Women in Leadership touches 20%: 2025 Avtar & Seramount BCWI, MICI, BCESG Study
Avtar, India’s leading workplace culture consulting and inclusion solutions company, today released findings from the 10th edition of the Best Companies for Women in India (BCWI) listing. This year marks a milestone, with women’s representation in leadership reaching 20%, while overall women’s representation in Best Companies remains at 35.7%. Pharma leads with 24.8% women in leadership, followed by GCC at 22%. Professional Services leads workforce gender diversity with 44.6% women, followed by ITES at 41.7%, FMCG at 23%, and Manufacturing at 12%.
The study also examined reasons for attrition. Women and men leave at similar rates, around 20%, with the top reason being better job opportunities. Health and well-being challenges emerge as a key factor for women exiting the workforce, surpassing childcare responsibilities.
In 2025, BCWI received 365 applications from companies across diverse sectors including Automotive, BFSI, Chemical, Consumer Products, E-Commerce, GCC, Health Care, IT, ITES, Manufacturing, Media, Pharmaceutical, Professional Services, and more. The Top 10 Best Companies for Women in India (alphabetically) are: Accenture Solutions Pvt Ltd, AXA XL India Business Services Pvt Ltd, Cairn Oil and Gas Vedanta Ltd, EY, KPMG in India, Mastercard Incorporation, Optum Global Solutions (India) Pvt Ltd, Procter & Gamble India, Tech Mahindra Limited, and Wipro Limited. Avtar also released the Most Inclusive Companies Index (MICI) highlighting inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PwD), LGBTQ+, generations, and cultural diversity. Focus on PwDs has risen from 58% in 2019 to 100% in 2025, while LGBTQ+ inclusion increased from 23% to 95%. The 2025 Champions of Inclusion include Accenture, Allianz Services India, AXA XL, EY, IBM India, KPMG, Mastercard, Omega Healthcare, Encore Capital, and UST.
For the first time, Avtar announced the Top 10 Best Companies for ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance). The study revealed energy efficiency (90%) and solar adoption (80%) as the most common sustainability strategies. Hydroelectric and wind remain underutilized due to infrastructure and geographic limitations. Top ESG companies include CGI, Eaton Technologies, EPAM Systems India, GRP Ltd, Infosys, Lear Corporation, Solenis Chemicals, Tata Communications, UST, and Wipro.
Dr. Saundarya Rajesh, Founder-President of Avtar, noted, “Women in C-suite leadership has grown from 13% in 2016 to 20% this year, while Indian companies now make up 40% of the Best Companies listing. These efforts go beyond MNCs, driving inclusion, allyship, and sustainability across India Inc.” Subha Barry, President of Seramount, added, “MICI sparks real change, opening opportunities for women, LGBTQ+ employees, PwDs, and multigenerational talent to thrive.”