Arun Duggal launches mentoring program to foster women participation on corporate boards

In the interest of enhancing gender balance and increasing the number of women on corporate boards, a program has been launched to prepare more women to take up board positions. Through this mentoring program, board chairmen and corporate leaders will mentor and coach high-potential women to take up board positions.

This initiative has been launched by Arun Duggal Chairman, Shriram Capital Ltd, in his personal capacity. Selected woman mentees for the program will be assigned to a mentor, preferably in the same city, who can best develop them to join a board.Under this program, the board chairmen, directors and other senior professionals with extensive corporate governance and board experience will mentor and coach high-potential women to become ready to join corporate Boards. The program is being structured on the lines of such programs launched by Catalyst in the U.S and Canada.

Currently, the number of women on corporate boards in India is very low - only 5.2%. Sixty percent of BSE 500 companies do not have a single woman director. Through this initiative, mentee will attend a workshop which will be conducted by eminent lawyers, accountants, consultants, investment bankers, private equity firms, etc. on issues faced by Board of directors.

Besides mentoring, mentee will also be invited to attend a few Board meetings, committee meetings,and AGM of the company, after signing appropriate confidentiality agreement. Mentor and mentee will have a concluding meeting to discuss any pending issue.