Build financial case for women participation at all corporate levels: Smriti Irani

Women and child development minister Smriti Irani has said that the industry needs to take up the cause of enhanced women participation in the higher levels of management and the government cannot police the industry to be gender just. “When the Prime Minister talks about minimum government and maximum governance, one does not want the government police the industry into being gender just. Let us make the financial case for ensuring women at all levels of management,” said Irani complementing Fortune India for coming out with a White Paper -- Enhancing Women Leadership In India Inc.

The White Paper prepared in collaboration with SPJIMR points out that barely 1.6% of Fortune 500 companies in India have women MDs and CEOs. In The Next 500, a ranking of emerging companies, the number is slightly higher at 5% but overall, for the Fortune 1000 India companies, only 3.2% are led by women MD/CEOs, the White Paper reveals.

“There was an assumption that Fortune 500 companies would know better. Now, imagine what is the scale of affairs in companies that are not Fortune 500 companies,” Irani said, during a panel discussion at the launch of the White Paper in New Delhi.