Adidas, VFS Global, Pernod Ricard, Yubi and Puma among big companies to flock India's Diversity Job Fair and the DEI Conference 2022

Adidas, VFS Global, Pernod Ricard, Yubi and Puma are some of the large companies that are participating in India's Diversity Job Fair 2022, said its organiser Vividhataa. DEI stands for Diversity, equity and inclusion.

This is the third edition of the Diversity Job Fair, a pan-Indian campaign launched by the social entrepreneurship start-up to promote inclusivity at mainstream workplaces, Vividhataa said in an emailed statement. The event is scheduled on August 9 and 10, as a hybrid event with the on-ground programme scheduled in Mumbai. (To register as a Candidate or as an Employer click on: Linktr.ee/Vividhataa

The job fair is focused on promoting a diverse candidate pool including: women, persons with disabilities (PwD), the LGBTQIA+ community, women on a career break, veterans and other marginalised communities.

“At Yubi, we seek to establish a workforce that is a true representation of our society's diverse communities. Our people are at the heart of everything we do at the organisation. Our DEI motto is co-creating while co-existing,” Tanya Mehan, Head - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Employer Branding, Yubi, said in a statement. “Yubi’s engagement with Vividhataa is another step in that direction, as this unique opportunity will amplify representation of underrepresented groups within the corporate workspace,” she added.

Nirbhik Goel, Chief Human Resource Officer, VFS Global, said that his company’s participation in the diversity job fair reiterated its long-term commitment to attract and induct more talent from different backgrounds. “Diversity, equity and inclusion has been a key focus area of VFS Global’s sustainability strategy,” said Goel. “We truly believe that diversity in the workforce brings unparalleled benefits of unique world views.”

Manisha J Agarwal, Director and Head – People & Organisation at Puma India & Thailand, echoed his sentiments. “As a brand, PUMA has a determined focus on diversity and inclusion across the business,” said Agarwal. “We are confident that this fair, with participation from across India, will aid us in accomplishing focused diverse hiring.”

Apart from the job fair, the two-day conference will include "initial sensitisation, orientation for everyone about the PwD community, different types of disabilities, and challenges they face at the workplace".

“Disabled folks are the largest minority in the world. We make up to about 15 percent of the total population. Despite that, basic access to necessities, education, employment and healthcare is a major challenge. Ableism is systemic and often lies in deep rooted stigma that we often don’t address. Hence opening up the conversation is the need of the hour,” said Gauri Gupta, a Disability Facilitator.

The programme also includes multiple panel discussions, fireside chats as well as learning activities such as an Indian sign language workshop. Panellists will include Gauri Gupta, Shaurya Chakra Indian Army veteran Colonel Vembu Shankar, equal rights activist Harish Iyer, global keynote speaker Hitesh Ramchandani, and transgender activist Maya Awasthy, among others.

“In my upcoming keynote at India’s Diversity Job Fair 2022, I will be sharing my secrets on how to deal with discrimination and how organization can practice diversity and inclusion. Ensuring every employee is given an equal opportunity to grow and contribute regardless of their differences,” said Ramchandani.