Industry Roundtable on Advancing Gender-Inclusive Workplaces

The Mumbai roundtable examined what prevents women from entering and remaining in the workforce, and how employers can build stronger DEI practice. It was designed to identify practical priorities for improving India's female labour force participation through private-sector action.

Participants discussed barriers across workplace systems, social norms, and sector realities. Construction and manufacturing examples showed how women are often excluded from certification, promotion, infrastructure, and role models even where their skills and willingness are not in question.

What employers discussed

• Mindset and unconscious bias still shape assumptions about shopfloor, field, and physically demanding entry-level roles.
• Legal, compliance, maternity, POSH, and safety concerns were seen as more difficult for smaller firms to manage.
• Retention barriers included marriage, caregiving, commuting, accommodation, low wages, and limited advancement routes.
• Promising responses included leadership targets, mentorship, CSR-supported accommodation, public-private hostel models, and better demand mapping.

Way forward for businesses

Employers can audit job ads and interview practices for bias, set leadership-owned diversity targets, and invest in mentorship, role models and advancement routes for women in entry-level and operational roles. Companies can also map demand for safe accommodation, transport and childcare, test CSR-supported or shared hostel models, and document productivity and retention returns to sustain management buy-in.

Who was in the room: HR leaders, industry representatives and skilling practitioners.