Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminum, has recruited seven transgender professionals for the security function of its plant at Jharsuguda (Odisha), which is one of the world’s largest aluminum smelters, on National Security Day. The seven employees, Aarunita Payasingh, Aarohi Sharma, Sandhya Yadav, Siddhi Nage, Khushi Dhruv, Pavitra, and Roma Dhruw, will join the company’s formidable security team and be responsible for ensuring strict round-the-clock security of the assets and workforce. This is the second hiring of LGBTQIA+ professionals at the company, with the previous recruits working at its Chhattisgarh-based subsidiary, BALCO, in security and material handling functions. Last year, the company embarked on a mission to expand its recruitment ambit to tap into the LQBTQIA+ talent pool, which has yet to find acceptance in the mainstream and corporate world.

With 14 transgender employees, Vedanta Aluminium is now among the handful of manufacturing companies in India and the world to have LGBTQIA+ employees in core operations. Globally, the gender diversity ratio in manufacturing and heavy engineering industries has traditionally been low, and this deficit is even more acute in metals and mining. To build a diverse workforce, the company has been working extensively towards attracting high-potential women and LGBTQIA+ professionals to join its ranks.

To ease their transition from the fringes of society to smart manufacturing plants, and help them evolve from semi-skilled people into professionals, the company has adopted a three-pronged approach that includes: Identification of trans people with the minimum required skills for working in a manufacturing industry by conducting skill mapping studies; Extensive training programs for the recruits, aimed at honing the required skillsets, including soft skills and business knowledge; and Building an empathetic and inclusive environment by conducting gender sensitization sessions for its workforce with respect to the social and psychological challenges of trans people, a proper code of conduct, and ways of working to build a cohesive and encouraging environment for all. This also includes ensuring the required infrastructural augmentations.

Going forward, the company intends to recruit more employees, both directly and indirectly through its business partners, from the LGBTQIA+ community to further increase the diversity of its workforce.

Rahul Sharma, CEO, Vedanta Limited – Aluminium Business, explains, “Our markets, customers, and businesses are diverse and complex. To match that, we believe in recruiting people with diverse experiences, skills, education, etc. so that the business strategies they formulate, the problems they solve, and the innovations they make are correspondingly well-rounded. The secret sauce for our healthy gender diversity ratio includes gender-agnostic job roles, a merit-driven work culture, a host of global experts who train and groom our employees for success, a sharp & rich learning curve, and a plethora of wellbeing initiatives designed to support them at every stage of their lives. Our ultimate objective is to build a wholesome culture that makes our employees and partners feel welcomed, encouraged, and empowered to deliver to the best of their potential.”

For more information: www.vedantaaluminium.com