As a woman, I believe the work I do in India matters. Working alongside our Indian partners, I can help choose who we hire and have a say concerning who works on our projects. Though I am not an Indian woman myself, I have become educated concerning the social injustices women there endure. By personally working alongside men in India I can prove women can accomplish just as much as they can if given the opportunity. I believe this helps to create a balanced work environment and helps ensure the Indian women we employ are treated with greater dignity and respect.

A recent PEW Research study shows that three-quarters of Indians say violence against women is a “very big problem” – greater than the share who say communal violence is “a very big problem” (65%). Police cases registered as “crimes against women” nearly doubled between 2010 and 2019, and rapes and murders of women have led to massive protests across India.

I believe business can and should be a force for good. Employment empowers women, men, families, and communities as a whole.