Creating inclusive workplaces requires more than meeting gender hiring targets, with companies needing to address structural and operational barriers that affect women’s career growth and leadership opportunities, industry leaders said at the second edition of the DEIB Roundtable hosted by Apraava Energy and Avtar Career Creators Limited in Mumbai.
Themed ‘Energy of Inclusion’, the roundtable brought together representatives from the energy, manufacturing and renewable energy sectors, including JSW Group, RPSG, Sprng Energy, Serentica Renewables, Hindalco Industries, Luminous Power Technologies, Senvion India, Axis Energy and Waaree Group, alongside social impact organisations.
Discussions focused on making site-based roles more accessible through predictable shifts, safe transportation and suitable facilities, while ensuring women have equal access to technical assignments, skill development and leadership opportunities.
Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Managing Director, Apraava Energy Private Limited, said, “Inclusion may not be a line item in the P&L, but it is behind every line in the P&L. It is about whether we create access to the best talent, whether people choose to stay, whether they feel heard and empowered to have a voice, and, above all, whether they feel safe. All of these aspects are very much measurable. We must look at inclusion with the same focus as we apply to plant load factor, operational performance, and safety.”
Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Managing Director, Avtar Career Creators Limited, said, “Women’s representation is an outcome; the real work lies in building workplaces where women can foster meaningful, long-term careers. In the energy sector, which means making sites liveable and workable, and ensuring women have access to opportunities that help them progress. Inclusion has clear business benefits, from innovation to customer satisfaction, but it must also become personal, reflected in the choices we make and the opportunities we create for people to succeed.”
The roundtable also highlighted the importance of industry collaboration and partnerships with social impact organisations to strengthen talent pipelines and create sustainable career pathways for women.
