought together an esteemed panel to discuss ways to create a pride inclusive workplace and ensure greater representation of the LGBTIQ+ community in leadership roles.
The panel featured prominent figures like Zahara Fernandes, India Pride Sponsor at Accenture; Ramkrishna Sinha, co-founder of Pride Circle; Bonita Rajpurohit, the first transwoman to lead a Bollywood film; and Divya Srivastava, Head of Rewards and EDI at Unilever South Asia. Each shared their unique perspectives on the state of pride inclusivity in workplaces.
Zahara Fernandes shared her personal journey of coming out after joining Accenture in India, emphasizing the key changes required to create a supportive environment.
Divya Srivastava spoke about Unilever's efforts to leverage technology and digital platforms to foster pride inclusivity, especially in a remote or hybrid work setting. She went on and talked about ways to create a pride inclusive work space for all.
Ramkrishna Sinha spoke about the importance of creating supportive and pride inclusive environments where employees can bring their authentic selves to work without the fear of discrimination or productivity loss.
Bonita Rajpurohit highlighted the power of representation in media and its impact on societal acceptance. She shared her experience of not finding positive trans characters in media and how this inspired her to create pride inclusive films.
The discussion concluded with reflections on the broader role of organizations in promoting pride inclusivity in society. The panelists agreed that companies must go beyond policies to create a culture of belonging and acceptance.
Join us in celebrating Pride Month by watching this enlightening discussion. Let's work together to create workplaces where everyone can lead with pride.
[This article has been published by The Quint in partnership with Accenture as part of the #PrideMeansMore campaign.]
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)