Cognizant Launches “Shakti” Initiative to Advance Women Leadership in Technology

Cognizant a leading company in professional services has unveiled its “Shakti” initiative. It is a comprehensive framework of women-centric programs and policies aimed at accelerating career growth and fostering women's leadership in technology. The company has also forged a partnership with Nasscom to establish best practices and collectively work towards making diversity and inclusion a defining characteristic of India’s technology sector.

Ravi Kumar, CEO of Cognizant expressed the company's commitment to become an employer of choice by embedding diversity and inclusion across all aspects of its operations. “Shakti will catalyze our efforts to enable more women to advance their careers and reach their full potential,” stated Kumar. He also emphasized the necessity of a diverse and inclusive workforce, especially in the era of generative AI where cognitive diversity becomes important.

Cognizant says to have achieved a remarkable milestone with nearly 40% of its associates in India being women, surpassing the IT industry’s average gender diversity of 36%. More than half of Cognizant’s 13 centers in the country have exceeded a 40% women workforce, and two of its largest centers are currently led by women leaders.

Cognizant’s “Shakti” initiative consolidates various women-centric programs under a unified framework that includes:

• RISE program: It is a leadership development initiative for mid-level women associates in India.
• Propel: It is a global leadership development program empowering senior-level women through coaching and mentoring.
• Returnship: A 12-week paid program focusing on upskilling to support women returning to work after a career break.
• Be Gritty: It is a training program for fresh campus hires to develop a growth mindset.

Cognizant has also introduced a company-wide allyship program to address workforce challenges faced by women and tackle biases. The company provides inclusive leadership training and fosters a sense of belonging through affinity groups. The “Women Empowered Affinity Group”, with around 50000 members and allies in India aims to enhance the work experience for women and contribute to the business impact.

Cognizant’s “Shakti” initiative signifies a bold step towards gender inclusivity in the technology sector emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts to create a diverse and empowered workforce.