~ Improves its ranking this year, further strengthening its commitment to gender diversity
Mumbai, 19th November 2024 – MullenLowe Lintas Group India is thrilled to announce its recognition as one of the ‘100 Best Companies for Women in India’ (BCWI) by Avtar and Seramount for the second year in a row. The highlight being that the Group has improved its ranking, reflecting its sustained focus on creating an inclusive, supportive, and empowering workplace for women.
The annual BCWI study, conducted by Avtar, India’s leading Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) firm, and Seramount, a US-based professional services and research organization, identifies companies that are setting benchmarks in gender diversity. MullenLowe Lintas Group’s higher ranking this year highlights the company’s continuous efforts to foster gender equality and offer women greater opportunities to excel.
Commenting on this consecutive recognition, Alex Leikikh, Executive Vice President, Interpublic Group and CEO, MullenLowe Global said, “Being recognized as one of the Best Companies for Women in India for the second year in a row underscores the team’s ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion. And it’s not just talk. The policies, resources and support put in place to provide equal opportunity for women is raising the bar in India and across our global network.”
Avtar, India’s premier Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion solutions firm along with Seramount, a strategic professional services and research firm dedicated to supporting high-performing, inclusive workplaces in the United States, conducted the ninth edition of the Best Companies for Women in India (BCWI) study in 2024. The application form with close to 300 questions, required applicant companies to provide data of high-order granularity on their practices, programmes and policies to ensure gender inclusion at their workplaces. The entries were evaluated based on their application data.
Expressing his pride, Subbu, Group CEO & CSO-APAC, MullenLowe Global said, “Winning once was encouraging, but twice in a row is really empowering. Awards of this kind make us more than an agency. Once again, this award is a tribute to all our amazing women who have raised the bar for the proud MullenLowe Lintas Group with their intent, intellect, and instinct. We pledge to stay consistent as an organisation where women can rapidly progress, prosper, and live a culture in which they can express themselves without any constraints.”
MullenLowe Lintas Group is the only advertising agency from India to be featured on the prestigious list, sharing the honor with industry leaders such as xx xx xx, who also happen to be their clients. This accolade reaffirms the Group’s leadership position in the Indian advertising sector as an employer of choice for women.
Speaking about the importance of creating inclusive spaces, Garima Pant, Group Chief HR Officer, MullenLowe Lintas Group said, “For us at Lintas, Inclusion is way of life. It resonates with our business and is the key to innovation and productivity. We not only reach out to more people, but we also resonate with them. When we talk about Inclusion, it’s not about how often we spell it out, but we prove it through real measurable actions “
Over the last 8 decades the agency has built an inclusive, diverse, and admirable environment. With over 39% female representation among the network’s employees, it continues to play an active role in the dialogue on gender equality. The organisation’s Apex DEI Council, Women of the Future women leadership program, Gender Neutral Parental Leave Policy are some of the noteworthy initiatives positioning itself as a coveted employer in the industry. Through consistent efforts, they have been able to improve the gender ratio in creative team by 8%points.
The Group provides its employees universal primary caregiver leave (26 weeks – maternity leave), preferential parking for expectant and new mothers, mother’s room, Creche benefit, hybrid working for new mothers, and coverage of OPD for vaccinations. They have assessed policies across the employee life cycle to build more equity in practices.
In addition, the Group has some one-of-a-kind policies in securing mental and physical well-being with people-friendly initiatives such as scheduled downtime, holiday homes and funded vacations.
The BCWI study rigorously assesses companies on their gender inclusion practices across key areas such as recruitment, retention, career advancement, and policies that support work-life balance. MullenLowe Lintas Group’s improved standing reflects its progress in these areas and highlights its proactive approach to gender diversity.