P&G commits to digital upskilling for 5 lakh women from lesser privileged communities in the next three years

New Delhi: FMCG major P&G India on Wednesday committed to providing digital upskilling opportunities to five lakh women from lesser privileged communities over the next three years in an efforts to drive equality and inclusion. Besides, P&G India will partner with over 50 educational institutes, including undergraduate colleges and post-graduate universities across the country under its initiative ShareThePride, said its MD & CEO L V Vaidyanathan. "With the aim of creating safe spaces and visible allies for the LGBTQ+ community, P&G will work towards sensitizing students, faculty, and staff." Along with this, the company will also partner with institutes to evolve the ecosystem to incorporate positive makers of an inclusive space," said Vaidyanathan at P&G India's annual #WeSeeEqual Summit.

Moreover, P&G which owns brands such as Ariel, Whisper, Tide and Head & Shoulders, also announced an Infertility Treatment Support policy for its employees and their partners. "Under this policy, P&G India will cover the expenses borne for infertility treatments like Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), etc," he said, adding "In line with our commitment towards inclusive policies, this program supports employees of diverse gender identities, sexual orientations, and family structures." While sharing updates, Vaidyanathan said P&G India over the last two years, has already invested over Rs 400 crore towards deliberately working with women-owned and women-led businesses in India.

This is part of P&G's commitment to spend a total of Rs 500 crore, from the year 2021 to 2025, he added. "P&G India achieved 50 per cent representation of female directors behind the camera for the company's brand advertisements - one year ahead of the commitment timeline of 2024," he said. P&G India's Whisper Menstrual Health & Hygiene Program has already educated over 2 crore girls on puberty and hygiene over the last two years, against a commitment of 2.5 crore girls by 2024. "The company will continue to focus on increasing awareness about the need for period education and preventing girls from missing and dropping out of school and renew the commitment to impact 2.5 crore girls over next 3 years," he said.

Similarly, under the 'P&G Shiksha Betiyan Scholarship Program' launched last year, it has worked with over 100 institutes to provide financial aid and mentorship opportunities to girls seeking to pursue higher education in Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). "This was done across technical institutes, undergraduate colleges, and post-graduate universities," he added.

Union Minister for Women & Child Development And Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani who was also present there said India has done better than several developed nations in taking care of women-related issues. "There have been economies around the world that have done stupendously well for themselves that are considered developed. We in India have done much better for gender justice," she said. Bills as medical termination of pregnancy at 24 Weeks were passed in both Houses of Parliament. "Now what is great about my country and I am pointing now as an Indian woman, is that no man in my country spoke against that bill. Every man in my country supported it, be it a politician or a citizen. And I think that is what is unique about our country," she said in a fireside chat with Vaidyanathan. The Prime Minister's endeavour was to ensure that Jan Aushadhi Kendra has 40 products specifically for women. "And the fact that a male Prime Minister and the first prime minister ever in the living history of our country spoke about access to a sanitary at one rupee from the ramparts of the red Ford was a defining moment in our democratic history. "We in the government, under the prime minister's leadership, are ensuring that access to such affordable products is expanded," she added.

When asked about issues such as menstrual hygiene, she said the Prime Minister leads from the front on issues such as issues. "I am glad to share that the Prime Minister is the first ever to give the country an administrative protocol for menstrual hygiene and how to dispose of the menstrual hygiene waste, product waste, and I think that shows the detail to which the government has gone on issues such as menstrual hygiene and access to such products," she added.