India sees 24% YoY rise in diversity hiring: foundit report

The share of women in diversity hiring grew from 53% to 68% this year, according to foundit report

By  Storyboard18| Jun 5, 2025 12:52 PM
Across the key groups, women constituted the largest share at 68% for diversity hiring

Diversity hiring has witnessed a strong momentum in India's white-collar job market in the past year. According to a report by the job platform foundit (formerly Monster APAC & ME), a 24% increase in YoY diversity hiring was seen in India, led by a surge in the consumer electronics sector, and logistics & transportation sector.

Across the key groups, women constituted the largest share at 68% for diversity hiring. Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) accounted for 5%, indicating ongoing efforts to enhance accessibility and inclusion. The broader Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) category—which now includes LGBTQIA+ individuals, women, PwDs, and other underrepresented groups—stands at 27%.

The share of women in diversity hiring grew from 53% to 68% this year, the job platform said.

Sector-wise, IT-Software & Services led in D&I hiring at 23%, followed by BFSI at 21%, Consulting & Analytics at 12%, ITES & BPO at 10% and Pharma at 8%, respectively.

The software & services sector grew its share of diversity hiring from 19% to 23%, while BFSI dipped from 30% to 21% over the last year. Sectors like e-commerce, retail, telecom, FMCG, and manufacturing are also advancing on their DEI journeys, the report mentioned.

"Encouragingly, diversity hiring has evolved into a strategic priority, with organizations embedding inclusion into core HR practices to drive meaningful representation for women, Persons with Disabilities, and other underrepresented groups," Anupama Bhimrajka, VP of Marketing at foundit said.

The women-centric hiring was majorly seen in metro cities, driven by proactive initiatives in BFSI and IT leadership pipelines. Notably, companies based out in Mumbai and Pune are offering structured return-to-work programs and implementing diversity quotas in mid-to-senior management roles.

In terms of hiring Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), Delhi/NCR and Bengaluru are leading the way, particularly in roles across operations, HR, and government contracts.

Tags
First Published onJun 5, 2025 12:50 PM

SPOTLIGHT

Brand MakersThird edition of Storyboard18's 'Share The Spotlight' is coming to Delhi!

Storyboard18's signature initiative 'Share The Spotlight' returns with its Delhi edition, bringing together business leaders and changemakers to honour women rewriting the rules and sparking transformation.

Read More

IN PHOTOS: At Global Pioneers Summit, visionaries chart the future of business and creativity

From the chiefs of Nestle, Diageo, Colgate, PepsiCo, Zetwerk and CRED to AI visionaries, marketing mavens, top creators, ad legends and leading global agencies' CEOs, the brightest minds converged at the Storyboard18 Global Pioneers Summit for an action-packed day of meaningful dialogues on creativity, commerce and culture.