CSR Times presents From the Leaders’ Desk: a series that brings together inspiring collection of perspectives and insights from leaders!
Marking International Women’s Day, this edition reflects on the progress we have made so far in shaping the future of inclusion and empowerment. As we celebrate the strength and achievements of women, we also look ahead to the collective actions needed still pertinent to build a more equitable society for women.
“Building a truly inclusive and sustainable society requires recognising that progress does not happen in isolation, it unfolds within interconnected systems shaped by culture, policies, behaviours and access to opportunity. Over the years, I have learned that meaningful inclusion begins with listening deeply and creating environments where diverse perspectives across gender, background, ability, experience, thought and identity, are genuinely valued and influence outcomes. At Nayara Energy, we place strong emphasis on fostering a participative culture. Inclusion, for us, is about ensuring equitable access to opportunities, building capabilities, and enabling individuals to participate confidently in decision-making and value creation. While the progress we are seeing is encouraging, there is still significant work ahead.”
Ms. Richa Dubey
CPO, Nayara Energy
“This year’s International Women’s Day theme, ‘Give to Gain,’ highlights the importance of sharing knowledge, opportunities, and leadership to drive innovation in the digital economy. At Tech Mahindra, we are committed to creating inclusive technology ecosystems by supporting women's advancement across AI, cloud, data, and cybersecurity. Through digital upskilling, mentorship, and leadership development initiatives, we enable more women to take active roles in shaping innovation-led growth. By empowering diverse talent, organizations not only improve representation but also strengthen problem-solving, enhance customer outcomes, and build resilient, future-ready digital enterprises."
Ms. Pallavi Katiyar
Chief Information Officer (CIO), Tech Mahindra
“Women today symbolise strength, resilience, and vision that continue to shape and influence the progress of our country. As we celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme ‘Give to Gain,’ we are reminded that true empowerment is built on the foundation of proper mentorship, shared knowledge, and meaningful opportunities. At Vestige, we are committed to nurturing leaders, fostering entrepreneurship, and enabling economic independence among women. Empowering them with the right platform fosters a powerful cycle of growth that benefits families, communities, and the nation as a whole. Through the power of direct selling, we remain dedicated to helping women take charge of their aspirations and contribute towards building a more inclusive, self-reliant, and prosperous India”.
Mr. Gautam Bali
Founder and Managing Director, Vestige Marketing Pvt. Ltd
"At Embassy Group, women’s empowerment is deeply embedded in our community initiatives, creating opportunities for long-term impact, such as: - EcoGram, an environmental initiative, empowers women across 10 villages to lead environmental sustainability efforts, serving over 5,000 households in North Bengaluru and collecting 4.5 metric tonnes of waste daily. Through their program, Threads of Life, a six-month vocational tailoring initiative, women are supported in building financial literacy and becoming more self-reliant. - Higher education and skill development are also supported through a partnership with Lila Poonawalla Foundation, under which 70 students receive scholarships for Engineering courses in Bangalore & Pune.”
Ms. Shaina Ganapathy
Head - Community Outreach Initiatives, Embassy Group
"Every day, our actions help us achieve our vision of creating a world where all have equal opportunities, where success is based solely on merit, and where women have equal leadership roles. As part of our commitment to creating a greener world, our initiatives have been designed to meet the best environmental standards, as set by the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). However, for women’s empowerment to become a reality, it is important for organizations and society as a whole to take a step forward. Yes, it is time for a collective push towards a world that is inclusive and sustainable. Change will be possible only when it becomes second nature."
Ms. Kirti Madan
Creative Design Director, Mahima Group
"At HCCB, we believe that women’s economic empowerment has a multiplier effect on families and communities. Our Project SHINE reflects the ethos, institutionalising support for women-led SHGs by equipping them with skills, enterprise resources, and financial capabilities for sustainable livelihoods. We have positively impacted 4,774 women across 372 SHGs in Maharashtra, Gujarat, MP, AP, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Goa and Karnataka. Additionally, nearly 40,000 women across India have been trained in financial and digital literacy, improving access to formal banking and digital payments. We continue to scale community-driven models that empower women communities and drive inclusive and long-term economic growth.”
Mr. Himanshu Priyadarshi
Chief Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability Officer, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages
“Through our dedicated efforts at the Hyundai Motor India Foundation, we firmly believe that empowering women drives lasting societal change. Our initiatives go beyond healthcare and skill development, creating avenues for women to build sustainable livelihoods. Guided by Hyundai’s global vision of Progress for Humanity, we are committed to enabling self-reliance and opportunities for a better tomorrow for women and society. Empowering over 8 Lakh women annually, we are proud of the impact achieved so far and aspire to continue uplifting underprivileged women through constant innovation and close collaboration with local communities across India in a meaningful way.”
Mr. Puneet Anand
AVP & Vertical Head - Corporate Affairs, Corporate Communication & Social, Hyundai Motor India Limited
"An inclusive society is built in the workplace first. When women feel genuinely empowered to contribute, lead, and make decisions with confidence, everything else follows. Logistics has traditionally seen lower representation of women, and at Blue Dart, we are committed to changing that through meaningful action. Our ‘Build Your Leadership Voice’ program is one such example. It brings together high-potential women professionals for leadership training, mentoring, and peer learning, helping them step into larger roles with clarity, confidence, and a strong sense of direction. That said, organizations alone cannot drive this change. Real progress on gender equity requires institutions and communities to move forward as well, by breaking down systemic barriers and creating meaningful opportunities for women to lead.”
Ms. Beena Mathen Jacob
CHRO at Blue Dart
"Building a more inclusive and sustainable society requires sustained investment in education, opportunity, and leadership development for women and girls. At HealthEdge India, our CSR initiatives focus on expanding access to education and empowering young women from rural communities through programs such as Kishori Vikas and Yuvati Vikas. By supporting education, life skills, and confidence-building opportunities, we aim to help young girls pursue their aspirations and grow into leaders within their communities. When organizations, institutions, and communities work together to advance gender equity, we create stronger and more resilient societies for the future."
Ms. Ujala Sabharwal
Senior Director, People, HealthEdge, India,
"Organisations flourish when employees connect with a purpose. When they witness real impact, engagement deepens. We recently inducted the second batch of students to our InGenius Scholarship Program. These are students from challenging socioeconomic backgrounds. It’s crucial that institutions, society, and companies unite to empower these deserving students, ensuring they can fully realise their potential, free from societal pressures and expectations. With 4 female students in the first batch and 3 in the second, our focus is to support the hard and soft skills development of the students, leading to the overall personality development. Together, we can shape a brighter future."
Mr. Alex Nazareth
CEO - Innomotics India, Innomotics India Pvt Ltd
"True leadership rarely announces itself through titles; it reveals itself in quiet acts of care and responsibility. At GLS, our connection with Bakrol village is more than a CSR initiative; it is a promise to stand with the community and grow together. It begins with listening to the dreams of young girls and the strength of women who hold families together. When women are given confidence and opportunity to lead, communities move forward, nurturing women’s leadership and gender equality one life, one voice, one story at a time."
Ms. Chandni Kapadia
Executive Director, GLS University
“Building an inclusive and sustainable society begins with empowering young minds, especially girls, with the confidence and skills to shape the future. At Meritus AI Learning Experiences Pvt. Ltd., we believe that access to STEM, AI, and innovation education must be equitable and accessible to all. Through our learning programs and school partnerships, we actively encourage girls to explore technology, robotics, and problem-solving. When institutions, educators, and communities work together to nurture women’s leadership from an early age, we move closer to a future where opportunity, innovation, and progress truly belong to everyone
Mr. Ramana Prasad
Founder & Chairman, Meritus AI
"Having the privilege of being a mother of two while leading an organization professionally and remembering my parents' quiet determination to ensure the best education for their daughters despite every challenge, I realized that the roots of women’s leadership, equality and inclusion begin much earlier – in the faith a family places in a girl’s education. Shiksharpan, the initiative of Genius Foundation, pioneers this belief – to support underprivileged children with scholarships for every educational level – so that every child, especially every girl, can dream of leadership. Because I believe, “Education is the path to dignity, confidence, and equality."
Ms. Rashmi Yadav K
Executive Director, Genius HRTech Limited