ADA announced an extension of existing practices and implementation of new ones, in conjunction with the company’s International Women’s Day celebration. As a company that embraces diversity from the very start, ADA has proudly and actively been closing the gender gap across its 9 markets in South and Southeast Asia; and this includes:
- 49% female employees
- 46% of total new hires in 2020 are female
- 50% of promoted employees in 2020 are female
- 38% female in the leadership team
Srinivas Gattamneni, CEO, ADA, said: “At ADA, we believe that a gender diverse workforce not only makes good business sense, but is an asset to the communities we live and work in. We encourage all our people to build strong foundations at home and the workplace, whilst continuing to expand their career opportunities and rise to leadership roles.”
Officially kicked-off during a virtual celebration for International Women’s Day yesterday, ADA also celebrated their women’s achievements, raised awareness against unconscious bias through a panel discussion, and took action for equality with a pledge.
During the observance, 28 of ADA’s practice and country leaders alongside Srinivas signed a Gender Equality Pledge and took an oath to vow to uproot gender biases and cultivate a sustainable, equitable, balanced, and inclusive environment for all employees. The virtual event was attended by more than 600 employees across its markets.
As part of the pledge, the company will be rolling out an ‘Unconscious Bias’ module, which actively challenges all employees, including its leaders, to be aware of the potential biases that may negatively affect decision-making and behaviour in the workplace.
“The pledge and the commitment we made today does not stop here. These issues faced by women happens every day, and it needs to be addressed daily. Not continuing these on a daily basis will give us a false sense of accomplishment. Therefore, we must continuously improve benefits as we move towards wholesome gender balance,” added Srinivas.
Effective 8 March 2021, ADA employees can expect the following new and refreshed practices and policies:
- Maternity benefits now include up to six months leave; four full months paid leave, and two months of half-paid leave;
- Paternity benefits for partners of up to two-weeks paid leave;
- Flexible work arrangements to accommodate employees’ life and family needs, and essential maternity leave;
- Employee growth initiatives:
- Grow Programme: Allows all employees, regardless of gender, to engage in professional courses and certification affiliated with leading universities and institutions;
- Mentorship Programme: As an extension of the Grow Programme, employees can request a one-on-one mentorship with a senior executive in the company, across any market
As an organisation, ADA vows to continuously measure, develop, and improve benefits and packages, with the changing demographics of its teams and their personal growth. Learn more about the Women of ADA and their stories here: ada-asia.com/women-at-ada/.
