53 percent Indian firms have 10:1 men to women employee ratio: Research

A new research shows 53% Indian firms employ only one woman per 10 men hired. Conducted by Corporate Responsibility Watch (CRW), it revealed some companies have a much more lopsided gender employee ratio. The survey also noted 70 per cent of the top companies have zero or less than one per cent of the employees with disability.

Which companies were surveyed?

The Corporate Responsibility Watch (CRW) is a think tank of India with 14 civil society organisations. It collected and analysed data of 300 out of 500 BSE-listed top companies of India. The study noted that only 39 out of the 300 companies under analysis “proactively” spoke about employing Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Class in the company. Besides, it was "startled" by the strong biases of the top companies against the disabled and the women employees.

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RESEARCH TAKEAWAYS

• 53 per cent of the top Indian companies one female for every ten men employed
• 70 per cent of the top companies have less than one per cent of employees with disability
• Only 39 out of the 300 companies under analysis “proactively” spoke about employing people from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes 

The study surveyed the geographical spread of funds for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It revealed that, “North-east received only Rs 29.9 crores of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds, while Maharashtra is leading in terms of fund receipts with Rs 2,482.75 crore," This is despite the fact that, according to the 2014-15 government data, about 16,785 companies had paid 10,065 crores for the CSR activities. Furthermore, the study also claimed that out of the prescribed amount of 23,247.90 crores that companies should spend on CSR, only 57 per cent was spent.

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The Corporate Responsibility Watch (CRW)

The Corporate Responsibility Watch is an Indian think tank with voluntary network of 14 organisations and independent consultants. It keeps a watch on and analyses the corporate environment of India from a civil society perspective.

India Inc needs to hire more women. For one, women are a great asset to the workforce as they drive revenues just as well as men if not more. It's a business case for hiring women. Two, for India to grow women must be at work too. The women employment rate in India, counting both the formal and informal economy, has tumbled from an already-low 35% in 2005 to just 26% now. So there's also the case for having more women at work. Third, there is a movement now to be more supportive for mothers or women seeking flexi hours. Companies that offered flexi options posted a low 12% maternity attrition on average, meaning that 88% of women resumed full-time work after their maternity break.

This survey should make us sit up and think. Just why should our numbers look so miserable. If there is any time to change this trend, it is now.

Rudrani Kumari is an intern with SheThePeople.TV.

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