ICICI truly "equal"
With safety becoming the biggest concern for women in some of the biggest cities of India, the country’s largest private banking sector, ICICI Bank has decided to do something to enhance the security of its women employees.
Beginning last month, the bank has set up a team to conduct self defence training for its female employees which constitute 25-30% of the workforce. Presently, the bank has 17000 women employees, including probationary officers across India. The bank has also instructed the branch supervisors and managers to monitor on how female employees are traveling after 9 pm in the night. If the work hours stretch beyond 9 pm, they would be provided a cab or a transport facility and be accompanied by a male colleague. The bank is also organizing quick-reaction mobile vans with two personnel who are medical professionals, driver, basic equipment and a first aid kit so that the bank’s control room can take charge and rush for help immediately on receiving a missed call or SMS in case a bank’s woman employee gets in an uncomfortable situation.
With the increase in crimes against women in the country, all companies should focus on safeguarding the security of their female employees. ICICI is heading in the right direction, empowering their employees; more public and private sector companies should follow this exemplary decision.