The 2025 Best of Best Conference & Awards began with an inspiring address by Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Managing Director, Avtar Group. Addressing the audience on the first day of the conference, Dr. Saundarya set the tone for the conference themed ‘Unbox Inclusion: Because the Future is Human,’ she also shared insights from Avtar’s benchmarking study ‘Best Companies for Women in India.’
Avtar’s Work in Women’s Workforce Participation
Avtar started in 2000 with the belief that a woman has what it takes to be career-intentional and a talent repository. Speaking a little more about Avtar and its work, Dr Saundarya mentioned that Avtar is a for-profit social enterprise that works in the space of career enablement services for women professionals. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, throughout its course, Avtar has been creating equitable and inclusive spaces in multiple organizations. Additionally, Avtar has also been influencing companies, educational institutions, and families of women professionals – in short, all aspects that influence women to rise to their fullest potential.
Problem Statement and the Business Game Changer
Speaking about the number or percentage of women’s participation in the workforce, the only solution was to identify ways to fill positions. But Avtar chose a different perspective – a new “avatar.” Instead of merely “filling positions,” the organization found ways for companies to become a talent magnet, so women can enter the workforce. Speaking about the nuances of inclusion, Dr Saundarya said, “Unlike before, the current market is changing, and the faster we adapt to the change, we will emerge as winners.” The idea of the conference and the theme on unboxing inclusion is the shift from policy to people. Inclusion is not about the standard “cookie-cutter” policy; it’s the focus shift to people, be it the minority or the majority.
Numbers changing the norms
The workforce market in the early 2000s was deep into the gender norms. Back then, workplaces were built around men’s careers and clockwork. Even if women found their place in the market, their role was often restricted to taking notes or performing other administrative roles, irrespective of their position. This is just the tip of the iceberg; lack of awareness and understanding played a pivotal role back then. Today, the tables have turned. Women’s employment has jumped from 23% in 2000 to 36% in 2025. In the 2000s, women held only about 10% positions in organizations, of which, 2% in leadership and board seats and 8% in managerial roles. The Best Companies for Women in India (BCWI) study indicates a shift of 18.7% board seats and 35.7% managerial rolesin 2025.
Key takeaways
Dr Saundarya’s address not only reinforced the statement that inclusion is not a parallel initiative but a core business strategy; she also set a reminder that leaders need to invest in systems and governance that enable equitable access to opportunities. Her address reinforced that organizations that align purpose with performance, treating diversity as a catalyst for innovation, trust, and long-term value, will be best positioned to lead in an increasingly complex and competitive world of work.
