In its maiden 'Women in Leadership - Challenges, Opportunities, and Best Practices' report, Flipcarbon highlighted the gender inequality in leadership roles across businesses in the country. The in-depth report talks about women’s participation in the workplace, their role in building a sustainable future and shares best practices for building a diverse workplace.

Respondents for the 'Women In Leadership' report comprise 68 per cent female, 30 per cent male, and 2 per cent from other categories. They represent diverse management levels, including 27 per cent senior management, 29 per cent middle management, and 36 per cent junior management.

The key data points in the report suggest that in FY 2020, 40 million students were enrolled in higher education in India. This is expected to rise to 92 million by FY 2035. Female enrolment in engineering colleges, which was 9 per cent in 2017, increased to 20 per cent in 2021, and female students now make up 58 per cent of total undergraduate enrolment in the fall of 2021. 

Talking about representation in leadership, according to the report, more than three-quarters of corporate boards have less than 25 per cent female representation. Across most elements explored, women continue to have less than 50 per cent, if not abysmally insignificant opportunity to participate and prove themselves and only 11 per cent of organisations have more than 50 per cent female representation across all levels of management. 

Only 65 per cent believe there are equal opportunities for both genders among their employees. Initiatives such as flexible working arrangements, leadership mentoring programs, and gender-neutral recruitment are crucial for promoting diversity. While 25 per cent of women still face pregnancy or motherhood discrimination, across most organisations, maternity leave is still largely only legally compliant. 

Alok Ranjan, CEO of Flipcarbon, stated, "This is India’s century, and as we continue to showcase strength and leadership in areas such as technology and innovation, we also need to strengthen our focus on gender equality. We have seen a surge in female enrolment in higher education...Yet, when it comes to leadership roles in corporations, the numbers tell a different story.”