For the first time, at least 65 directors from Amazon India have interacted with its LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) volunteers to drive policy changes that will help lead to a more inclusive culture at the workplace.
The initiative of the e-commerce major’s Indian arm is expected to be implemented globally, and taking into account the specific requirements of each country. “We started formal discussions about 18 months ago. Earlier, we conducted listening sessions. Cultural change or diversity doesn’t happen because you decide to run a program, it comes because your leadership believes you want to do something,” says Swati Rustagi, Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Amazon said.
The company, which has a global workforce of two million, including 100,000 in India, also asked its top executives to hold detailed, private discussions with representatives of female employees and those with special abilities.
“The pilot started in India. I think many of our global teams have started their own experiments in this area and everyone will continue to innovate.”
India Inc’s move to bring in more cultural diversity follows other initiatives such as health benefits, insurance policies and guidelines to create sensitive workplaces.
According to gender diversity experts, it is important to localize the barriers to bring about change. Pallavi Pareek, CEO and DEI consultant, Ungender, said, “One has to localize the issues as globally prevailing rules cannot be easily enforced unless they are made relevant.”
He said it is difficult to estimate the representation of LGBTQ members in the workplace because there is no obligation to disclose and the range is 0.3-5%. “The top down approach will boost health benefits and even look at special travel and accommodation needs.”
Rustagi said senior Amazon executives and volunteers are expected to come up with solutions before announcing new policies on gender diversity.
The DE&I director said senior executives are exposed to the constraints that often get contained regardless of social and economic strata. They are explained the origin of these constraints which help them to see it from a different perspective.
“So, we started talking to leaders about this and then now say you know about it, do you think you want to do something about it. If you want to do something about it So first you have to stop looking at it as a statistic…,” Rustagi said.
The response from the leaders has been good. “I probably wouldn’t have spent that much time or I didn’t really realize this could be a problem because many of us live in a position of privilege without realizing it. So, when you start to understand that What others don’t have and others take it lightly… It’s a big, big moment for most leaders, and I think this is where they hit,” the director said.