Gender Champions Consortium launched to promote diversity in India’s automotive sector

The Gender Champions Consortium (GCC) was officially launched on Monday, bringing together leaders from the automotive industry, government officials, and civil society organisations to address gender diversity in the sector.

The GCC is a joint initiative by the Good Business Lab, Automotive Components Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other participating organizations. Its aim is to advance gender diversity and inclusion within India’s automotive industry by fostering knowledge sharing, offering training and gender advisory services, and coordinating collective advocacy efforts across the sector.

Vijay Mittal, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Heavy Industries, addressed the event, highlighting the government’s role in supporting gender inclusion initiatives. He noted that the increasing participation of women in the workforce could contribute significantly to economic growth, especially in the automotive sector, which is one of the largest contributors to India’s GDP. He emphasised that initiatives like the GCC could enable collaboration between industry and government to enhance women’s contributions and support the vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047.”

Shradha Suri Marwah, President of ACMA and Co-Chair of GCC, highlighted the importance of diversity in driving innovation and strengthening India’s mobility ecosystem. She stated that fostering an inclusive workforce is key to building a resilient and forward-thinking manufacturing sector.

Amrita Ganguly, Chief Diversity Officer at Tata Motors and Co-Chair of GCC, stressed the need for action on inclusion in the automotive sector. She noted that organizations have the opportunity to address societal challenges by creating more inclusive workplaces.

The launch of the GCC marks a step toward enhancing gender diversity and inclusion in India’s automotive industry through collaborative efforts and shared goals.