Event report
LGBTQIA: Social Responsibility and Inclusivity at the workplace
IFCCI, Mumbai in association with Godrej Industries organized its 4th edition of LGBTQIA: Social Responsibility and Inclusivity at the workplace.
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The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mumbai in association with Godrej Industries organised its fourth edition of a virtual event on LGBTQIA: Social Responsibility and Inclusivity at the workplace. The fourth edition emerged as an open dialogue to discuss and share experiences of making the workplace and beyond more diverse and inclusive along with actionable changes.
Ms. Shweta Pahuja, Regional Director IFCCI welcomed the participants and expressed an interest to continue fostering diversity and inclusivity and celebrate them as drivers of the society.
Mr. Sami Buakaze, Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of France in Mumbai, commemorated Mr. Robert Badinter, the Former Minister of Justice known for his advocacy to decriminalize homosexuality in 1982. Reflecting on Mr. Badinter's legacy, Mr. Buakaze echoed his sentiment that we have not concluded the lengthy battle, but there is no justification to stop now. He mentioned about the relevance of ancient Roman philosophy, advocating for a society that fosters inclusivity.
The event had 2 panel discussions with a great line up of speakers :
Panel Discussion 1: LGBTQIA: Transformation towards social acceptance
Moderator:
- Kanishka Chaudhry , Co-Founder, Samavesh Chamber of Commerce
Panellists:
- Christina Evers, Assistant Manager, Godrej Capital
- Zainab Patel, Chief I&D, Pernod Ricard India
- Aditya Advani, Principal, Roha Landscape Architects
The emphasis of the discussion centered on personal narratives and the societal transition away from LGBT+ phobia toward social acceptance. It was acknowledged that there remains a considerable journey ahead before reaching full acceptance. The shared experiences enriched the dialogue, captivating the audience and providing valuable perspectives on fostering social acceptance and inclusivity within the community.
Panel Discussion 2: Equal Opportunity and Inclusion of the LGBTQIA community in the Workspace
Moderator:
- Nirooban Rupathevan, HR Lead for Securities Services Operations, COE Lead for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Careers BNP Paribas ISPL
Panellists:
- Harish Iyer, Head DE&I, Axis Bank
- Zoya, Lead for Diversity and Inclusion, Employer Branding, Godrej Properties
- Chandini Kamal,Global Head - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, People & Culture (Engage & Experience, Wellness, R&R), HCL Tech
- Rashmi (Datta) Handa, Country Head, Support Solutions, Co-Lead for GLEAM (Global LGBTQIA+ Employees and Allies at Microsoft), Microsoft India
- Neelam Jain, Founder & CEO, PeriFerry
The panel discussion brought attention to the tangible changes occurring in workplaces and offered insights on personal improvement strategies. It served as a platform for sharing knowledge about companies' practices aimed at cultivating diverse and inclusive work environments. Subsequently, a Q&A session provided an opportunity for panel participants to share their insights in response to audience inquiries.
The session garnered high engagement and received appreciative feedback from many attendees.
