The Wellness and Communities Committee of The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized a session on Session on Inclusive Workforce: LGBTQA+ Sensitization and Integration on 24th August 2024 from 3:00 p.m. onwards, at The Bengal Chamber premises, Kolkata. 

The programme had three key sessions and resulted in an Action Agenda to further inclusion at workplace with concrete ideas for collaborations. The eminent speakers in sessions were:

Session I: Creating an Inclusive Hiring Process

Esteemed Moderator was Dr. Ratna Sinha, Mentor, Wellness and Communities Committee, BCC&I and the eminent Speakers were: Mr. Q Tauheed, Chief HRBP OMQ, Tata Steel Ltd.; Ms. Mahua Seth, Founder, The Rainbow Room Kolkata.

The session underscored the importance of sensitizing employees across all levels—from top management to frontline staff—when implementing inclusive hiring practices. Key takeaways included the need for unconscious bias training, tools like Textio and HireVue to flag bias in job descriptions, and a call for organizations to provide on-the-job training for LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly those lacking formal education due to systemic discrimination. Tata Steel shared its successful diversity initiatives, offering to support capacity building for smaller players.

Session II: Legal Framework and Policies 

Esteemed Moderator was Dr. Debjyoti Ghosh, Human Rights Lawyer & Professor, University of the Free State, South Africa and the eminent Speakers were: Ms. Srimoyee Mukherjee, Advocate, Calcutta High Court; Mr. Kushal Roy, one of the Big Four Consulting Firms; Mr. Goutam Bose, Zonal Key Accounts Manager, Servier India.

The second session explored the legal landscape protecting LGBTQ+ individuals, including India’s Transgender Persons Act of 2019. Corporate players, particularly multinational organizations, were highlighted for pioneering LGBTQ+ inclusive policies, such as extending health benefits to same-sex partners and creating gender-neutral physical infrastructure. Questions around adoption leave for same-sex partners, handling trans-identified job applicants, and workplace bullying were raised, setting the stage for further advocacy and policy refinement.

Session III: Understanding the Success Factors and Measuring Impact 

Esteemed Moderator was Mr. Upamanyu Sengupta, Manager, Communication CoE-Learning and Development, One of the Consulting Firm, Kolkata and the eminent Speakers were: Ms. Sreedevi Palit, Head, Global Diversity and Inclusion, India, Cognizant Technology Solutions; Ms. Aritra Chatterjee, Senior Applied Behavior Science Consultant, AtomEI; Ms. Sohini Boral, Junior Associate, Tata Steel Ltd.

In this session, real-life stories of inclusion were shared, with a focus on how workplace culture and leadership can significantly impact success. The need for flexible dress codes, regular surveys to gauge diversity efforts, and public accountability through diversity targets were key discussion points. Speakers highlighted how visibility and support from top leadership were crucial for driving meaningful inclusion within organizations.

The event concluded with a clear call to action, emphasizing collaboration, continuous assessment, and public commitment to diversity goals. 

Key Action Points:

• Enhance sensitization and training at all organizational levels.
• Use tools to reduce bias in job descriptions.
• Develop inclusive policies for health benefits, parental leave, and anti-discrimination.
• Encourage flexible dress codes and conduct regular surveys to assess inclusion.
• Partner with experts to update internal policies.
• This initiative represented a crucial step toward fostering a more inclusive corporate environment, emphasizing the need for ongoing action.

The initiative was partnered by Gainwell, RP Sanjiv Goenka Group, Das Roto Print, Ruby Park Public School, and BRIDGE was the Knowledge Partner. The programme was well attended by more than 70 participants.