Partnering for Progress: Lodha Utilizes Udaiti’s Insights to Boost FLP

By Lodha

Lodha: Championing Gender Equality in Real Estate

As India marches toward its 2047 goals, unlocking the potential of its women workforce is critical to building a prosperous nation. Lodha, India’s leading real estate developer, has taken significant steps to increase female labour participation (FLP) within the company, setting an example for the industry. With the national FLP rate at just 18%, Lodha’s leadership is demonstrating a strong commitment to gender equity through deliberate, actionable initiatives.

Women at Lodha are already making substantial contributions across various departments, helping the organisation grow while advancing India’s socio-economic goals. For instance, the Head of Sales, in collaboration with HR, has introduced a ‘Women in Sales Leadership Program’ to enable more women to ascend to leadership roles. Similarly, several construction heads mentor female graduate engineer trainees and facilitate professional pathways for women in construction—a traditionally male-dominated sector.

Lodha’s Customer Experience team has implemented practices that acknowledge the dual responsibilities many women manage. By shifting team meetings to earlier hours, the department ensures that staff can leave the office on time, fostering a supportive work environment. These efforts reflect Lodha’s dedication to equity and opportunity for women across its workforce.

Moreover, Unnati, a flagship initiative by the Lodha Foundation, is dedicated to empowering women by dismantling the barriers that prevent their participation in the formal workforce. Through the Unnati Skill Development Centre, Unnati not only offers job readiness and placement services but also supports women access mentorship that may be the first time to avail such opportunities to become job-ready with professional support. These efforts are designed to nurture an ecosystem where women professionals can have choices: to obtain opportunities crucial to personal and professional development, realise financial independence and thrive.

Leveraging Udaiti Foundation’s Data for Strategic Advancement

To bolster its gender equity initiatives, Lodha has partnered with the Udaiti Foundation, a leading advocate for women’s economic empowerment. Through Udaiti’s research and platforms, Lodha has been able to refine its strategies for increasing FLP and creating a more inclusive workplace.

When Udaiti released a report revealing that while 70% of companies have diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals, only 20% have actionable plans, Lodha stood out as an exception. Recognising that a one-size-fits-all DEI strategy would not suffice for a company with diverse departmental needs, Lodha adopted a tailored approach.

An early adopter of Udaiti’s ‘Close the Gender Gap’ platform, Lodha used the tool to generate a comprehensive report on its FLP metrics using public data. This report provided actionable insights, helping Lodha refine its ongoing project of establishing a female labour participation scorecard. The scorecard disaggregates key human capital indicators—such as gender, age, tenure and job level—by department. This nuanced view of FLP data allows Lodha to address department-specific needs effectively.

The insights from Udaiti’s report spurred internal discussions, emphasising that simply tracking FLP data through scorecards is insufficient. To drive meaningful progress, Lodha recognised the need for each department to develop customised strategies and document actionable plans tailored to their unique challenges and work cultures.

Department-Specific Strategies: A Tailored Approach

In a diverse organisation like Lodha, departments such as construction management differ significantly from finance, marketing, and legal in their operations and workforce dynamics. Recognising this, Lodha has prioritised a departmental approach to tackling FLP challenges. Select departments, including Sales, Customer Experience, Procurement, Material Management, and Hospitality, are leading the way. These teams are conducting key informant interviews with department heads and focus groups with female employees to unpack the nuances of the FLP data provided by the Unnati Scorecard. These discussions are helping identify specific barriers to women’s recruitment, engagement, learning, development, and advancement within each department.

By the end of the next month, these departments will finalise 2-4 actionable strategies tailored to their unique needs. These strategies will then be piloted for 6-12 months, with progress evaluations scheduled at 1, 3, and 6-month intervals. This iterative approach ensures that strategies remain relevant and effective while addressing the evolving needs of the workforce.

Pioneering Change Through Data-Driven Actions

Lodha’s collaboration with the Udaiti Foundation underscores the power of data-driven decision-making in advancing gender equity. By leveraging insights from the women’s economic empowerment ecosystem, Lodha is refining its strategies to ensure increased representation and support for women in the workplace.

The company’s efforts extend beyond simply achieving FLP targets. Lodha is fostering a culture where women’s needs and aspirations are at the forefront of workplace enhancements, aligning its initiatives with broader national goals. By setting an industry benchmark for gender equity, Lodha is proving that inclusive practices are not only a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage in today’s competitive landscape.

As Lodha continues to lead by example, its journey serves as an inspiration for organisations across sectors to take meaningful action toward gender equity. With deliberate strategies, tailored departmental actions, and a commitment to continuous improvement, Lodha is paving the way for a future where women thrive in every aspect of the workforce.