June 2016 Woman At Work by Woman At Work Magazine

VOL 2/ ISSUE 6/ JUNE 2016/ ` 50

WOMAN AT WORK www.womanatwork.in

Cover Story

THROUGH A GENDER LENS

NV E S T I N G F O L

U G

SDM/142/JUNE 2106

R R

V T

E H

SPECIAL FEATURE

TRENDSETTERS

IN CONVERSATION

WINNING WAYS

REACHING FOR THE SKY

A LEGACY OF SUCCESS

Meenal Sikchi, Vice President, CARE

Savneet Shergill, Director - Talent Acquisition, Diversity & Inclusion, Dell India

Meghna Ghai Puri, President, Whistling Woods International

KINDERDANCE PUNE IS LOOKING FOR BUSINESS PARTNERS

FROM THE EDITOR

LETTER FROM

THE EDITOR

recently attended the Sankalp Summit, “Innovations for the Next 3 billion” in Mumbai. One of the focused discussions was on the issue of Gender Lens Investing. The presence of a galaxy of social stars from India and outside and the who’s who in the social impact space was very encouraging since it symbolized the gravity of the issue and significance of the discussion. But on the flip side, I was surprised to see how much still needed to be done to really make gender lens a reality at the grassroot level. In the Stanford Social Innovation Review's "The Rise Of Gender Capitalism," VanderBrug and her coauthor Sarah Kaplan reveal that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates a $320 billion difference worldwide between the money women entrepreneurs and business owners are seeking and the funding they actually receive. The picture is bleaker in India. In a survey by Dasra, a strategic philanthropy foundation, of the 328 entities engaged in outreach programs, less than 20% of those surveyed said a gender lens leads to greater program impact. "This highlights the limited understanding of the fundamental link between adopting a gender lens and increasing program impact," points out the 'In/Sight' whitepaper by Dasra.

Poornima Parmeswaran Batish Editor-in-chief

It is not that India has not seen a positive story in this space. The recent success of the IPO of Ujjivan Financial Services Ltd. (India), which was oversubscribed, was a telling comment on how gender lens can work. The $50M inclusive finance company in India, that was dedicated to providing financial services to Indian women in the lowest economic strata, was valued at over $375M, as per Women’s World Banking site which is a pivotal global entity in the space of gender lens financing. But what India lacks may not be just awareness. There are a lot of societal and cultural challenges which prevent the mainstreaming of gender focused efforts. In the Sankalp Summit, it was revealing to hear about a strong connection between property rights and finance challenges that Indian women entrepreneurs face. Research done by Sankalp revealed that property is one of the important collaterals for loans and given the patriarchal perspectives, most women, even from well-to-do families, have no property in their name. Gender Lens is not about a charitable outlook. It is about creating a sustainable impact and inclusive growth for both men and women. As Jackie VanderBrug said, “Gender lens investing is investing for gender equality while seeking a positive financial return.”

P.S We would be delighted to hear your feedback, views, insights and suggestions poornimapbatish@womanatwork.in

CONTENTS

In Conversation 14

A Legacy of Success Woman At Work talks to Meghna Ghai Puri, President of Whistling Woods International, who took her fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream to the next level.

NV E S T I N G F O L

R U

V T

Trendsetters

C E

Reaching for the Sky Meet Savneet Shergill, Director - Talent Acquisition, Diversity & Inclusion, Dell India, a pilot officer of the Indian Air Force who carved a space for herself in the corporate world with equal panache.

18 Cover Story

THROUGH A GENDER LENS Gender inequalities and lack of mainstreaming gender issues are now not just social issues but global economic issues. Unless everything is seen from the eyes of both women and men, their unique needs, realities and perspectives are considered, growth and development cannot be inclusive and real. When half the world is ignored, both as a creator and consumer, progress is just an illusion.

Professions 36

Culinary Arts by Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji

Simply Successful 25

The New Chapter by Megha Johari This monthly series endeavours to showcase and celebrate the accomplishments of competent women leaders from diverse professions. Meet these three women who crafted new ventures with as much vigour and gusto as they did in their previous avatars.

Special Feature 34

WINNING WAYS Meenal Sikchi, Vice President at CARE, Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier credit rating agency, started her career from a traditional male-dominated industry to move to the upper echelons of management in the world of finance and risk management.

Society 40

Making Workplaces Safer Meet Sadhana Khati, a veteran in the space of gender-related challenges and a social activist of women issues, who helps these companies put the law into practice and spread vigilance about such cases of transgression.

CONTENTS

LENS AT WORK Photographs by Harshada Madgulkar-Utgikar

Blogher 38

Are you your “BEST” Resource? by Aparna Sharma

Perspectives at Work 13

NETWORKING - Back to Front by Bharat Daga

Legal Angle 39

E-commerce: The Existing Legal Framework in India

AROUND THE WORLD

STARTUPS AT WORK

by Manoj Wad

Bookshelf

By Invitation

Tech At Work

Wheels At Work

Netsetters

Women in the News

Developing Employees through Effective Feedback by Sayali Shende

Health at Work by Shilpa Bhoskar

Editor In Chief: Poornima Parameswaran Batish Consulting Editor: Suchismita Pai Cover Page & Graphic Design: ThinkingPartners Printed And Published By: Sanjiivv B Batish on behalf of Woman at Work Media Published At: 5, Ganga Plaza, Off NIBM Road, Kondhwa, Pune – 411048 Printed At: Neha Creations, off Sinhagad Road, Pune For your feedback, ideas and suggestions, write to info@womanatwork.in Website: www.womanatwork.in Note to the Reader: All images/photos have been given credit for as 'Courtesy xxx' from where they have been downloaded and checked for being royalty free based on details available publicly. Any omission is unintentional. For any queries or issues, please contact on info@womanatwork.in *All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner without prior permission is prohibited. The views expressed in the articles are of the authors and not necessarily of the magazine. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy of information in the magazine. But neither the editors nor the publisher can take responsibility arising out of errors or omissions in the information provided.

TECH AT WORK

Sony h.ear On Wireless NC Headphones The h.ear On Wireless NC is an excellent pair of headphones, thanks to its immersive sound, excellent noise cancellation and decent battery life. Additionally, it's wellbuilt, comfortable and extremely easy to use. It's the kind of product you could get very used to very quickly. It is a premium range product by Sony.

WhatsApp On Your Desktop WhatsApp launched desktop apps for Windows and Mac. With the launch of desktop app, WhatsApp made its messaging service available across all popular platforms in app form. One can also share documents on this version.

BioLite New Bluetooth Lantern

Source: gadgets.ndtv.com / gizmodo.in

BioLite introduced a new flatpack Bluetooth LED lantern that can be completely customized using a smartphone app. It charges via a microUSB connection which can be tethered to the company's solar charger for topping it off while you're far away from power outlets. And the BaseLantern is also able to share its power using a pair of full-sized USB ports that can keep other gadgets like a smartphone charged while you're out adventuring.

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

WHEELS AT WORK

Mahindra TUV300 T8 and T8 AMT mHAWK100 launched Price : INR 8.87 lacs onwards Noteworthy : Mahindra TUV300 with mHAWK100 engine comes with improved acceleration along with more power and torque. It’s India’s 1st SUV with autoSHIFT Automated Manual Transmission Technology (AMT). Ride comfort gets a boost with better-cushioned 2nd-row seats and ISOFIX Child Seat Mounts for child safety.

Ford

EcoSport Black Edition Price: INR 8.58 lacs onwards Noteworthy: The Black Edition, as the name suggests, gets all-black interiors, black wing mirror caps, black fog lamp bezels, 16-inch alloy wheels with black finish, and black roof rails. The special edition model is available in three trims – Trend Plus, Titanium and Titanium Plus.

TVS

Scooty Pep Plus Price: INR 43,535 onwards Noteworthy: The 90cc automatic scooter is claimed to return a FE of 65 kmpl. The 2016 TVS Scooty Pep Plus scooter which caters to the young female audience has been introduced with additional features.

All information & photos in this section is courtesy RushLane which is a leading source of cars & bikes and news & reviews.

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

@rushlane

BY INVITATION

DEVELOPING EMPLOYEES THROUGH EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK quite literally, where she ‘fit’ in on the performance curve. Understandably, Neha had achieved some objectives and missed some. It was well documented and in black and white and Neha knew it was coming her way. What she didn’t expect was a tirade of negative feedback. Her boss candidly pointed out that Neha was not a team player, was a bit short on patience and not very ‘giving’. She was made aware of her shortcomings and objectives that she failed in achieving. Signatures were exchanged and the appraisal was concluded. But Neha was left confused and felt directionless, not to mention her morale had gone south.

Sayali Shende is a Corporate Trainer and Founder of Crackerjack, a training & development solutions company. She has rich and diverse experience with corporate and academia in USA and India.

eha was celebrating the first year at her job and was very nervous. Understandably so, as the time for performance appraisals was round the corner. She had drawn up all her data, documented her contribution and satisfied all formalities needed for her appraisal to go smoothly. Come appraisal time and Neha faced her team leader with her chin up. Her boss, an industry veteran herself, started off with a litany of what Neha’s role entailed, what milestones she had achieved and how her performance compared with the organization average,

Sadly there are many Nehas out there who are left at bay after the annual appraisal process. Many managers make the cardinal error of giving feedback the wrong way. ‘Feedback’ is defined as “the information employees receive about their performance against the organization’s expectations.” Feedback is central to performance management system and has multiple benefits. All this is possible if it is given in the right way. Feedback if given in the right manner directs behaviour towards the goal, influences future performance goals for high achievement, heightens employees sense of achievement, increases employees ability to detect errors on their own, sets standards of performance and enhances individual learning. But these benefits are not accrued as the manager demoralizes the employee and there is no development plan in place. As a result, the employee is very depressed and more confused than before. There are positive ways in which feedback can be imparted which will clear the clouds for the employee and a specific plan is made which sets her on the right path.

Some positive methods are enumerated below: A)DESC Method: Describe, Express, Specify, Consequences Ÿ Use “I” Statement to describe

only one behaviour that matters the most Ÿ Express what emotion it invokes in you - positive or negative Ÿ Specify one thing that the person should do more or less, stop or start doing Ÿ Share consequences of behaviour change - start with positive B) Sandwich Method: Positive, Negative, Positive Ÿ Slice of Bread 1: Start off

w i t h p o s i t i ve f e e d b a c k (authentic praise of something they did recently) Ÿ The “Meat of the Matter”: Provide your constructive criticism Ÿ The 2nd Slice of Bread: End on a positive note C) BOFF Method (Behaviour, Outcome, Feelings , Future) Ÿ Akin to the DESC method,

this enumerates one problematic behaviour Ÿ The outcome of that behaviour in ter ms of feelings generated in the recipient Ÿ What should be the future line o f a c t i o n t o avo i d t h e problematic behaviour

www.crackerjack.in WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

TRENDSETTERS

Reaching for the Sky

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

TRENDSETTERS

Not many would have imagined a pilot officer of the Indian Air Force carving a space for herself in the corporate world with equal panache. But Savneet was a born leader and her determination and talent were the wind beneath her wings. Woman At Work uncovers the thrilling professional journey of Savneet Shergill, Director - Talent Acquisition, Diversity & Inclusion, Dell India.

he thought of the armed forces enthuses some with pride and some with excitement but for Savneet Shergill, an ex-flight lieutenant, it was a way of life. Born into the family of an army officer, Savneet felt a natural affinity towards the armed forces early on. But choosing to become a pilot officer, one among only 12 such pioneering women was a decision fuelled by courage and determination. Savneet was ingrained with independence and discipline right from her childhood. The youngest of 3 siblings, she never saw the world with a gender bias. Thus, a chance to work with the armed forces was not a choice to shy away from, rather an opportunity to grab for the independent minded and strong willed Savneet. After completing her education in Chandigarh, Savneet applied to the selection process of the first ever batch of women officers. “I was always fascinated by life in the Armed forces – the uniform, discipline and the respect that they commanded. When this opportunity came my way, I just had to take it up”, she recalls after being selected from amongst more than 26,000 candidates. Life at the Air Force Academy campus was awe-inspiring and life-changing for Savneet. From dusk to dawn, the schedule

used to be packed with physical training, classroom sessions, sports, marching, cultural activities and much more. Savneet recalls the initial period as extremely exhausting until she got accustomed to it. The institution never understood how to distinguish between men and women since there were only a handful of lady officers. “As a matter of fact, the standard advice from the instructors was to not expect or accept any concessions because you are a woman”, says Savneet explaining the culture of inclusion and hard work that she has trained under. Some important lessons which she imbibed in her years in the Indian Air Force formed a cornerstone of her success as a professional. She gathered a wide perspective on people, cultures and performance. She learnt that diverse backgrounds are not impediments. As a matter of fact, they are enablers in getting innovative ideas to the workplace. Also, it was key to being able to fit into any culture, be flexible and quick at adapting to a new leader or leadership style. Having been a single woman officer in a male-dominated workforce at the air force base, Savneet had lived these principles of management. While growing in her Air Force career, Savneet honed her people management

skills. As a Station Adjutant in the Air Force for two tenures, she dealt with a large populace of officers, airmen and civilians working with the Indian Air Force. It taught her the importance of seamless communication, and how any miscommunication can dilute the message with disastrous results. She was the youngest officer to have gone back to the Academy to train cadets - a testimony of her shaping into an impactful communicator and an effective people’s person. After seven years of experience in the Armed Forces, Savneet launched herself into the corporate world with Wipro in their infrastructure function. Contrary to popular belief that people with a defence background are the best fit only for infrastructure and allied functions, Savneet did not just perform well as expected in the role, she transitioned her way into the Human Resources function. Savneet started with heading the New Delhi site for Wipro BPO and expanded her role to become the recruitment leader for Kolkata and Chennai. She moved to the role of a General Manager before she quit. After a successful stint at Wipro, Savneet wanted to add another dimension to her profile. With that in mind, and on a lookout WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

TRENDSETTERS

for greater challenges, Savneet joined Dell. Within a short period of joining them, she transitioned into the role of Director Talent Acquisition for Dell India, where they hire for Sales, IT, R&D, software, manufacturing, Apps & Cloud services and BPO verticals. Savneet now leads a team of ninety professionals across the country, and her team is responsible for hiring entry level youngsters from universities to the top executive positions across all Dell businesses in India. As a trendsetter in her role, she has led her team to metamorphose the entire hiring process. “ We h a v e b r o u g h t d o w n a g e n c y dependency to a single digit and have shifted focus to direct sourcing model”, says Savneet who is meeting the best industry standards in terms of Dell’s activities on social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Her team is responsible for one-third of Dell’s global

initiative for men who are committed to achieving inclusion in the workplace, focusing on helping identify where unconscious bias exists and hence removing barriers. MARC is supported directly by the leadership team of Dell, including Michael Dell himself. Alongside this, there are many other workplace engagements providing impetus to their commitment towards making Dell a holistically diverse and inclusive workplace. While making her transition into the corporate environment, Savneet shed some old ideologies and developed some new perspectives as a process of evolution. Coming from a culture of hierarchy and discipline in the armed forces, Savneet felt a huge difference in the way people perceive and perform in private sector organizations, “People would take orders from a senior and seldom question in the Air Force. In the corporate world, there is

You succeed as a team only if the entire team has accomplished the task. In the corporate setup, we sometimes fail to invest time and resources to bring people up to speed or we fail to see the diverse perspective that a person can bring to the table.

hiring. She plays a pivotal role in partnering with the business and supporting them by bringing best-in-class practices and establishing a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence. In keeping with her vision of using diversity as a melting pot of fresh ideas, and aligning her professional objective of embracing bigger opportunities, Savneet has got an additional charge to lead Dell’s Diversity and Inclusion charter for India. As the Director of D&I, she works closely with teams on increasing diversity, budgeting, monitoring and implementation of initiatives. She also partners with employee resource groups like Planet, True Ability, Gen Next and Conexus to further this commitment. One such key program is MARC-Men Advocating Real Change - a catalyst 12

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

no such system and people follow you only if you have an idea that is better than theirs.” Savneet brings to the table, her deep rooted understanding of diversity, innovative ways of engaging with human capital and people management lessons from her Indian Air Force experience. She believes one important tenet that the corporates can imbibe from the armed forces work culture is their spirit of camaraderie and teamwork. “You play as a team keeping the strengths and opportunity areas of the team in mind. You succeed as a team only if the entire team has accomplished the task. In the corporate setup, we sometimes fail to invest time and resources to bring people up to speed or we fail to see the diverse perspective that a person can bring to the table.”

Savneet sees a change in the way millennials remain engaged and excited. She professes a change in strategy to remain attrition proof in a world where s t a r t u p s a r e d i s r u p t i n g t o p d ow n organizational structures. She believes that the new generation is looking for companies who are willing to invest in their training and skill development along with a handsome remuneration. In order to ensure retention of young talent, companies must aim at enabling work-life balance as a paramount aspect to gaining employee loyalty. This includes encouraging them to pursue their passions and interest outside of work – like travelling, adventure sports, working for social causes, and other hobbies. Companies must allow for flexi work timings to allow employees to be able to handle their familial and parental responsibilities without getting into the guilt trap. Savneet gets the ability to make strides in every role from her inspirational mother. Savneet’s mother, who raised three kids, worked as a teacher and led a life as the wife of an army officer, is her champion of perfection, support and motivation. An ear for music and a voice worth an audience, Savneet loves to sing and spend time with her two mini heroes, her two sons. Her love for travel is well complemented by her pilot husband. A believer in giving her fullest to each role she takes up, Savneet is an optimist at heart. Savneet believes an ideal work culture is one which strives towards honesty, “an ideal workplace is one where people are open, honest and transparent in everything they do and are not afraid to share when they fail at something.” Her passion and determination have been her companions on this journey of success.

PERSPECTIVES AT WORK

Networking Back to Front network verb gerund or present participle: networking 1. connect as or operate with a network. “compared with the railways the canals were less effectively networked”

Bharat Daga is Executive Director, BNI Pune East Region. He has been a Business Financial Consultant and a Corporate Trainer for the past 15 years. He is a leading coach and trainer in the space of Business Networking.

once posed a question to my friends, family colleagues and anyone who I could ask - What did they understand by the word “networking.” Socialising, time-pass, business meetings, family g a t h e r i n g s, w e d d i n g s, g o i n g f o r organisation meetings, going to the club are some of the responses I got. So I would like to start from the basics. The very word “Networking” means different things to different people. Networking, has to do with meeting people and talking to them and having interactions with even a stranger which is probably one of the key reasons why it is intimidating for the best of us. In the disengaged world, we are living in today, it

2. interact with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts.“the skills of networking, bargaining, and negotiation”

is becoming even more essential as people who can connect with others will always be one step ahead of the others. But what about our fears? The good news is that many people share these fears and most people have the same anxiety as you and I have about networking. The even better news is that networking is easy to learn if you coach yourself right. Let’s start with the basics. To begin with, let us see what it is and is not about.

Networking Is • The easiest thing about networking is that it has to do with listening first and then talking • It’s about building relationships and support networks

• It is a two-way process; It is a way to learn about each other

It Is Not 1. Just Socialising 2. About meeting people without a purpose or a goal 3. About “ME”, it is about “WE” 4. About talking but more about listening Learning to network is easily possible but perfecting it takes a lifetime.We will explore each of these in our series over the months. Let me end with the words of Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, “The richest people in the world look for and build networks, everyone else looks for work.”

• Making yourself visible to “key audiences and target markets” • It’s making new relationships to uncover new opportunities • It is to connect with people, knowledge, ideas and resources

bharatdaga@bni-india.in

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

SUCCESS

COVER STORY

I NV E S T I N G F O L

R U

V T

E H

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A world where women make up less than 20% of the global decisionmakers is a world that is missing a huge opportunity for growth and ignoring an untapped reservoir of potential.â&#x20AC;? Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

COVER STORY

THROUGH A GENDER LENS Investing for Real Impact Gender inequalities and lack of mainstreaming gender issues are now not just social issues but global economic issues. Unless everything is seen through the eyes of both women and men, their unique needs, realities and perspectives are considered, growth and development cannot be inclusive and real. When half the world is ignored, both as a creator and consumer, progress is just an illusion.

Women control about $20 trillion in global consumer spending and earn about $18 trillion, extending their circle of economic influence. By 2028, women will be responsible for about two-thirds of consumer spending worldwide. The female economy is said to represent a growth market more than twice as large as the opportunity of China and India combined. Studies

have indicated that increasing women's economic opportunities and entrepreneurship can contribute to per capita income growth, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. As Melinda Gates, CoChair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you invest in a girl or a woman, you are investing in everybody else.â&#x20AC;? WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

COVER STORY

Yet the female creator and consumer is widely underestimated and underserved. We are far away from a gender equal world. Studies and research have shown that women still need to make their voice heard in almost all spheres. Very few countries, like the Nordic, have made significant strides in this space. The good news is that globally, organizations and governments have recognized that this opportunity is of prime economic and social importance and, therefore, cannot be ignored. But the bad news is that while much had been said, there has been little progress on the ground. It is key that women and men form an integ ral part of prog ress else the development would not be inclusive.

Gender mainstreaming or mainstreaming a gender perspective is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels. According to the United Nations, it is a strategy for making women's as well as men's concerns and 20

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality. There is a growing need felt to view all policies, actions and impact through a gender lens. The concept of gender lens is akin to wearing glasses that impact the way we see things. From one lens you see the needs, perspectives and realities of women and from the other, you see the same for men. Gender lens is not about favouring females over males or taking care of only their needs. It is about balancing the needs of both genders so that we create an impact

that is positive and progressive for both. A gender lens can be applied to anything, whether it is training, public policy, legislation, economic and social policies or finance. One space that is gaining a lot of focus is investment made with a gender lens. USAID defines gender lens investing

as the intentional integration of a gender analysis into financial analysis to make better investment decisions. Gender analysis is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;systematic analytical process used to identify, understand, and describe gender differences and the relevance of gender roles and power dynamics in a specific context.â&#x20AC;? Over the last several decades, many institutions and organizations have increased their attention to gendered aspects of investing and business models. Microfinance banks prioritize female borrowers, impact investors look at the gendered impact of the companies in which they invest, and public investments often have requirements tied to governmentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; priorities around women and girls.

The Criterion Institute, a leading organisation in this field, based in the US, identifies three primary objectives that gender lens investments could aim to achieve. The first objective would be investments that increase access to capital for women entrepreneurs and businesses that have women in leadership positions.

COVER STORY

Having identified that much of the research into gender lens investing had been primarily focussed on activity in the US and Europe, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) commissioned a report to assess the landscape in Asia. The Gender Lens Investing in Asia report, was led by Patty Alleman, senior gender advisor for USAID, and Joy Anderson, president of the Criterion Institute.

The report recommended a strong need to focus on identified opportunities. 1. Encourage and track development of gender lens investing products and vehicles. There are many opportunities for fund managers and investors to move from an implicit approach to an explicit approach by incorporating gender into their financial analyses. By naming this explicit intent as “gender lens investing” and shifting practices to incorporate a g ender lens, a highlighted set of demonstration (pilot) funds will signal to businesses how investors can play a critical role in gender lens investing. In addition, it will signal to other investors that it is possible to invest in Asia with a gender lens. Investment opportunities across asset classes may make it possible for investors to deploy their full portfolio with a gender lens. The USAID-sponsored model investment portfolio activity will support demonstration funds, while other organizations step in to highlight options in their region, industry, or sector. 2. Develop increasingly sophisticated strategies for using finance as a tool for gender equitable social change. Although the most accessible opportunities are with existing financial intermediaries that can incorporate a gender analysis, it is important to illustrate how finance can be a tool for change around key social issues facing women and girls. Finance is a system of power that can be changed, and there are many means to change it. Organizations that are already committed to gender-equitable social change will

assume leadership in advancing these strategies, but they require time and resources to develop strategies in line with their long-term commitments. 3. Build capacity of gender experts and women’s org anizations in finance. Reaching out to gender experts and women’s organizations to increase their understanding of how finance can be a tool to achieve their goals is the first step. It is critical to build the capacity of women’s rights groups to develop strategies for engaging financial experts and using finance as a tool for social change. “Asia hosts an incredible set of opportunities to frame, lead and demonstrate success in gender lens investing. There is a real opportunity for gender lens investing to be part of the mainstream conversation, expanding and deepening the current early stage-focused work and a community of collaborative players who demonstrate that it can have increased impact and return”, says Shalaka Joshi, member, Toniic 17. Leaders in the field will need to continually invite and create a safe space for organizations to bring their knowledge and voice to the conversation about investments. 4. Invest in translators. Translators can accelerate the gender lens investment field because they are able to understand both worlds of gender and finance (or can facilitate connections between the two). It is important to invest in existing leaders, giving them the capacity to work in the field, and to expand the pool of translators, who are critical to the movement. Several dozen translators emerged from the

assessment, taking an active role in moving forward the work in the field. However, more translators are needed to infiltrate and mainstream gender lens investing in the Asia region. 5. Build the technical capacity of fund managers and investors to analyze gender. Investors, fund managers, analysts, and others involved in the investing process need to develop methodologies and analytical skills to build internal capacity to understand gender patterns in their setting. Criterion Institute and other partners are building a toolkit to assist with this capacity building. Other organizations, fund managers, and investors can explore ways to analyze gender patterns by investing in a small pilot activity or hiring a gender expert to look into their portfolio. Because there are no proven methods for analyzing gender in portfolios, we need partners who are willing to experiment and invest in testing theories. 6 . L e ve r a g e p a r t n e r s h i p s a m o n g development donor agencies. There a r e a nu m b e r o f d o n o r a g e n c i e s with aligned gender strategies, including the Canadian International Development A g e n c y, U. K . D e p a r t m e n t f o r International Development, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, GIZ, Japan International Cooperation Agency, U S A I D, S w e d i s h I n t e r n a t i o n a l Development and Cooperation Agency. It is critical to use a harmonized model, bridging knowledge and skills among gender specialists, finance experts, and social innovators.

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

COVER STORY

The second focus would be investments that promote gender equity in the workplace by investing in private sector companies with leading gender policies that also extend across their supply chains. Also, there is a need to focus on investments that increase the number of products and services that benefit women and girls by directing capital to socially responsible businesses that develop and offer these products and services. One of the major challenges preventing gender lens investing, as identified in the USAID report on Gender Lens Investing in Asia, is the lack of strong and specific data across gender and finance. As per the report, finance is a system that assigns value to things based on an analysis of risk and return. This can reduce the complexity of the world to a series of calculations that mask more complex realities. In general, when gender analysis has been incorporated into financial calculation, this has typically meant “counting women” measuring, for example, the number of women on boards of publicly traded companies, the purchasing power of women in an economy, or the number of wo m e n - l e d b u s i n e s s e s r e c e i v i n g investments. Such statistics on women are relevant for financial evaluation because they correlate with financial performance in investments. For instance, gender diversity on boards has been proven to correlate with the profitability of a company. Data points on the emerging global dominance of women as consumers, whether as decision-makers or influencers, and the impact of women-led businesses on the economy have proven implications for financial returns across many types of investments. Yet, in most financial decision-making, these data points are either not used or not used consistently enough. More of these gendered data points are also needed for more robust a n a l y s i s a n d d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g. Furthermore, these kinds of correlations fail to account for the full range of potential social and economic impact in which gender plays a role. For example, although the repayment rate of female entrepreneurs matters to the banker, the broader social and cultural impact of women’s entrepreneurship on families and communities matters as part of a broader 22

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

analysis of inclusive economic growth. Conversations throughout the assessment reinforced the need for data points that not only incorporate data from investors on financial performance, but also draw on a nuanced understanding of how gender equality works in communities from women’s rights experts, feminist economists, grassroots organizers, and others who work with women and girls in the region. The potential for bridging data gaps becomes clearer as the focus is narrowed to specific sectors, geographies, and industries. For example, this assessment confirmed that it is easier to identify meaningful data about women’s roles as consumers and influencers of purchasing decisions when considering investments in water, sanitation, and hygiene products and ser vices in Cambodia than it is to talk about gender and health in the abstract. Narrowing the focus also enables deeper analysis of cultural norms and practices, previous patterns of exclusion, and how building more inclusive market systems can create greater value for consumers as well as investors. The deeper and more specific the context (for example, supply chain management in the textile industry or rural health care delivery), the more tangible and productive outcomes there are for gender specialists and individuals working in finance. Kofi Owusu-Boakye, the private capital advisor for East Asia, and the ASEAN economic affairs officer at USAID says the Agency is “at the point where we need to find new ways to address the continued disparity between women’s economic participation and the lack of investment there as you move up the chain to small and medium enterprises.” Another challenge preventing the advancement of gender lens investing are prevailing prejudices. Owusu-Boakye recalls a meeting with a doctoral student researching this subject, who told his team a story about an investor who would not fund a certain “enterprise led by a woman” because “that enterprise was not fundable without a man on its team”. He asks, “I wonder how many more such decisions are being made? We need to provide more evidence to show these disparities exist.” Owusu-Boakye’s colleague at USAID, Laura Parrott explains

her team often heard that "there aren’t any women to invest in" or "we’re having trouble finding women". She continues, “We know to a certain extent that’s just not true. It’s about changing the underlying value placed on women. This is a cultural issue and of course, every country has its own cultural context.” Recently, Sankalp Forum, which is a social impact arm of Intellecap, hosted a summit in Mumbai with Gender Lens Investing as one of the key impact areas for discussion. Aparajita Agrawal, Director of Sankalp Forum, led the discussion with insights into the current state of affairs in India. Sankalp is working on a pilot called Creditree, the aim of which is to provide a one-stop platform to understand all legal and statutory and financial frameworks required for small entrepreneurs and also support women in building a bank-friendly case for loans and finance. With an initial positive response, Aparajita and her team are confident that this will help women businesses get inducted into the formal ecosystem. “In the future, we see ourselves diving deeper into analysis, measurements, and metrics, bringing more women investors to the fore and catalysing more capital towards women-impact businesses in Asia and Africa,” says Aparajita who is certain that the momentum in India and Asia is set to increase. Gender lens investing is ultimately about integrating a gender analysis into financial analysis, which evidence has shown, helps make better investment decisions. For example, "in the United States, the average venture-backed company run by a woman had annual revenues 12% higher than those run by men using one third less committed capital," according to research by Illuminate Ventures. And "Fortune 500 companies with the highest percentages of women board directors outperformed those with the least by 53% return on investment", according to Catalyst. Senior vice president at U.S. Trust Jackie VanderBrug says, “This is a lens and not a limitation.” The lens “helps you see opportunity and mitigate risk” she continues. Looking ahead, Owusu-Boakye predicts, “The market is sitting on a huge opportunity in this space. The first movers will gain the advantage.”

COVER STORY

Woman At Work speaks to Roshika Singh, Indian Women Impact Alliance (IWIA) Steering Committee member and IFC Consultant and a leading global expert in the field of Gender Lens Investing.

Q Gender Lens Investing is becoming an integral par t of investor conversations. What are the top challenges that gender lens investing is trying to address? A Gender Lens Investing (GLI) is

attempting to increase the access, availability and amount of capital for women entrepreneurs, women impact businesses and companies that promote gender equity in the workplace and their supply chains. The top challenge that GLI can address is to direct capital towards significantly underserved and underleveraged segments, that can result in real economic and social gains. GLI can unlock capital to increase products and services that benefit women and girls directly. More importantly, increasing evidence from global studies suggests that GDP growth of both developing and developed countries can benefit from the inclusion of women in economic activity. There are additional potential returns that can be gained when undertaking GLI, that may have otherwise been missed. To quote Jim Yong Kim, the President of the World Bank group, â&#x20AC;&#x153;At a time when the world is looking for additional sources of growth, there is an untapped market out there that everyone should invest in more - Women.â&#x20AC;? Q Given that we have not fared too well w h e n i t c o m e s t o a c o n d u c ive ecosystem for women entrepreneurs, how could gender lens investing improve the scenario in India?

A An IFC study found that while women in India make up 40% of the population, they account for only 5.2% of entrepreneurs in India. At the micro, small and medium enterprise level, there are 3 million women-owned MSMEs, employing over 8 million people, but these account for just over 10% of MSMEs in India. Approximately 90% of women-owned businesses in India are not yet registered and only 14% of womenowned MSMEs access financial services from formal financial institutions, as compared with men-owned enterprises at 28%. There is a great deal to be done in this area and GLI can play a critical role.

Women-owned businesses are heavily undercapitalized and approximately 74% of the total finance demand among women-owned businesses in India remains unmet. GLI can bring a differentiated pipeline and increased returns to investors from an untapped segment. Applying gender analysis can help investors build a new and different pipeline of potential investees that they may not have considered and are being overlooked by other financial providers, in an increasingly competitive investor market. We are seeing interesting developments in India in the ecommerce space, with large e-commerce companies actively looking to onboard and engage women entrepreneurs in their supply chain. When looking for investment, a gender lens from the investor community may alter the way they are

viewed, potentially accelerating their access to capital. Q Can you tell us a little about The Alliance? A Spearheaded by USAID, GIZ, DFID and IFC have joined forces to create the Indian Women Impact Alliance (IWIA), a coalition of organizations operating in India to address top three challenges in this space. First is to accelerate and unlock capital flow to women impact businesses through Gender Lens Investing approaches. Second is to build capacities of women impact businesses and the third is to support data-driven advocacy efforts to accelerate Gender Lens Investing. Q Are there any metrics or measures of positive impact to strengthen the case for gender lens investing? A We have seen changes in capital markets

recently, with investors actively looking to foster positive social and environmental impact, while achieving financial gains simultaneously. In the United States, approximately $6.6 trillion (18%) of the $36.8 trillion in total US assets under management are using Sustainable, Responsible and Impact (SRI) investment strategies.

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

AROUND THE WORLD

BREWING IT UP Ana Teskera and Maja Šepetavec from Zadar, Croatia (EU) started a crowd funding campaign to fund the first womenrun cooperative craft brewery in Croatia. The brewery will produce craft beers that are unfiltered, unpasteurized and without preservatives. “We adore beer and we just wanted to brew. It is a pleasure to make good beer that is affordable and makes Zadar more interesting”, say the passionate duo. But it was not an easy start. “Unfortunately, women are not considered part of the brewing community here and high-quality beers are not easily available in this region. That is why we decided to form a 24

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

cooperative to gather like-minded people together interested in making Brlog a success. Each and every one of our eleven members contributes to the process with their individual skills and knowledge but the two of us will produce and distribute beer. This project was our way to start something with real impact in our society, but we had very little resources to work with. With only the skills to make beer and a small garage space, we were able to find 11 people willing to support us and pushing for our success.” For the 13 members of the cooperative to take a step ahead and buy bigger scale brew-house and start an independent

brewery, they needed a little extra help from outside their local community. Brlog's first goal was to collect $8000 for start-up costs, which it reached in just four days. Brlog is continuing its campaign to reach the "stretch goal of $13000". Cooperatives are one of the best ways to start change. A woman-owned cooperative where women stand behind the product- What more could one ask for?

igg.me/at/brlog

SIMPLY SUCCESSFUL

The New Chapter

This monthly series endeavours to showcase and celebrate the accomplishments of competent women leaders from diverse professions. Meet these three women who crafted new ventures with as much vigour and gusto as they did in their previous avatars. By Megha Johari

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

SIMPLY SUCCESSFUL

If art is to be preserved, then artisans need to be nurtured. This is what inspired art lover Seema Pisharody, a thoroughbred media professional, to set up the Kitschdii, a den in Bengaluru for quirky, attractive and creative artefacts. Born and brought up in Pune, Seema pranced her way through all forms of media and communications - television, radio and print before making a foray into the business of art. With a career spanning two decades, she has an extensive experience in all aspects of media and communications, ranging from business development, from marketing to and strategy and more.

Seema Pisharody Media professional. Art entrepreneur

Seema started her career in an era when electronic media, namely television was at a nascent stage. Seema’s first employer was Times TV where she started with handling the sales side of media, “When I joined Times TV, we were the pioneers in selling India Tri-Cricket Series, way back in 1993.” After an exciting stint with Times TV, Seema decided to move on to handling a larger portfolio at Turner Entertainment. As a part of the Cartoon Network and Pogo brands of Turner Entertainment, Seema has seen her effective marketing and sales strategy reap a prolific increase in profits in her territory. These were some of the shaping years of Seema’s professional excellence and entrepreneurial traits. As a sales and marketing professional, Seema extensively travelled across India and the world. The genesis of Kitschdii lays in these trips, where she always mingled with the art and the artisans. She had a natural affinity towards innovative artefacts, unusual art forms and designs. “I used to travel a lot when I was in the corporate sector and loved hanging out in funky art stores and quirky hole-in-thewall artefact stores all across the country. I also used to attend a lot of art exhibitions and events. My love for art and handmade products only grew.” As she climbed up the corporate ladder and shifted industries, her love for art remained. It was after a long and fulfilling career with electronic media that Seema decided to experiment with radio for a

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

SIMPLY SUCCESSFUL

short while. Then she moved to print media with The Hindustan Times, heading the launch of their Mint supplement in southern India. All this while she kept travelling and unravelling art and artefacts. Dispelling the myths around a demanding life, Seema believes if you love your work it does not seem like a job, “My work life was great fun. I was always charged to go to work. It did have its pressures of targets, meeting client expectations, closures and more. However, none of that became a challenge since I loved my job,” says Seema. A person who naturally gravitated towards colours, textures, canvas and innovation, Seema has always been a part of flea markets, NGOs and communities which dealt in any form of art and craft. As she moved back to television with Network 18, Seema kept nurturing her passion and increased her understanding of how artists and their crafts function. While successfully heading the south zone for Network 18, Seema kept her entrepreneurial fire ignited by always being in the centre of everything which was bright and beautiful - through trade fairs, expos, flea markets, workshops and through her own research. And one fine day she decided to step out of the corporate world and follow her passion. Hence was born Kitschdii, Seema Pisharody’s quirky, contemporary artefact startup, aimed at making affordable artistic products for everyone. Through her venture she also hopes to provide a platform to promote and uplift artisans from all over the country. Seema has the eye of a veteran and the choice of a patron. At Kitschdii, craftsmanship is interpreted in interesting and contemporary designs to bring a touch of Indian-ness into home decor, home accessories and fashion accessories. The product ranges from items such as bags, coffee mugs with crazy messages on them, key chains, home-decor items, luggage sets, shot glasses, junk jewellery, clothes, aprons, bandhini dupattas and much more. Explaining the business model, “The concept is mainly to provide a platform for

artisans to showcase and sell their work. A lot of research goes behind spotting the right kind of people. Since I attend a lot of events and exhibitions, I meet many artisans there. I also have different sources through which I get leads to different artisans from places like Mumbai and Muradabad. My communication process with them is through phone and email.” Seema has also tied up with a variety of brands and designers from all over the country like ‘Happily Unmarried’, NGOs like ‘Akanksha’ and companies like ‘ColourGrab’ that specialise in making hand-made products, posters, home-decor items and accessories. Her products are also available on e-commerce platforms

The young start-up Kitschdii has a small team and a liberal leadership. Seema does not believe in micro managing her team or getting into their jobs, “We create monthly milestones. I try not make a job out of this fun venture, instead make a passion out of what they are curating. This makes my team have a sense of ownership and commitment.” Coming from a customer-centric industry, Seema has carried forward her learnings about the value of a satisfied customer into her own venture. “Customer is the king has been drilled into my head right from the beginning of my career. This continues in my current venture. My customer ranges from my artists, vendors who supply

Customer is the king has been drilled into my head right from the beginning of my career. This continues in my current venture. like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and through shop-in-shop model with departmental store chains like HomeStop, Home Town etc. Seema says the life of an entrepreneur is strikingly different from that of an employee, “The first thing I learnt about being self employed is the value of saving. As an entrepreneur, I know every penny counts,” says Seema who is bootstrapped. While the start-up landscape is hoarded by incubators, venture capitalists, seed funds, it is not easy to get access to these funds, “The biggest challenge has been capital. While there are loans and funding available especially for women, none support you till you don’t reach a certain revenue figure. But till you don’t have capital, you can’t scale up and reach that desired revenue. This is like a chicken and egg story.” The new venture has had its other challenges like finding authentic artists, fixing the right price and leveraging the correct target audience .

products and the end customer who purchases it. All are treated equally in this line of business since we are interdependent on each other”, says Seema who has modelled her venture on the values of customer centricity, patience and politeness. Crediting her husband for his support, Seema feels her success is sum of her own hard work, passion and her family’s unconditional support. She prides in her mature 13-year-old daughter who understands that her mother has professional commitments and yet is just a glance away. An incurable seeker of new forms of art and artefacts, Seema loves to spend time with her family, friends or catch a movie when she is not surfing the net to explore what’s new in the market. An experienced professional and a budding entrepreneur, Seema feels that life of an entrepreneur is a new adventure each day, waiting to be crafted. WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

SIMPLY SUCCESSFUL

The day Anjusha decided to end her marriage she knew that the path she has treaded on was meant to change her destiny - from despair to empowerment. She resolved to rebuild herself from the ruins of a broken marriage, domestic violence and mental harassment. It is that suffering which she endured that makes self defence, woman empowerment, personal counselling, corporate training, theatre, music, and writing come naturally to her. The new Anjusha Chaugule, reborn as an aftermath of troubled times, is a woman full of vision and purpose.

Anjusha Chaugule Social activist. Actor. Writer

Anjusha is a qualified Civil Engineer and an MBA in Operations Management. After a few years of corporate career, she decided to step back to give time to her son and family. But she lost her first husband in a car accident. Left with a 20-day old son, Anjusha was learning to deal with her loss. Soon after this, her family arranged her marriage with a qualified doctor. But the second marriage only bought her more trauma, domestic assaults, mental and physical harassment. While she was going through this, she had another son. After suffering for 8 years in a defunct relationship, she decided that it was time to put an end to her plight. “My identity, safety and security were at stake. I needed to protect myself and my two sons from the relentless violence.” To begin with, she initiated a court case demanding justice against marital tyranny. She fought her own case in the court. “I represented myself in court. The case moved from court to court and I fought and won every proceeding. I won all the way up to the Supreme Court.” The brave lady not only won herself freedom from her tyrant husband, but also managed to retain her house. Thus, a new Anjusha, free from a disastrous marriage, empowered and confident resurrected herself. Her inspirational battle inspired many women to come as observers in the courtroom. It was during these hearings, watching her defend herself with strong arguments, evidences and pleadings that many women who were themselves victims of similar circumstances started

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

SIMPLY SUCCESSFUL

approaching her for help. “When these women heard me talk in the court, they started contacting me to fight their cases as well.” In her empathetic mind, this was what laid down the seeds of social activism and support for women. This made her realise how many were suffering due to ignorance or lack of confidence. “I realised that many women did not know what self defence was. They needed support and empowerment. And I could share my experience and help them put an end to their sufferings”, explains Anjusha as this was the turning point in her life. Having been a victim in the past, Anjusha became a champion for woman emancipation especially self defence and against sexual harassment. “I chose to become the voice of lakhs of oppressed women across all ages and classes”, says Anjusha. She got drawn deeper into the cause and started a systematic journey towards helping women stand for themselves. With a goal to change women from grieving victims to fierce fighters, she designed an indigenous self defence program and took up the challenge of teaching women to

social activist, Anjusha features regularly in debates and discussion panels on various news channels and newspapers like the DNA, The Times of India and The Indian Express. As a corporate and personal counsellor, Anjusha counsels women employees with a unique self defence and women empowerment program, leading to better personal safety, growth and development at work and home. As an empanelled counsellor on ‘sexual harassment at work place’ at Norbar India, she is extending her work towards liberating women from physical and verbal abuse. As a testimonial to her passion and effectiveness, the senior management at Norbar India considers her an asset for women employees. “During trainings, Anjusha creates real life situations to explain how to defend oneself. Her unique style of communication and passion for the cause is visible in her sessions”, elaborates a senior executive from Norbar India. She is also a member of the executive c o m m i t t e e o f w o m e n ’s w i n g a t

I needed a hero, so I became one.

protect them by adopting her program. With the vengeance of a scathed victim and empathy of a sufferer, she became an effective self defence coach. The self defence module, ‘Nibhaya Safety Drive’, solely designed and demonstrated by her has been carried out by the Maharashtra Police. Through her workshops and sessions, she has empowered more than 50,000 girls and women in schools, colleges, universities, remand houses, corporates and NGOs. T he Inter national Rotar y Club in association with Government Railway Police (GRP) has conducted self defence program for women commuters along with the Nirbhaya Squad of policewomen who tackle molestation cases on the suburban rail network. As a well known

Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture. Anjusha is not just making an impact by her sessions, she has yielded the power of words through her successful blog, 'Thrumyeyes'. Her blogs are a virulent repertoire of words, incidents, examples and stories which have changed, saved and inspired lives of many a woman.

few short films and a Hindi feature film in the pipeline. Anjusha has also written lyrics for an upcoming Marathi film, to be released by the end of this year. While she is a graceful actress carrying herself with dignity and confidence, she says “There is a lot to learn and grow in theatre for me yet.” She is on the coveted Film Writers Association panel at the regional desk. Anjusha is touching and healing the lives of many women through her social work, blog, articles and workshops. As a r e s p e c t e d n a m e a m o n g s t wo m e n empowerment activists, Anjusha shares her views on empowerment as something which is more within than outside, “It is not the clothes you wear or mode of travel or partying late into the night that empowers you. It’s the sense of having a goal, working towards an objective, knowing your strengths, being cognizant of your shortcomings and being mentally and physically independent that really signifies empowerment. If you can take charge of situations in times of crises, not wait for help to accomplish a small or big task, you can consider yourself truly empowered.” And empowerment does not restrict itself to working women. It is as much relevant for a homemaker, who can take independent decisions, execute her plans and work towards achieving her dreams. Having risen from ashes, Anjusha is a true phoenix, “I needed a hero, so I became one myself ”, summarises Anjusha about her comeback. An ideal homemaker, a perfect parent to her two sons, a social activist, actor, writer and now a businesswoman managing her entertainment company, Anjusha is an inspiration to many fence sitters.

From early childhood and all the way into adulthood, Anjusha nur tured an inclination towards art in all forms. This manifested in her screen presence as a theatre artists, playing meaningful roles in documentary films and socially relevant advertisements. The talented actress is also a budding producer, director and a lyricist. Within an year into her production house, ‘Thrumyeyes Entertainment’, she has a WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

SIMPLY SUCCESSFUL

A woman of extraordinary fire, contagious positivity and a drive to make her mark in a male dominated country, Binita Sen is a well known name in the branding and advertising world of Saudi Arabia and India. The Founder of Astitva, a personal branding and image consulting organization, and Vice President at Soroptimist International Pune Metro East, she is a brand in herself. Binita started her career in a patriarchal country, where professionals balk at having educated women as co-workers or managers. Yet with sheer passion and calibre, Binita proved her mettle in foreign trade, advertising and retail industry in the first decade of her professional life. A d o u b l e M BA i n I n t e r n a t i o n a l Management, Marketing and Human Resource, Binita started her career with Kanthal Hoganas, a Swedish company, in Industrial Marketing. She has been a part of organisations like NIIT, Benaras House, Indian Card Clothing, Al Manahil and Publicis Graphics. She was the first ever Indian woman to head the strategy vertical for Eve Advertising, an arm of Publicis Graphics.

Binita Sen Branding Expert. Image consultant

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

The multifaceted personality, Binita, also moonlights as a faculty member at management colleges in India and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She has always been a champion for women empowerment and social upliftment of the weaker women. This interest has associated her with many NGOs whom she advises on various aspects of developing visibility and sustainability of their projects and also products in some cases. Having spent many years in Saudi Arabia, Binita reveals that extreme male bastion syndrome exists in that part of the world, “It takes time for them to accept the presence of an educated woman, especially of Indian origin to be standing shoulder to shoulder with them. However, once you establish a rapport with them, it’s a great working and living experience there”. A lot of Binita’s understanding of culture and nuances stem from her multicultural lineage. She is partly Tamilian & partly Goan from her paternal family and a mix of Telugu and Kanadiga from her maternal side. Her birth and education in Pune and marriage into a Bengali family

SIMPLY SUCCESSFUL

makes her a linguist. Binita gifted by a rich cultural background, acquired equally diverse education by pursuing advanced diploma in Hospitality Management from UK, followed by a reputed image management course. She has extensive experience of working wi th o rg a n i z a ti o n s i n d i ssi p a ti n g limitations around them and establishing t h e m s e l v e s a s u n i q u e i d e n t i t i e s. Remembering one such incident from her Saudi Arabia stint, Binita explains how her desire to start her own company became stronger, “Once I was called to an art cafe to design advertising campaigns and some promotional tools. I did a pre-design reconnaissance of their needs and the tools they were already using then. I suggested that the kind of strategy and tools they had deployed till then were rather impaired. The owner of the store was the princess of Saudi Arabia. I was apprehensive yet candid in my professional advice, which was well received and appreciated by her.” After this project, a lot of referrals started pouring in, boosting her confidence and leaving her with tons of professional learning. “I believe that everyone we meet is in some way superior to us and we can learn from them,” says Binita, who believes that being open minded, accepting and adjusting easily to various work environments are important traits of a well-groomed professional. It was during these years in Saudi Arabia, working with various organizations, colleges and interacting with diverse set of people, that her understanding, of image, branding and its impact evolved. This was also the time when the seed of starting her imag e and branding org anization germinated. She wanted to focus on catalyzing appearances, behaviour and communication-related aspects towards building identities, both in people and products. As an expatriate travelling back home, Binita visited India annually with her family. While most of these trips were to connect with friends and family, she did have an underlying desire to settle back in India and keep her son connected to his roots. Thus, the professional excellence, coupled with desire to become an entrepreneur,

and an underlying wish to settle in India, morphed into ‘Astitva’ a personal branding and image consulting company. Through Astitva, Binita, a Cer tified Image Consultant, delivers workshops for both professional and personal groups in Marketing Strategy, Transactional Analysis and Cross-cultural Competencies. Her team at Astitva also gives focussed, bespoke solutions on inner image and body image, communication, body language, colour analysis, wardrobe evaluation et al. in India and abroad. The solutions are iterative, well researched and with empirical evidences. The advice is delivered to match the training goal, learning style & budget. “Branding is not about outer image only. It’s about creating a unique identity for one’s company, product or persona,” says Binita who sees products and people as entities having distinct and authentic identities. Even before the inception of Astitva and ever since its existence, Binita aligned her

the cause. During her tenure as Program Action Chairperson, Soroptimist has filed the maximum number of project reports worldwide because they worked on a number of projects and met specified goals and objectives. As Convenor of Women and Wellness project, Binita has organised a Seminar on Mental Health where the topics of mental and sexual health of woman were discussed by the panel. This endeavour saw an overwhelming response. One of the flagship programs ‘Girl Moving Forward’ focuses on imparting non-formal education like life skills, vocational opportunities etc. to urban slum dwelling girls. As the convenor of ‘Girls Moving Forward’ Binita has structured a 12 module life skills training programme. Due to its success, it is being replicated at other demographics. Binita has been a part of many more

Branding is not about outer image only. It’s about creating a unique identity for one’s company, product or persona.

focus to women empowerment along with her core competencies as a brand and image consultant. This desire to make a positive difference in the life of many women has bought her together with Soroptimist International Pune, an organisation working towards improving the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment and enabling opportunities.

successful vocational training projects with Soroptimist like the sanitary napkin project where they advocate menstrual hygiene and help manage menstrual and puberty c h a l l e n g e s. T h e g r o u p h a s b e e n instrumental in setting up of a unit producing bio degradable sanitary napkins which are provided to the community. The unit provides employment to 5 women in Talupur Village.

The Soroptimist is a UN mandate which is being carried forward by enthusiasts and patrons in various parts of the world. Soroptimist International as an organization that undertakes social welfare activities focussed on women education, rehabilitation and vocation. They organize awareness drives for women safety, gender sensitization, gender equality, sponsorship for bright female students, and grants for relief etc. As the Vice President of Soroptimist International Pune East, Binita has been contributing immensely to

Binita is an avid reader, a music aficionado and an accomplished cook. She loves to cook for her 21-year-old son and husband. Her love for designing and adorning silk sarees is clearly visible from her grace, confidence and elegance. Her youthful passion and love for shopping acts as a therapy to keep her mind agile and body active to be able to manage her time between Astitva and Soroptimist with equal ease.

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

LENS AT WORK

REC Melbourne, as seen from a pier at St. Kilda Beach, Victoria.

Road to Glenorchy, New Zealand.

The Cora Lynn Cascades, Australia.

Photos by

Harshada Madgulkar-Utgikar

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

LENS AT WORK

The Water Mohawk.

Spectacular Dome of Melbourne Central, Australia.

Old Timber Pylons at Port Melbourne.

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

SPECIAL FEATURE

A Chemical Engineer and MBA Finance by qualification and a 'paints' and 'credit-risk' expert by profession, Meenal has mastered the art of achieving success while balancing professional aspirations and personal dreams with élan. Meenal Sikchi, Vice President at CARE, India's premier credit rating agency, started her career from a traditional maledominated industry to move to the upper echelons of management in the world of finance and risk management.

I wanted my work and personal life to blend, not to tear

WINNING WAYS

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

lending the hues of life in a delicate string called work-life balance is an art many dream to achieve. But Meenal Sikchi seems to be a master painter at that. She knows the importance of having a flourishing career and the substance of a fulfilling life. She has merged the two together to create a portrait where ambition and compassion share the canvass in equal measure.

automated paint plant. She handled functions like production planning, scheduling, penning standard operating procedures, training and quality control. She also learnt to use heavy machines like a stacker and trained personnel in operating various equipments at the plant. Most of these functions were considered a male bastion, but Meenal broke through the stereotypes right from the beginning.

Meenal started her life in her native city Shirpur in Maharashtra where she completed her schooling. Being a bright student, her mother wanted Meenal to move beyond the conventions of a traditional family and have an independent career. She acquired a degree in chemical engineering from a premier college, the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai, alongwith a handful of other women at the campus. She recalls, “We were few women at the campus and many c o m p a n i e s d i d n’t t a ke wo m e n i n placements.” But Meenal came off with flying colors and got a campus offer from ICI where she started in the research and technology center of the company. In her maiden stint she was a part of the commissioning of one of the largest fully-

While at an important assignment at ICI, which was about to get commissioned, Meenal took a five-day leave to get married and her husband was working in Delhi. “The initial year of marriage was trying to juggle between Delhi and Mumbai to manag e our personal and work commitments” she laughs away. Hence, the pressures of work and travelling distances forced her to quit ICI after 6 months of marriage. But a brilliant and hardworking employee like Meenal was not easy to let go. “I had many rounds of exit interview and retention discussions until it was decided that I could not have continued, given my personal needs.” Once her husband settled in Mumbai, she started her job hunt from scratch. While

SPECIAL FEATURE

many employers liked her profile, and found her meritorious, they were apprehensive in giving her an appropriate role because of her gender, “I was considered unemployable because I had my limitations in terms of needing a balance in life, working hours and travel. I wanted my work and personal life to blend, not to tear”, says Meenal who has attracted employers with her credentials but has always chosen to give priority to familial commitments. She happened to discuss her predicaments with her college professor who was planning to write a book. Her professor gave her the idea of assisting him and putting to use her strong academic background along with real industry experience in compiling an industry reckoner. Thus, she submerged herself in technical literature, research, and putting in her own industry perspectives and analysis into the book which has earned her name, fame and intellectual satisfaction. This book, ‘Basics Of Paint Technology Part I’ was an industrysponsored activity-supported by Asian Paints, Nerolac and many others. The purpose was to make a low-cost book which the students could afford, and professionals could refer to as a bible in their field. “Co-authoring the book worked for me because it gave me flexibility to work from home and a chance to start my family.” So while working on the book, she gave birth to her daughter, who is now 16 years old. With the huge success of the book she also got 2 years time to be at home and raise her child. The book was well received by its promoters and peers in the industry. It is available at all leading book retailers, e-commerce sites, libraries of multinational paint companies like Asian Paints, Berger etc. It is also a referred book at Missouri University USA. After tasting success as an author, it was time to restart and redefine her career. She decided to pursue a management degree to give a new form to her profession. She opted to do an MBA in Finance from Sydenham Institute in Mumbai. Campus placement bought her to Tata Economic Consultancy Services. Her profile involved new ventures and planning for enterprises, techno economic feasibility studies, entry strategies, market studies etc. She enjoyed her work immensely and was not keen

on leaving a benevolent and large organization like Tata group, but the accessibility, travel time and time pressures made her rethink. Raising a young child in a nuclear family, with an unreliable external support system was becoming a challenge. The travel was particularly gruelling. She then decided to opt for a role which would suit her personal needs at that stage. She joined CARE (Credit Analysis & Research Ltd.), one of India’s premier credit rating agencies in the role of a senior analyst. Her talent and clarity on priorities have enabled her move up the ladder of success and today she is Vice President with CARE, handling business and client relations for large corporate accounts. Her role encompasses handling portfolio of clients, strengthening existing client relations, new client acquisitions, business development, revenue maximisation and representing the organisation in industry forums. She has acquired a deep understanding of analysis of annual reports, financial metrics ratios, credit risks on large companies in various sectors making her

many women, consulting has a very women-friendly culture. At Tatas, she experienced a very warm culture. Meenal has completed more than ten years with CARE and she thoroughly loves her work and is able to meet the pressures of work along with getting a great personal and professional balance. Meenal has a participative and empathising style of leadership. Famously nicknamed ‘Mother’ for her ways of dealing with people, she is someone who likes to share credit. A hands-on leader, Meenal is a team player and accessible to everyone who looks out for support and mentorship. In a career spanning across 16 years, Meenal has learnt that “one should be like water, moulding themselves according to the situation so that one doesn’t break under their own rigidities.” She believes that being a working woman, mother and a wife are difficult tasks with huge responsibilities. But one should always remember that one can’t be perfect in everything, learn to say no at times and be content, because if you try to achieve

One should be like watermoulding themselves according to the situation so that one doesn’t break under one’s own rigidities work exciting. Meenal believes that while there is no short cut to diligence required to rise as a professional, it is equally important to have family as a priority to live a complete life. Raising her children with a sound value system and giving time to family are the most important priorities of her personal life. After joining CARE, Meenal planned her second child and also contributed to the second book on paint technology (Basics Of Paint Technology Part II) with her professor while taking care of two kids, running a household and managing a demanding career. Having worked in different environments, from paint industry to consulting, Meenal has seen a tremendous difference in cultures at all her organizations. While paints as an industry does not have too

perfection by obeying all the rules in life, you may miss the fun. She also feels that men should become more involved fathers, and responsible husbands, rather than leaving all childcare and domestic responsibilities to the lady. She has always seen her mother as her inspiration. Simple in demeanour and comfortable in her skin, she loves to read motivational books and write ups on positivity to remain mentally agile and upbeat. She draws energy from being a good mother, “I love to cook for my kids, go on vacations with them or help them with their homework. That for me is pleasure.” Meenal knows how to see the bright side of life, “I find happiness in whatever I do. Every activity has a life cycle - it will come and go and you need to grow with it.” WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

PROFESSIONS

CULINARY

ARTS Beyond Cooking

Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji, is a celebrated chef and culinary mentor with more than 20 years of experience. She is the Programme Head - Culinary Arts, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh at the ITM Institute of Hotel Management at Navi Mumbai. She has worked as an Associate Professor D Y Patil University, School of Hospitality & Tourism Studies, Navi Mumbai. A food author on various online and offline publications, Chef Reetu also runs a Facebook page titled “Food For Thought”.

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

PROFESSIONS

ith changing trends, culinary arts has become more than just a run-of-mill profession. The career which was once relegated to simply cooking food or being a chef has got a new lease of life with the emergence of cooking shows and popular personalities. Today, individuals attracted to the profession can choose from an assortment of opportunities. Whether you want to be a culinar y chef who specializes in pizza, pesto and salads or a pastry chef with specialization in sweet delicacies, there are abundant choices for someone looking to step into t h i s d y n a m i c a n d l u c r a t ive profession. Your creativity and experimentation can be utilized for creating tantalizing dishes and unique recipes. Today, it is not just about “cooking food”. The Food Style Guide

As an expert in culinary arts, you can choose to be a food stylist and be responsible for beautifying and embellishing your dish. After all, we all relish food through our eyes even before we actually taste it. With mind-boggling food presentation and keeping in balance the color, contrast and the appearance of the food, the Food Stylist has the ability to transform the simplest of dishes into works of art. You can opt to work for food magazines, cookery shows and even in movies that are based on culinary themes. The Food Click-er If mouthwatering imagery is your forte then professional food photography has all the ingredients for being a rewarding profession. Apart from learning the basics of food photography including lighting techniques, shooting styles and postproduction processes, this profession would also require knowledge of culinary

arts including recipe selection basics, prop styling and food prep. Blending the Science and Art of Cooking With a background in science, a major in culinary arts can take up a career as a Nutritionist or a catering supervisor in leading hospitals around the country. A basic course in food science, which focuses on an in-depth study of the chemical and technical aspects, can also prepare you to pursue a career as a food scientist in leading manufacturing companies and food research and development laboratories in fields such as molecular gastronomy and food safety. The Glamour Quotient Remember Julia Child, the American Chef, author and television personality who was recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American Public with her debut cookbook “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and her unforgettable television program “the French Chef ”, which premiered in the year 1963. With her creative writing and thought provoking stories, she inspired many people to look at the profession of culinary arts differently. Apart from the glamour, being a food anchor, blogger or author is quite a profitable profession. A degree in culinary arts incorporates research and exploration on different cultures, traditions and culinary history which in turn can be the perfect recipe for articles and cookbooks. As a food traveler, anchor and chef you get the opportunity to travel and explore new cuisines while also getting paid for it. The best example is chef Aditya Bal whose adventurous “Chak Le India” is broadcasted on NDTV Good times.

Indian chef, restaurateur, cookbook writer, filmmaker, humanitarian and the judge of the TV show Master Chef India and Master Chef Junior, Vikas Khanna would say, “To teach is great, but to inspire is divine.” Apart from these options, you can choose to work as a hospitality consultant, a design specialist or opt for jobs which involve menu creations, menu designing and food event planning. Sales and marketing teams of leading kitchen equipment and tools manufacturers, for example Weber BBQ and Grill manufacturers, both in India as well as abroad, are also looking to hire majors in culinary arts. If you love cooking for a number of people then an industrial canteen in an MNC is the place to be. Cooking in large volumes, providing balanced meals and of course planning, preparing and supervising the preparation of a cyclic menu are some of the roles that you would play if you choose this profession. I f yo u a r e f o c u s e d o n b e i n g a n entrepreneur and running your own pastry shop, multi-cuisine or themed restaurant and a café, you must have a colossal amount of “passion”. Whether you see yourself as a celebrity chef, a food stylist or an entrepreneur, a course in culinary arts can undoubtedly hone your skills and serve as a stepping stone to accomplish your dreams and goals to leave a lingering taste.

Inspiring Culinary Talent As a culinary head, you can choose to become a professor and inspire future generations to walk the same path. As celebrity, award winning Michelin Starred

chefreetuudaykugaji.com

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

BLOGHER

ARE YOU YOUR “BEST” RESOURCE? Aparna Sharma is a leading senior HR professional, Independent Director and Author of ‘Reality Bytes’, a bestselling book on Human Resources.

ur lives are full of illusions. Have you ever examined this closely? Here is the crux of my deliberation on one such illusion with a very close friend who has been going through a lot of trials and tribulations in life. As we are growing up, we associate with our family- parents, siblings, larger family, friends, teachers, our social community and work colleagues. We begin to feel safe and secure in each of these relationships based on the strength of these ties and the meaning given to them by our family and society. Each of these has a phase in our life. You must have heard the saying “Success has many relatives, failure has none”. It is an interesting one, since the world associates with people (children or adults) who are successful, including your own near and dear ones. You very quickly know the difference and real meaning of “Apne” (one’s own) and “Paraye”( others). Many of you who are lucky may disagree your experience may be different. When you are a person to reckon with according to worldly standards, on a “high” in life- you will have lots of friends; your acquaintances will make extra efforts to make friends with you; you will be surrounded by people - “genuine as well as so-called friends and relatives”. “It is not any different in the professional sphere”, my friend adds. Depending on how senior( age and experience) you are, you may have a great fan-following, especially by the ones who know that you could help them 38

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

in any way, you will be invited to every professional forum, people will sing praises of you verbally and in print. This one is industry agnostic - whether it is in politics, field of education or any other profession. You need to have a “Utility Value” in any or all relationships. Harsh as it may sound, you will only agree once you experience it! We begin to “believe” that all these people like us, love us and care for us, until reality hits hard- you’re facing hard times, surrounded by hardships - the “ebb” or trough in life. When you look around you or behind you - where are all the fans, friends, relatives? You hardly find a handful of people who really care and are still there with you and for you. What about Mentors? In her view and experience, “True Mentors” are like “True Friends”- They will stand by you and guide you all along, irrespective of the season in your life. The fact is that there is an ebb and flow to life. There are highs and lows. There is bitter and sweet. There are grey days and sunny days and it’s all part of the package. If it were peaches, sunshine and roses all the time, we’d probably get bored pretty quickly and not learn the real lessons in life. The bottom line is that the idea that we’re supposed to be on a high and have only good times, all the time is misleading and it can cause us to have false expectations of ourselves and the world around us. We would live in a “make believe” world. It’s no wonder that we live in a world mired in

addictive behaviors aimed at escaping the lows that we all inevitably experience. Surely, there is an ebb and flow to life. Rather than fight it or resist it, embrace it. Adjust our expectations of what is “normal” and practice accepting the highs, the lows and everything in between. What I shared with my friend basis my own life experiences and those I have been closely observing and learning from, is to have faith and confidence in one’s own abilities and potential. Always, remember “You’re your only Resource”. Etch this well in your mind and it will give you all the strength to surge ahead on your own steam. As Dolly Parton so aptly said, "If you want the rainbow, you've got to put up with the rain".

aparnasharma.in

LEGAL ANGLE

E-commerce The Existing Legal Framework in India Mr Manoj Wad is a leading Corporate Lawyer and Partner at J S Wad & Company. In his career spanning 27 years, he has practised in the Supreme Court and is on the legal advisory board of leading Multinational and Indian companies. His firm provides a bouquet of legal services to assist individual professionals, start ups and established business entities in their vocational and professional endeavors.

n 2015, women in India constituted about 20% of the 1 million online sellers, where the percentage of women in the workforce has been declining since 2010. Latest statistics reveal that the e-commerce industry in India is likely to be worth USD 38 billion by 2016. A n i n crea si n g num b er o f fem a l e entrepreneurs in the country, urban and rural, are gaining financial empowerment by selling products and services across a variety of sectors ranging from traditional ones like fashion, clothing, jewellery to catering to women-specific needs. Although, India still lacks comprehensive e-commerce legislation, due to the growing significance of e-commerce, the country's electronic transactions are now gradually being regulated by the lawmakers.

Validity of electronic contracts (e-contracts) in India

person of unsound mind is not competent to contract, whereas in online transactions it is virtually impossible to verify such details.

Post sales, delivery of goods to customers and customer satisfaction will be responsibility of seller.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) ACT, 2000 Ÿ

Accords statutory recognition to information, contracts and records in the electronic format.

Payments for sale may be facilitated by ecommerce entity in conformity with RBI guidelines.

Defines and accords legal recognition to digital signatures.

Includes issues of security, a prerequisite to successful online transactions.

Any warrantee/guarantee of goods and services sold will be responsibility of seller.

E-commerce entities will not directly or indirectly influence sale price of goods or services and shall maintain level playing field.

The new r ules now prohibit marketplaces from offering discounts and cap total sales originating from a group company or one vendor at 25%.

Proposed Consumer Protection Bill, 2015 on E-Commerce:

Brings online consumers under the purview of the Act.

Targets certain aspects of e-commerce considered as unethical, which mislead or exploit consumers, such as misleading advertisements to consumers, online multi-level marketing, direct selling practices and the like.

Stringent penalties for certain offences committed by e-retailers that include life sentences in certain cases.

Stringent penal and pecuniary penalties for violation of its provisions during ecommerce transactions.

GUIDELINES ON FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI) IN E-COMMERCE IN INDIA FOR “MARKETPLACE MODEL”; ISSUED BY MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY Ÿ

INDIAN CONTRACT ACT (ICA), 1872 Essentials of a valid contract under the ICA are applicable to e-contracts as well, like lawful consideration, lawful object, free consent, parties to be competent to the contract and like.Unless expressly prohibited under any statute, e-contracts would be enforceable and valid if the requirements of a valid contract as per the ICA are fulfilled.However, certain peculiar difficulties may arise while applying the ICA to e-contracts. For instance, under ICA a minor (below 18 years of age) or a

electronically on website should clearly provide name, address and other contact details of the seller.

Marketplace based model of ecommerce means providing of an information technology platform by an e-commerce entity on a digital and electronic network to act as a facilitator between buyer and seller.

100% FDI in online retail of goods and services through automatic route.

Digital and electronic network to in clude n etwo rk o f co mp uters, television channels and any other internet application used in automated manner such as web pages, extranets, mobiles etc.

Goods/services made available for sale

manojwad@jswad.in WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

SOCIETY

MAKING

WORKPLACES SAFER

Our workplaces are not free from sins against women. As much as we fear the acts of harassment of women at workplaces and despise the perpetrators, the reality is that these events have become commonplace. Indian companies are yet to put robust systems in place for genuine gender assimilation. Sadhana Khati, a veteran in the space of gender-related challenges and a social activist of women issues, helps these companies put the law into practice and spread vigilance about such cases of transgression.

fter ten years of silence, Snehal (name changed) finally mustered the courage to speak up. She had been a victim of sexual harassment for most part of her career in her current organization. But she never raised her voice against it. Partly because she did not know what justice or the lack of it would she be meted. And more importantly because she did not trust the Internal Complaints Committee to be unbiased or sensitive towards her plea. Thus, going to the police and lodging an FIR was the only recourse she was left with. While the police were helpful and proactive in resolving her issue, this proved to be a self destructive. For a lady who had been globetrotting as a professional, handling international projects and heading a high performing team, she was demoted to oblivion. She was reduced to an insignificant function in the organization with no team to handle, no perks, no decision making, just working alone in obscurity. All this as reparation of raising her voice against sexual harassment. This is the truth behind sexual harassment at workplace that seldom gets talked about: the deluge of problems which women face once they decide to lodge a complaint. Do organizations ensure that her professional life and career do not bear the brunt because she chooses to speak out? Is her 40

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

identity protected as is mandated under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act? Does she find it difficult to work with dignity?

Even after the establishment of Vishakha guidelines and government having passed various legislations to protect women against cases of sexual abuse, domestic violence and female foeticide, most of the

My agenda is to make women safety a hygiene factor at workplaces. Well, the answer is a ‘yes’. And an important reason for this is the powerless or non-existent Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in the organizations, which, by the way, is a government mandate for all private and public companies. Sadhana Khati, NGO member on the board of ICC of various companies and the chairperson of Local Complaints Committee (LCC) which deals with crimes against women (issues related to sexual harassment) says, “The organizations are not serious about sexual harassment cases at workplace. And to begin with, many organizations don’t even have proper machinery for addressing such cases. The organizations want such instances to die their own death or the women victim to quit her job or change her department without protest”.

issues only get a rhetoric response. To ensure implementation of these polices, guidelines and proper disbursal of the budget allocated by government for setting up teams, committees and offices to handle such issues, Sadhana, along with her team, act as the watchdog. As the member of Stree Mukti Aandolan Sampark Samiti, NGO member of the board of ICC and a passionate social worker, Sadhana focuses on advocacy and awareness of women related issues. She is a paralegal working to protect women’s right and is a veteran with over two decades of experience in issues related to women right-their security, g ender development, child abuse, fundamental rights and martial discords. Sadhana explains that the concern is about how easy it is to objectify women. The beleaguered women usually have no one to

SOCIETY

look up to for help. These are the times when the friends and family of the victim also turn their backs. Either they advise her to quit, change her department or suffer in silence. The social stigma and shaming prevents many cases from coming to light. As the chairperson of Local Complaint Comittee, Sadhana has four industrial belts in Pune under her jurisdiction. Her role requires her to make sure that each taluka’s nodal officer is trained to handle the cases with sensitivity and fairness. The statistics reveal that an appallingly low percentage of the companies have an Internal Complaints Committee, a dreadful scenario considering the rampant sexual abuse of women all around. To fight this degenerating mindset gnawing our society, both in professional org anizations and in unorg anized workforce like land labourers, domestic workers, local peddlers and village dwellers, Local Complaints Committee and Internal Complaints Committee are working as catalyst for change. They ensure that the correct legal procedures are followed and the aggressor penalised. But it is not an easy path to tread. A massive impediment in their work is lack of funding by the government for this cause. Sadhana explains that either the budget allocated to them is too lean or the team is untrained and uninterested. The lack of proper infrastructure like an office place to execute cases and meet complainants or a protection office where marginalised women can come for an interim shelter against domestic violence are veritably lacking in her district. Hence, Sadhana and her team at Local Complaints Committee are also training the NGO workers who can be potential board members in private companies as NGO representatives. As an NGO representative and a women’s rights worker, Sadhana helps companies in setting up ICC, make policies, structures, and formulate measures for preventive and curative action. She also provides guidance to companies on the legalities of women related issues. “My agenda is to make women safety a hygiene factor at workplaces.” A part of ICC responsibilities is also to spread awareness among employees about

sexual harassment prevention laws and sensitize male employees about ‘appropriate and inappropriate behaviour’ with their female counterparts. “I speak to men to help them understand what actions done by them knowingly or otherwise can be considered as sexual advances” says Sadhana. Many, usually men, feel that the whole law against sexual harassment is open to misuse by troublesome and vindictive women; hence their orientation is an impor tant aspect to ensure prevention of sexual harassment at workplace law in letter and spirit. As a part of the effort to provide training, Sadhana is a part of the core group at Karve Institute of Social Service. She

helps strengthen the capabilities and sphere of influence of NGO workers by providing them orientation and wherewithal to resolve issues effectively. As a mark of commitment towards the women of society, Sadhana, along with her colleague, was instrumental in setting up India’s first helpline for prevention of domestic violence. Started in 2007, Sakhi is still a pioneer helpline helping thousands of ladies deal with their plight. Sadhana is leading from the front in trying to bring about a societal change, touching the minds of millions of men and women and making workplaces safer for women.

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

HEALTH @ WORK

HYPERTHYROIDISM _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

hyperthyroidism. Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder, is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It causes antibodies to stimulate the thyroid to secrete too much hormone. It tends to run in families, which suggests a genetic link. HYPERTHYROIDISM CAN ALSO BE CAUSED BY: Ÿ Excess iodine, a key ingredient in T4 and T3 Ÿ Inflammation of the thyroid (thyroiditis) that causes T4 and T3 to leak out of the gland Ÿ Tumors of the ovaries or testes Ÿ Benign tumors of the thyroid or pituitary gland

Symptoms:

Shilpa Bhoskar is a certified nutritionist and founder of Saundarya Nutrition with a mission to make millions of people happier, healthier, prosperous and positive.

e have seen in the last issue that thyroid disorders are very c o m m o n i n t h e wo m e n . Hormones produced by the thyroid gland control the body’s metabolism. Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid makes too much T4, T3, or both. When the thyroid hormone is produced in excess, it increases the metabolic activity of the person causing unexpected and sudden weight loss, this is termed as Hyperthyroidism. There are various reasons that can cause 42

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

The thyroid hormones affect almost every organ in the body, including the heart. Elevated levels of thyroid hormones can also lead to high blood pressure and feeling of increased heartbeats (palpitation).It is also associated with sleep disturbances, irritability, anxiety and restlessness, hand tremors, hair loss, frequent bowel movement, irregular menstrual flow, decreased heat tolerance and excessive sweating. Treatment for hyperthyroidism usually involves taking dosage of liquid radioactive iodine and medications.

FOODS YOU NEED TO AVOID WHEN FACING HYPERTHYROIDISM: Ÿ Iodine rich foods, as it increases the activity of the thyroid gland. Ÿ Coffee and caffeinated products. Ÿ Whole fat milk. Ÿ Enriched fortified flour. Ÿ Added sugars, cane juice, jams, jellies etc. Ÿ Red meat as it contains high fats. Ÿ Avoid allergic foods, find out the foods you may be allergic to. Ÿ Hydrogenated vegetable oil (Dalda)

BY EATING CERTAIN FOODS, YOU CAN LIMIT SOME MILD HYPERTHYROIDISM SYMPTOMS. § Berries (strawberries, cranberries etc.) are rich in antioxidants, which keep your immune system strong. Eat a serving of berries every day. § Broccoli, cauliflower, Kale, cabbage are a part of the goitrogen family—foods that can decrease the amount of thyroid hormone your thyroid gland produces. Eat one or more servings of these veggies a day. § Low-fat dairy products for calcium and Vitamin D to prevent bone loss; get 3 servings a day. § Salmon fish, walnuts, olive oil and flax seeds for omega 3 fatty acids

shilpabhoskar@gmail.com

§ Whole grains, beans, nuts, chicken, turkey and eggs for proteins; to maintain energy and build muscles. Include protein in every meal.

Eat right and be fit!!

STARTUPS AT WORK

Money Matters In a survey done by ShethePeople.TV, most women startup owners admitted that financial support remains a significant challenge but not the most important one. Most women are self-funded as per the survey. They have either taken funds from family or pumped in their own savings. Courtesy: Shethepeople.tv

Bandhan Bank, which funds only women entrepreneurs, registers Rs 275 cr profit in 7 months

This startup aims to improve gender diversity in IT companies Zone Startups India is an Indo-Canadian joint venture of Ryerson University Canada & Bombay Stock Exchange Institute. The accelerator recently launched a programme exclusively for women in tech ventures called Empower. Courtesy: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The Happiness Culture: Zappos Isn't a Company - It's a Mission

Kolkata-based Bandhan Bank has reported a net profit (profit after tax) of Rs. 275 crore for a seven-month period ending March 31, 2016. Bandhan Bank began full-fledged banking operations only in August last year.

Tony Hsieh sold earthworms, greeting cards, and slices of pizza. Along the way, he never considered that a failed business meant he was a failure. Then, the guy who wore the same pair of shoes founded Zappos. Today, Tony says it's all about Happiness, and he's got the business to prove it.

Courtesy: yourstory.in

Courtesy: fastcompany.com

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

BOOKSHELF

LEADERSHIP It's a Marathon Not a Sprint by Gordon Tredgold

Courtesy : goodreads.com

Gordon Tredgold talks about leadership by illustrating his personal challenges. He escorts you chapter by chapter through his understanding of what makes a great leader to succeed in the 21st century. The account is filled with examples from his professional experience and seasoned with cinema, history and sport references. It is an innovative book which discusses actionable strategies, written with a belief that leadership is not a title, but an everyday practice. The author's own story and how he applied the principle he talks about gives him a lot of credibility and authority to talk on the subject.

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

THE COMEBACK How Today's Moms Re-enter the Workplace Successfully by Cheryl Casone & Stephanie Krikorian When a woman quits her job for any reason, family or otherwise, she finds coming back to workplace a daunting task. Some of it is due to the disablers put by the organizations and some by the inhibitions within. Career expert and Fox Business anchor Cher yl Casone interviewed hundreds of women who are willing to share both their successes and their mistakes The many real-life stories in this book prove that with a smart strategy and some determination, almost any mom can make a successful comeback. In the process she can improve her standard of living, her self-esteem, and probably also the well-being of her kids.

Credit:ndtv.com

Credit: hindustantimes.com

WOMEN IN THE NEWS

Credit: ndtv.com

FLO, the women wing of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) plans to set up two ‘Mahila Huts’ in the state( Vadodara and Ahmedabad) for the upliftment of women belonging to all sections of the society through education and training. The centre (Mahila Hut) is a place where women belonging to all sections of the society, particularly the weaker one, can display products made by them to earn a livelihood.

IT major Wipro, along with Saudi Aramco and Princess Nourah University (PNU), inaugurated Saudi Arabia's first all women business and technology park (WBP), which is expected to create nearly 21,000 jobs by 2025.

Indian American Neera Tanden led the Hillary Clinton campaign in slamming the economic policies of Donald Trump, Republican presidential presumptive nominee, alleging that this poses threat to the economic future of women and families.

Country’s largest paramilitary force CRPF is set to deploy over 560 women commandos for undertaking anti-Maoist operations in select Left Wing Extremism-affected states.

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

Credit: ndtv.com

22-year old Tina Dabi is the UPSC Topper of 2015 in her first attempt. She is a political science graduate from Lady Shri Ram College (LSR) and has done her schooling from the Convent of Jesus & Mary.

Credit: ndtv.com

Women officers will now be accepted on permanent commission in the Indian Navy - enabling them to serve on board warships and join as pilots of maritime reconnaissance aircraft

NETSETTERS

Courtesy: ted.com

DANIEL KISH: How I use sonar to navigate the world

TSHERING TOBGAY: Bhutan is not carbon neutral, it’s carbon negative Tshering Tobgay is an engineer, turned bureaucrat, turned politician. As the second democratically elected Prime Minister of Bhutan, he continues to transform his nation while preserving its bountiful nature ecosystem and working towards maintaining his country’s ‘gross national happiness’ index high. Bhutan is the only country in the world which has indices which measure well being over financial growth of its population. In this riveting talk, Tobgay reveals his solutions to Bhutan’s g reat challenges of unemployment, poverty, gap in infrastructure and education. Under stable democracy, Bhutan is the only country to have a passage running throughout its forest which enables free movement of wildlife. It is also a pioneering country which is a less carbon source but a great carbon sink, making it not only carbon neutral, but negative. 46

WOMAN AT WORK | JUNE 2016

Daniel Kish has been blind since he was 13 months old, but has learned to “see” using a form of echolocation. He clicks his tongue and sends out flashes of sound that bounce off surfaces in the environment and return to him, helping him to construct an understanding of the space around him. In a rousing talk, Kish demonstrates how this works and asks us to let go of our fear of the dark unknown. In spite of his impairment he is able to mountain bike and tell a building as far as 1000 feet; all this with his self taught and self conceptualized way of communication which has a 360 degree coverage.