‘India Inc must help the govt improve workplace diversity’

The government has pushed the private sector to improve workplace diversity voluntarily, as it kicks off spadework to implement the diversity index, a key Sachar Committee recommendation write Zia Haq and Mahua Venkatesh.

The government has pushed the private sector to improve workplace diversity voluntarily, as it kicks off spadework to implement the diversity index, a key Sachar Committee recommendation.

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Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid held discussions with industry representatives belonging to the CII and National Foundation of Corporate Governance on July 4.

“We are expecting them to give us feedback by July-end. Corporate India has to give its response. The government and industry should partner in finding a solution,” Khurshid said.

He said the government had no “pre-meditated plan” on this. The Prime Minister’s Office is also understood to be looking into it. “We are facilitating discussions with the intention of bringing about a consensus,” director in Corporate Affairs ministry Manoj K Arora said.

India is considering creating for the first time a diversity index, a mathematically calculated figure to measure diversity in areas of education, government, housing and private employment to complement the Equal Opportunities Commission.

The Sachar panel probed disadvantages faced by Muslims and recommended incentives to push the private sector on taking diversity initiatives.