AMCHAM’s Hyderabad Chapter, in association with EY, organized a session on DEI at the office of Carrier Technologies on December 7th in Hyderabad. Mr. Prakash Bodla, Chairman – Hyderabad Chapter, AMCHAM opened the session by welcoming participants and the Consul General. Ms. Jennifer Larson, Consul General, U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad, in her opening address mentioned the importance and relevance of DEI today. Ms. Alpana Dutta, Partner, Workforce Advisory EY & EMEIA Leader – Purpose, Culture and Leadership and Ms. Priyanka Gupta, Director, Workforce Advisory EY, Global Business Services Talent Leader, shared their views. A poll was conducted to check the top three challenges to an inclusive culture that each organization was actively addressing. Ms. Dutta discussed DEI opportunities and challenges that have cropped up with hybrid/remote work systems.

This was followed by a panel discussion with Mr. Deshant Kali, MD, Pepsico, Ms. Sharmila Khan, Director – Country HRBP, Micron Technology, Ms. Vasudha Bommireddy, VP Engineering, Providence India and Mr. Prakash Bodla, MD and VP Engineering, Carrier Technologies India Ltd. Panelists shared how the DEI strategy shifted to adapt to new ways of working and strategies beyond gender but extending to cultural and language barriers. Panelists discussed the unconscious bias that exists and how it needs to be consciously addressed. The key objectives aligned to business, how DEI has become a business imperative more than something that is regulatory or mandatory and how to leverage allyship to build a sustainable culture of DEI were highlighted.