Aim to boost female representation in leadership roles to 25% worldwide by 2025, asserts Anupama Raman, head of the Software Academy at Continental Technical Center in Bangalore.

In the ever-evolving landscape of the automotive industry, Continental is making strides towards gender equality. The German multinational corporation, known for its strong core values, is actively working to limit the possibility of discrimination and foster a more inclusive environment.

One of the key initiatives driving this change is Continental's Women@Work, a programme that connects women early in their career with senior executives and a global network of women from every area in the company. This initiative is designed to provide opportunities for growth and development, bridging the gap between junior and senior roles.

The tech sector, including the automotive domain, is witnessing an increase in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in areas like user experience and safety. Recognising this trend, Continental, like many tech companies, is launching initiatives to recruit more women. This includes earmarking certain positions for women, providing fast track career options, special grooming and mentoring programmes, flexible work timings, in-house creche facilities, dedicated help lines, and other support systems.

In India, Continental runs the WE-LEAD program, a customised development programme for grooming women leaders. The WE-LEAD program supports mid-career women to pursue their personal and professional aspirations with confidence and develop business and leadership skills. The 7-month programme includes comprehensive development through interventions such as individual assessments, workshops, webinars, coaching, and action learning.

Despite these efforts, the count of women in senior leadership positions in technology areas remains comparatively low. Acknowledging this, Continental has set a global target to increase women in leadership positions to 25 percent by 2025.

To further incentivise gender diversity, Continental implements specific initiatives. These include linking ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria to financing conditions, where interest rates on credit lines depend partly on the share of women in management roles. This innovative approach encourages a more balanced workforce.

Continental also recognises the importance of continuous learning and development in the tech field. Anupama Raman's firm, for instance, uses dedicated learning paths for acquiring skills at various levels in AI and Cyber Security. Individuals are sponsored to attend leading national and international conferences in these fields, and hands-on practice sessions with real-time data are used to foster the application of knowledge gained in trainings.

However, the tech industry in India has seen a significant decrease in the number of women in mid and senior management roles. A study by the World Bank and the National Sample Survey Organization found that 20 million Indian women quit jobs between 2004-12, with marriage, relocation after marriage, and childbirth being among the top reasons for this decrease. Of those who quit, approximately 65-70% never returned to work.

Recognising these challenges, Continental has comprehensive codes of conduct, well-established policies, training programs, awareness programs, etc. aimed at removing any conscious and unconscious biases that may exist. The adoption of technologies that support high-performance computing, such as CUDA and Adaptive AUTOSAR, is being considered for the near future.

In conclusion, Continental's commitment to gender diversity is evident in its initiatives and strategies. By providing opportunities for growth, fostering continuous learning, and creating a supportive environment, the company is working towards a more balanced and inclusive workforce in the tech industry.

Aim to boost female representation in leadership roles to 25% worldwide by 2025, asserts Anupama Raman, head of the Software Academy at Continental Technical Center in Bangalore.