Harnessing Talent as a Catalyst for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

We recently partnered with Citi for an HR leader lunch session in Mumbai. We were thrilled to have Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer and Global Head of Talent, Erika Irish Brown, share Citi’s journey in ‘Harnessing Talent as a Catalyst for Diversity Equity & Inclusion” with us. The event was attended by HR leaders and senior Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practitioners from various industries, including banking, FMCG, technology, and healthcare, who shared their perspectives and experiences.

Erika began by discussing Citi’s efforts to break century-old barriers and become truly global in terms of strategy while factoring in the important nuances within each region and country. She emphasised the importance of transparency when discussing and implementing equity, which must be built into the hiring and promotion process.

Attendees shared best practices, such as approaching universities to promote companies’ responsibility in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and adapting machinery and equipment to cater to employees of all abilities. Discussions also covered balancing business results vs. focusing on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and how to involve clients and external stakeholders in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion efforts.

In my travels, it’s important to connect with leaders from a broad range of industries to share best practices for Talent and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workplace. No one does this work alone; we must learn from each other and continue to drive progress around the globe.

Erika Irish Brown, Equity and Inclusion Officer and Global Head of Talent at Citi

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is a crucial factor in India’s talent landscape, and many companies struggle to implement it. Some companies are just beginning to focus on generational diversity, while race and ethnicity diversity has yet to become commonplace. Erika acknowledged that many of the issues faced in India are also present in other parts of the world, and sessions like these are essential for driving progress in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

We were pleased to see all HR leaders’ engagement; the exchange of experience and thought-provoking questions was inspiring. Finally, we would like to extend a big thank you to Citi for partnering with us on this lunch session, and in particular, Aditya Mittal, Kaushik Das and Mimansa Popat.

We look forward to hosting more opportunities for thought leadership and best practice sharing for our HR community in India and Asia Pacific in the coming months.