Pune, 19 July 2024: Godrej Properties Ltd., a leading real estate developer in India, launched the Pune Chapter for the Collective of Real Estate Women (C.R.E.W). This nation-wide initiative is aimed at empowering women professionals in the real estate, construction, and allied sectors Godrej Properties has always been at the forefront of diversity and inclusion, boasting 31% representation of women, LGBTQ, and PWD employees with 32% women representation seen in Pune for FY24.

Among the key components of the program is Project Woolf, an internal study that engaged over 500+ women, analyzing attrition and engagement data, and developing targeted solutions based on functional and emotional needs. A key finding revealed that the emotional needs of women employees outweighed their functional requirements in the workplace, highlighting the importance of creating a supportive and empathetic work environment.

C.R.E.W is envisioned as a holistic approach that goes beyond mere numbers, focusing on creating an ecosystem where women can truly thrive by addressing both functional and emotional needs. This initiative is not confined to Godrej Properties but is envisioned as a national movement to inspire the real estate sector to prioritize gender diversity.

Megha Goel, CHRO, Godrej Properties Limited, said, “The rationale behind launching this forum stems from all the work that we have done till now in the space and where we want to reach. We look forward to building CREW over the next few years as a thriving collective of all women in the real estate sector, especially on the construction side, which typically has not been the most attractive sector for women. The insights from our internal study 'Project Woolf' highlight the importance of creating a supportive and empathetic work environment to help us build on data-based insights for women representation and inclusion.”

The launch event gathered influential leaders and professionals, marking a significant step towards advancing gender diversity and inclusion in the industry. It featured panel discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities.

The panel discussion titled “Decoding Opportunities to Increase Women Representation in Real Estate” included Dr. Sushma Kulkarni, Vice Chancellor of NICMAR University, Pune, Ms. Gayatri Vasudevan, Chief Impact Officer at Sambhav Foundation, Ms. Hemamalini Uppoor, CEO of Nina Percept Pvt Ltd., and Ms. Akila Jayaraman, Region Head at Godrej Properties. They shared strategies for fostering inclusive workplaces, challenging stereotypes, and promoting mentorship and targeted education for women in real estate.

C.R.E.W’s activities are tailored to India’s unique cultural and business context, addressing gender norms and biases for relevance and effectiveness. The platform promotes flexibility policies, work-life balance, and career growth to drive culture change and engage employees at all levels. Godrej Properties’ commitment to an inclusive workspace drives C.R.E.W, enhancing creativity, innovation, and business performance.

C.R.E.W addresses the underrepresentation of women in real estate, leveraging their talent to drive growth and excellence within the sector, creating an environment where everyone can prosper, stated a press release.