Cognizant has taken two initiatives to boost DEI at the workplace.

The first initiative Shakti, is a unified framework of women-centric programs and policies to accelerate careers and boost women’s leadership in technology.

Secondly, it has partnered with NASSCOM to establish and prioritize best practices with a shared goal of making diversity and inclusion (D&I) a key differentiator of India’s tech sector.

The initiatives:

Cognizant hopes to increase impact by redefining current policies and programs and unifying all women-centric initiatives under one roof through Shakti.

1. The newly launched RISE program, aims to develop leadership skills for mid-level women associates in India. Propel, a global program empowers women at senior levels to accelerate their careers through coaching and mentoring. Returnship, a 12-week paid program focuses on upskilling to return to work after a career break. Be Gritty, teaches new campus hires to cultivate a growth mindset, and are all part of Shakti.
2. Cognizant has started an allyship initiative for the entire organization. Male allies significantly contribute to the creation of a more inclusive workplace by being aware of the obstacles women face in the workplace and offering assistance in addressing the biases they encounter. Along with providing inclusive leadership training and fostering a sense of community through committed affinity groups, the company also empowers its employees. With about 50,000 members and allies based in India, the Women Empowered Affinity Group seeks to enhance women’s work experiences while impacting the business.
3. The company announced a year-long campaign that will highlight its long-standing, worldwide commitment to promoting an inclusive workplace for women by showcasing their accomplishments and personal narratives. The motivational tales evidence how successful empowering programs are at helping women realize their full potential, grow both personally and professionally throughout their careers and follow their passions into leadership roles.

Quotes:

Ravi Kumar S, CEO, Cognizant, said, “Shakti will catalyze our efforts to enable more women to advance their careers and reach their full potential. Growth, innovation, and client-centricity require a diverse and inclusive workforce, doubly so as generative AI permeates the workplace. We will see the most essential human skill shift from problem-solving to problem-finding, putting a premium on cognitive diversity.”

Debjani Ghosh, President, NASSCOM, said: “The technology industry in India today has on average 36% of women representation in its workforce. Partnerships are key towards our shared goal as an industry of creating a more empathetic, inclusive, and diverse tech industry.”

She added that NASSCOM emphasizes prioritizing best practices and consistently measuring progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion, fostering innovation, and fostering stronger customer and stakeholder relationships for long-term success.

Women empowerment at Cognizant:

In India, nearly 40% of Cognizant’s associates are women as compared to the IT industry gender diversity average of 36%. More than half of 13 Cognizant centers in the country have crossed over 40% of their women workforce, with two of the largest centers being currently led by women leaders.