Careers
I was excited to join Escient in August 2021. The company is new and growing and I knew there would be many opportunities to leverage and extend my experience in Delivery and Project Management whilst providing a path to leadership roles.
Inclusion and Diversity for a better life.
One of my passions is Inclusion and Diversity in the workplace – so when the opportunity came up to lead the in-house program I jumped at the chance.
The A.B.I.D.E. team, as we call our group, is an acronym for Accessibility, Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity. We have three workgroups which focus on Gender, LGBTIQ+ and Belonging/Culture. Our team is developing activities and content to support our People and Culture strategy that ensures, as Escient grows, we also maintain a culture that values all employees for their whole selves.
I feel courage, empathy and resilience are in my DNA.
I was brought up by two very special women, my mum, and my paternal grand mum. While mum was kind, respectful and compassionate, my grand mum was a strong and independent woman. Though both were very different in nature, they both displayed courage and confidence even though they didn’t have an easy life.
India is a classic example of patriarchal society, but I’ve been fortunate to not experience any bias growing up. It was not until I started working and moved into a leadership role that I saw a difference in behaviour. That’s when I realised that most women don’t have a support system like I did. They had to pick between work and personal life after marriage and/or childbirth. That’s when I first wanted to provide support and guidance to these young women.
Moving to the US and then to Australia, this journey introduced me to many strong and diverse people, who helped me appreciate the significance of diversity and inclusivity. Each interaction has been a learning experience that has added to my understanding and perspective. A culture of Inclusion and Diversity both at work and home adds value. That’s why I am strong advocate of I&D.
What is next?
Recently Escient became a member of the Diversity Council Australia (DCA). What has impressed me, and why we joined, is the rich content and research that has been developed. In addition, the access to I&D planning tools has assisted in us tightening our strategy and purpose.
Our initial strategy is framed as awareness, and we are seeking to:
- Celebrate all individual stories and backgrounds
- Attract the very best people to our organisation without Bias
- Retain our talent through Belonging, and
- Encourage our people to be authentic and the best versions of themselves.
There is so much to learn as we progress and grow but what our team wants – more than anything – is to make a difference for our colleagues by making sure we have a culture where everyone feels welcome.
