D&I Spotlight of the Month | Piaggio Vehicles Private Ltd

Your leading DEI Initiative:
Piaggio India brought about a revolution in a predominantly male-dominated industry. In keeping with the Piaggio culture of inclusion, diversity, and innovation, an all-women team was recruited, trained, and given charge of the Electric Vehicle Assembly Line making its Apé Electrik range of products. The women proudly assemble and roll out batch after batch of absolutely zero-defect electric vehicles. These amazing women are not only leading the production but also have a lot of fun while doing so.

Piaggio has redesigned the workplace to make it ergonomically suited for women. This is not just to empower women, but also to bring workforce equality in the auto sector, which was long due. Diversity in the workplace is very important as it fosters innovation and growth. The strategy at Piaggio is to provide all women employees economic independence, parity of opportunities, which includes career development, and most importantly, escalating them to managerial and leadership positions. We intend to not only train women employees for manufacturing and the shop floor, but to hire and train women employees across the business value chain.

Employee Testimonial for this initiative:
Swapnali Jagtap: EV Technology is the need of the hour. It is pollution-free and eco-friendly, maintenance costs are low, reliable, and easy to drive. We love making these vehicles and we enjoy ourselves a lot while working.

Impact Statement:
The implementation of diversity and inclusion initiatives within an organization is paramount to ensuring a welcoming, respectful, and innovative work environment. By embracing diversity, organizations are better equipped to address the needs of a diverse customer base, leading to improved customer satisfaction and market expansion. In addition, a diverse workforce can bring a wide array of perspectives, ideas, and approaches to problem-solving, leading to more innovative solutions and better decision-making. Furthermore, diversity and inclusion initiatives can foster a culture of respect and understanding among employees, leading to higher employee morale and retention rates. By valuing and respecting individuals from all backgrounds, organizations can create a sense of belonging and empower their employees to perform at their best. This, in turn, can lead to increased productivity and collaboration among team members.

Your advice for organizations looking forward to working in this area:
Reviewing and updating the DEI policies regularly is just as important as adhering to them. Creating and promoting an inclusive, safe, and encouraging workplace where employees feel comfortable being their true selves can lead to increased job satisfaction, retention, and overall well-being.