Forty years in the industry have taught Prashant Kumar, CEO of Yes Bank, a powerful lesson: a diverse and inclusive world culture doesn’t happen by chance.
But even before Kumar took the helm of the bank in March 2020, Yes Bank was already an Indian market exemplar when it came to policies championing employees from all backgrounds and identities.
Kumar, though, moved to put the idea of conscious inclusion at the core of all that the bank does. In 2021, Yes Bank created its Diversity & Inclusion Council, charged with making D&I an internal engine for organizational innovation, value and growth, while also driving employee satisfaction. It also wants to tap into and internalize collective D&I knowledge and frameworks from around the world.
This makes Yes Bank the first port of call when government officials look to highlight an institution building a true culture of hiring, developing and retaining top female talent. Yes Bank is also a pioneer in organizing cross-cultural awareness training programmes to promote broader development.
The data points to progress all around. The bank’s 5,587 permanent women employees amount to a 20.6% female participation rate at the start of 2023 – from 18.8%