Fortune India white paper a big step in recognising equal opportunity for women at workplace: Smriti Irani

Smriti Irani, Union Minister for Women & Child Development and Minority Affairs, along with Rajeev Dubey, Editor-in-Chief, Fortune India, presented awards to leading businesswomen at Fortune India Most Powerful Women in Business Awards ceremony at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. The minister also unveiled a white paper on ‘Women Leadership in India Inc.’; a collaborative effort between Fortune, Confederation of Indian Industry & SPJIMR SP Jain Institute of Management & Research.

Speaking on the event, Union Minister Smriti Irani said that Fortune India’s white paper is big step in recognising equal opportunity for women at workplance. The minister also said that corporate India is not stepping up to empower women even though the government has provided a framework. 

“I believe what is alarming is that White Paper reflects on the realities of women and their positions in corporate India vis-a-vis the perspective of how they are positioned in Fortune India 500 companies. There has been for too long a presumption that SMEs or mid-level companies don't know better and that is why women don't have enhanced opportunities with regards to career advancements in such companies,” said Irani. 

“The other presumption is that most Fortune 500 companies know better because they are not only erudite, they have had global experiences and they know that there is a legislative framework so that career advancement is equally distributed irrespective of gender within the company," she added.