FICCI recently held a conclave whose main aim was to create an environment where corporates would be encouraged to broaden their workforce. As the Chairperson & Managing Director of The Lalit, Dr Jyotsna Suri has championed that such measures would lead to success only if the corporates looked at inclusivity as a commitment rather than mere tokenism.
FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) is one of the country’s largest and oldest non-profit organization for businesses. It provides a voice to various businesses within our country and gives them an opportunity to convey their opinions and concerns. It also provides them with a platform to network and build their business. As a result of its popularity, many international business communities consult FICCI for their expansion and growth within India.
Recently, FICCI organized its first ever conclave Diversity and Inclusion. Many dignitaries from various sectors had attended the conclave and laid out their valuable suggestions on how to develop a more diverse and inclusive workspace. One of the more prominent faces in the conclave, Dr Jyotsna Suri expressed her happiness and satisfaction. She announced her unwavering support to this initiative by FICCI. Dr Jyotsna Suri is the present Chairperson & Managing Director of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and it is her strong belief that such conclaves and events play a key part in raising awareness amongst India’s private and government sectors. These events and conclaves are an excellent opportunity to nudge these sectors into providing a healthy space for differently-abled and different genders of the country.
Dr Jyotsna Suri noted that such initiatives are at a developing stage at the moment. She urged the citizens to raise awareness about the cause. She believes that integrating people from diverse backgrounds is not only beneficial for them but it can also have a great impact on the success of the business. People from diverse backgrounds have different skills that can be utilized.
Dr Jyostna Suri mentioned that one of the major challenges when it comes to diversity and inclusivity is with regards to breaking stereotypes. The solution to breaking stereotypes according to her is to raise awareness and integrate such people into the system. When people from marginalized sectors of the society are integrated into the workforce, they can lead to a more equitable society.
For her part, Dr Jyotsna Suri’s company The Lalit Group regularly employs people from diverse backgrounds. The company regularly hires women, members of LGBTQ community and people with disability and provides them skill sets to mainstream them. Not only does this empower these groups but it also gives them a platform to make their voice heard. Dr Suri also believes that there are many opportunities at the backend. She said that many businesses require a significant amount of workforce at the backend to ensure optimum success of the business. This means that there is an immense scope of work for the diverse population of India, and with the help of proper guidance and opportunities, they can surely rise to success.
According to Dr Jyostna Suri, companies should look at inclusivity as a commitment and not a tokenism. A diverse workforce is just as beneficial to a business as is to these marginalized sectors. As soon as businesses realize this simple concept, we will see a more inclusive growth.
With respect to the future of such initiatives, Dr Jyostna Suri said that she would be working with many more corporates and urge them to move towards a more inclusive workforce. Her parting words at the conclave left a lasting impression on the attendees. She said “We all need to come together and create an ecosystem that allows every individual to live and work with dignity. Only then will there be true prosperity”.
Conclusion The combined efforts of FICCI and Dr. Jyostna Suri are an excellent first step in bringing a revolution in the Indian workforce. Diversity and inclusion in the workforce are the need of the hour. By encouraging more and more corporates to expand their workforce in an inclusive and wholesome manner, Dr Suri will change the lives of countless individuals. This will enable the people from the marginalized sectors to lead a life of utmost respect and dignity.
