Women in Leadership Touches 20%: 2025 Avtar & Seramount BCWI, MICI, BCESG Study
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Pharma leads in the ratio of women in leadership – 24.8% of Corporate Executives are women in the sector, followed by the GCC with 22% women at leadership levels.
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Female and male attrition rates similar at 20%; Better job opportunities, the no.1 reason for both women and men to quit
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Health/well-being related challenges emerge as a dominant reason for women to exit the workplace: even more than child-care responsibilities
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100% companies on the Most Inclusive Companies Index (MICI) focus on People with Disabilities (PwD), up from 58% in 2019
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Energy efficiency (90% companies) and solar adoption (80% companies) are the most prevalent sustainability strategies as per the 1st edition of Best Companies for Environment, Sustainability & Governance (BCESG)
Avtar, India’s pioneer and leading workplace culture consulting and inclusion solutions company, today announced findings from the 10th edition of Best Companies for Women in India (BCWI), listing. The findings mark an evolution in the integration of inclusion as an important business imperative in India Inc. In this landmark edition, the BCWI listing features 125 companies. For the first time, women’s representation in leadership touches 20%, even as overall women’s representation amongst Best Companies stays stable at 35.7%. Professional Services leads with 44.6% of workforce being women, followed by ITES with 41.7% women. Pharma with 25% of women, FMCG with 23% and Manufacturing with 12% women are intensifying their inclusion efforts.
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Dr. Saundarya Rajesh, Founder & President, Avtar
The study also examined reasons for which women and men quit work. While attrition rates of women and that of men are similar across levels in Best Companies with hovering around 20%, the no.1 reason for both women and men to leave their organizations is access to better job opportunities. Health/well-being related challenges emerge as another dominant reason for women to exit the workplace, even more than child-care responsibilities
In its 10th edition, BCWI received 365 applications from organizations across various industries, regions and sectors in India, out of which companies from industries as diverse as Automotive, BFSI, Chemical, Conglomerate, Consumer Products, E-Commerce, Global Capabilities Centre (GCC), Hospitality, Health Care, IT, ITES, Logistics and Management Consulting, Manufacturing, Media, Pharmaceutical, Professional Services, Revenue Cycle Management, Real Estate, Retail and Apparel, and Science & Engineering, Telecommunication and Utilities, made it to the Best Companies List. The 2025 Avtar & Seramount Top 10 Best Companies for Women in India listed alphabetically, are: Accenture Solutions Private Limited, AXA XL India Business Services Pvt. Ltd, Cairn Oil and Gas Vedanta Limited, EY, KPMG in India, Mastercard Incorporation, Optum Global Solutions (India) Private Limited, Procter & Gamble India, Tech Mahindra Limited and Wipro Limited. The full list can be viewed, here: www.avtarinc.com/enrich/best-companies-for-women-in-india-bcwi.
Avtar also released the seventh edition of its annual index – Most Inclusive Companies Index (MICI) that spotlights organizational commitment to include the diversity strands of Persons with Disabilities (PwD), LGBTQ+, generations and cultural diversity. From 58% companies focusing on People with Disabilities (PwDs) in 2019, the focus has increased drastically to an absolute 100% of companies focusing on the same, this year. The companies that feature in MICI together employ 9687 People with disabilities. LGBTQ+ inclusion also has gained widespread acceptance – from 23% companies focusing on LGBTQ+ in 2019, this has grown to 95%, this year. The 2025 Avtar & Seramount Champions of Inclusion, listed alphabetically, are: Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Allianz Services India, AXA XL India Business Services Pvt. Ltd, Encore Capital Group Inc, EY, IBM India Private Limited, KPMG in India, Mastercard Incorporation, Omega Healthcare Management Services Pvt. Ltd. and UST. The full list can be viewed, here: www.avtarinc.com/enrich/benchmarking.
For the very first time, Avtar also announced the Top 10 Best Companies for ESG. The BCESG framework evaluates companies on the three tenets of ESG – environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and governance excellence. This study revealed that energy efficiency (90% companies) and solar adoption (80% companies) are the most prevalent sustainability strategies, while hydroelectric and wind energy remain underutilized due to infrastructure and geographic limitations. While 100% of companies have a formal policy for occupational safety and health, 90% deliver ESG specific training to all its employees. The 2025 Avtar & Seramount Top 10 Best Companies for ESG, listed alphabetically, are: CGI, Eaton Technologies Pvt Ltd, EPAM Systems India Private Limited, GRP LTD, Infosys Limited, Lear Corporation, Solenis chemicals, Tata Communications Ltd, UST and Wipro Limited. The full list can be viewed, here: www.avtarinc.com/avtar-seramount-best-companies-for-esg-bcesg-in-india.
Dr. Saundarya Rajesh – Founder, President, Avtar, celebrating the progress expressed, “My heartiest congratulations to all our winners for bringing inclusion and belonging to life, through intention and focused action! The results are here for us to see – from an average women’s representation of 25% in 2016, the best companies have collectively grown to 35.7% women’s representation, this year. Women in C-suite leadership touches an impressive 20%, up from 13% in 2016. What’s truly encouraging is that these efforts extend beyond multinational corporations – the share of Indian companies that feature in the Best Companies listing has grown from 25% in 2021, to 40% this year.”
She further added, “As we honor the achievements of these frontrunners, many of whose journeys we have seen up close in the past 10 years, we are also inspired by the broader movement they are driving. One that empowers women, enables allies, embraces diverse identities and engages responsibly with sustainability, helping unlock the full potential of the workforce!”
“What inspires me about the Most Inclusive Companies Index is the real change it sparks-helping organizations in India break down barriers, design thoughtful solutions, and open new opportunities for underrepresented talent,” said Subha Barry, President of Seramount. “This recognition reflects the passion and commitment of leaders who are creating workplaces where women, LGBTQ+ employees, persons with disabilities, and talent across generations feel valued and can truly thrive.”
About Avtar
Avtar, founded in 2000 by Dr Saundarya Rajesh, is one of India’s leading workplace culture consulting and inclusion solution firms, supporting hundreds of companies in creating diverse and supportive workplaces. Avtar is credited with introducing the concepts of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to Indian corporates, and is also the country’s largest provider of second career opportunities for women. As the earliest firm in India to provided end to end inclusion solutions, Avtar’s services span a broad spectrum, including culture diagnostics, inclusion enablement trainings, conferences & events and culture-first hiring solutions.
For more details, please visit www.avtarinc.com.
About Seramount
Seramount is a strategic professional services and research firm dedicated to supporting high-performing, inclusive workplaces. Over four decades, weve established a strong, data-driven understanding of the employee experience, which lays the groundwork for everything we do. Seramount partners with over 450 of the world’s most influential companies, large and small, to offer pragmatic solutions including best practice DEI research, workplace assessment, employee learning and development, and talent sourcing. These offerings empower companies to navigate a dynamic corporate environment and to cultivate a resilient, connected workforce that achieves extraordinary outcomes.
For more details, please visit www.seramount.com.
