Royal Sundaram: Building a Culture Where Everyone Belongs
“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — The world is one family
This ancient Indian ethos reflects the interconnectedness of all beings and inspires our commitment to inclusivity at Royal Sundaram. For us, it is more than a philosophy—it’s the foundation of our organisational culture.
We believe Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are not mere corporate imperatives but fundamental human values that shape a thriving, future-ready organisation. By embracing DEI, we empower our workforce and cultivate a culture where diverse perspectives spark creativity, equity builds trust, and inclusion fosters collective growth. This commitment strengthens our organisation’s core, keeping us agile, empathetic, and purpose-driven in a rapidly evolving world.
Embedding DEI for All Employees: Strategic Focus in FY 2024 – 2025
In the FY 2024–25, we deepened our DEI journey with a renewed strategic focus, leading to a meaningful partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and marking a pivotal milestone in our pursuit of an authentically inclusive workplace.
Our organisation-wide initiatives reflect this inclusive approach—supporting every employee, no matter their level or background:
- POSH Awareness Program: Selected employees underwent an intensive two-day training to become certified POSH Champions. These champions then led sensitisation sessions—both in-person and virtual—across the organisation, ensuring that every employee is informed, empowered, and aligned with our commitment to a respectful and safe work environment.
- Flexi-Work Policy: Royal Sundaram introduced a flexible working policy as part of our ongoing commitment to fostering employee health, well-being, and work-life balance. Under this policy, employees can opt to work from home one day a week. Additionally, recognising the unique needs of new mothers, work-from-home days were extended to support returning mothers during their transition.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP): To support mental health and overall well-being, Royal Sundaram partnered with a trusted EAP provider to offer confidential counselling services. The program helps employees navigate personal and professional challenges, with expert guidance on stress, work-life balance, emotional wellness, and more.
- Innovation Olympics: Launched to spark creativity across Royal Sundaram, the Innovation Olympics provides a platform for all employees to share ideas-big or small. It also offers coaching across levels and teams to harness collective knowledge. This initiative plays a key role in nurturing a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
- Buddy Match Program: The program is designed to foster a supportive and inclusive environment for our new joiners. Buddy Match program pairs experienced employees (Buddies) with new team members to help them navigate their first 2 months at our company.
Together, these initiatives create a workplace where every individual has the resources, support, and opportunity to succeed.
Empowering Women: Focused Initiatives to Accelerate Growth
Committed to gender equity as part of our broader DEI vision, Royal Sundaram has also designed tailored programs to support the growth and confidence of women employees:
- Women Accelerator Program (WAP): In line with Royal Sundaram’s renewed commitment to supporting the growth of our women colleagues, the Women’s Accelerator Program (WAP) was introduced in collaboration with Harappa UpGrad. This thoughtfully curated 3-month journey was designed to help mid-management women professionals enhance their skills through a dynamic blend of learning formats. The 20-hour program offered a well-rounded experience that encouraged continuous learning, confidence-building, and career progression.
- One-on-One Coaching: A select group of women employees participated in one-on-one sessions with an NLP-certified coach over a six-month period. These sessions were designed to help them build confidence, seek clarity in their roles, strengthen their ability to take on stretch assignments, and prepare for larger, more challenging responsibilities. This initiative reflects our belief in nurturing potential through meaningful, individualised development.
- Women ERG (Viva-Engage): A dedicated employee resource group hosted on the Viva-Engage platform, designed to help women at Royal Sundaram connect, share experiences, and grow together, nurturing a strong, supportive community.
These focused efforts sit within our wider DEI strategy, ensuring women’s empowerment is a vital part of an inclusive culture that benefits all.
Building a Strong DEI Foundation: Structured for Impact
To embed DEI deeply into Royal Sundaram’s DNA, we have taken organisational steps:
- Diversity Workshop: Following the diagnostic report shared by SHRM, a focused workshop was conducted with key leaders and enablers at Royal Sundaram. The session aimed to define actionable steps and establish measurable metrics, laying the groundwork for advancing our diversity agenda with clarity and purpose.
- Diversity Council & SAMATA: At Royal Sundaram, our DEI journey took a bold and structured leap forward with the launch of SAMATA—our dedicated DEI identity that symbolises balance, fairness, and unity.
To drive this vision with intent and accountability, a Diversity Council comprising focused leads across key pillars: Hiring, Engagement, Growth, Infrastructure, and External Stakeholder Interventions has been established. This council is entrusted with steering initiatives under SAMATA, ensuring that our DEI goals are not only well-defined but also deeply embedded across every layer of the organisation.
With this structured approach, we are laying the foundation for a workplace where equity is practised, inclusion is lived, and diversity is celebrated—every single day.
Employee Engagements at Royal Sundaram: Celebrating Our People, Culture & Well-Being
At Royal Sundaram, we believe that a connected, engaged, and valued workforce is the foundation of a thriving organisation. Our employee engagement initiatives are thoughtfully designed to celebrate individuality, strengthen bonds, and promote holistic well-being.
- Festival Celebrations: With 160 branches across the country, Royal Sundaram is a vibrant blend of diverse personalities and cultures—united by a shared commitment to Sundaram values. We celebrate all major festivals across our branches and corporate office, creating moments of joy, connection, and cultural pride that bring our people together as one family.
- Thrilling Thursdays: Moving beyond the usual Fun Fridays, select regional branches host Thrilling Thursdays—a series of energising activities like Teamwork and Build First that spark collaboration, creativity, and camaraderie.
- Parampara Workshops – Living Our Values: The Sundaram Values Socialisation Workshop is conducted periodically for tenured employees, deepening their connection to our nine core values and reinforcing alignment with our mission and culture.
- Long Service Awards – Honouring Loyalty: We proudly recognize employees who’ve completed 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service with RS, celebrating their dedication and long-standing contributions to our journey.
- Wellness Hour – Prioritising Health & Balance: Every month, we dedicate one hour to employee wellness through guided sessions focused on physical and mental health. These sessions also include curated programs on women’s health, reinforcing our commitment to holistic well-being.
- Royal Sundaram Cricket League: This year’s cricket tournament broke tradition, with women having their own independent play-offs. The passion, grit, and determination on display from all teams made the race for cricketing glory truly exciting and memorable.
Recognised as an Employer of Choice
In recognition of our people-first philosophy, Royal Sundaram was honoured with the Tamil Nadu Best Employer Brand Award 2024 by the World HRD Congress. This prestigious accolade celebrates our excellence in:
- Future-ready competency building
- Talent management and development
- Employee benefits and recognition
- Diversity, inclusion & women empowerment
- Workplace health promotion
A Culture That Leads with Purpose
As we continue to evolve, one thing remains clear—true progress lies in creating spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.
Whether it’s on the field, in the boardroom, or through everyday interactions, inclusion is not just about representation—it’s about participation, opportunity, and shared success.
At Royal Sundaram, we are not just building a workplace—we are nurturing a community. A community where every voice matters, every individual is valued, and every step forward is taken together.
Because at Royal Sundaram, when everyone plays, everyone wins.