IIM Sambalpur launched its Annual Business Conclave, Marmagya 9.0, which includes a roundtable conference titled "Women Leadership for Business Excellence" at the Delhi Campus, ISID Vasant Kunj. The event aims to add more momentum to the growth of women's leadership in the country, and they are really providing a fillip toward leadership in economies to grow.
Realizing the importance of gender equity at work, the conclave welcomed insights from global business leaders. According to the World Economic Forum 2024, India was successfully reducing its gender gap by having a closure rate of 64.1% among its 1.4 billion population size. Despite women making remarkable strides in education, workforce participation remains only modest and highlights a need for driven collective efforts.
The roundtable discussion covered crucial issues, including causes of the gap, how the gap could be bridged, and best practices from India as well as from elsewhere. The function saw the presence of more than 100 delegates comprising key players from government, the media, academia, and the corporate sector. More than 20 influential women leaders from various sectors shared their viewpoints and experiences.
During his welcome speech, Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director IIM Sambalpur, said that the gap between India and different segments of society reflected the critical need for India to bridge its gender gap, "Bridging this gap here at IIM Sambalpur we believe is not a goal but a National Imperative. We aim to bring to focus meaningful dialogue and action steps in women's leadership across corporate, government, academia and social sectors through targeted research initiatives and strategic roundtables.". We are collaborating with organizations all around the world, including the UN Global Compact, to collate a comprehensive report that policy-makers will take as impetus to better women's participation in and contribution to India's economic growth. It goes beyond the realms of conversation-it is a movement toward an inclusive and prosperous future for India.
According to Ratnesh Jha, Executive Director of the UNGC Network India, "Gender equality is a necessity for sustainable development". Although much ground has been covered, a recent SDG Stocktake Report reveals we'll be on track to achieve only 17% of the set targets in three years. To close this gap, there will be much work to be done, specifically in five sectors: gender equality, climate action, water resilience, SDG finance, and living wages. Corporates have six years in which to make tangible progress, but this will only be possible when the commitment comes with delivering specific targets. Achieving equal pay and guaranteeing fair representation of 50% for both genders in all management levels are critical to fostering a truly inclusive, sustainable future by 2030.
