Our DE&I Mission and Vision
At Acuity Knowledge Partners (Acuity), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) are at the core of the business, and we celebrate diversity in all forms. As a global organization with around 6K employees, we drive meaningful inclusion and help our people become better versions of themselves.
We continue to work towards creating an environment where talented individuals—irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation—are engaged, recognized for their contributions, and feel a sense of belonging.
The 4Ps that help us drive Inclusivity and Belonging
- People
- Process
- Platform
- Policy
Our People Practices
Our leaders are the biggest supporters and cheerleaders for the DEI agenda. They lead from the front. And they are the changemakers leading by example. We aspire to build an inclusive workplace where one can truly say #IBelongAtAcuity
Our Processes
DEI is an essential element of our cultural fabric. Diversity and Inclusion, for us, goes beyond Pride Month and social media jargon. We are initiating dialogues around the LGBTQ+ community. And every day, we are making progress by normalizing conversations, sensitizing, and bringing people to share their lived experiences.
Our Networking Platforms
We encourage uniqueness. We foster diversity. And we see individuals. Not as robots with a set of KPIs destined to fill a certain role; we see You as You. Who you are now, and who you want to be.
Our diversity networks – employee-run networking groups – spans; women, parents, multicultural, inter-generation, people with disabilities, and our very own LGBTQ+ allyship group, have been instrumental in driving a positive change and making employees feel welcome.
Our Policies
The changes in our policies have been the single largest catalyst for change. We are deeply committed to building a workplace free from bias and discrimination. And our DEI policy has been the biggest win, which embodies and reflects our dedication to creating an environment where our employees are valued, respected, and empowered. Since then, all the other policies have transformed to accommodate and include the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.
Our Diversity Network
Women’s Initiatives Network
Women Initiatives’ Network focusses on fostering and creating a safe space for women to bring their true, authentic selves to work with an emphasis on retention, career advancement, and nurturing women talent.
WIN seeks to enhance the recruitment, retention, and professional development of female professionals by implementing various developmental programs that foster greater interaction among peers as well as the broader community. Step-Up is our woman returnee program, introduced to give women on maternity leave a chance at getting back into the corporate world. RISE is our flagship group mentoring program for female employees, Project VELOCITY is our Women Leadership Development program, conceptualized to develop and support our mid-level female managers.
Prism
Our LGBTQ+ Ally Network—PRISM—aims to create awareness and understanding of the LGBTQ+ space and make Acuity a safe workplace where people feel valued and respected.
We, at Acuity, are working towards creating an environment that celebrates and recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion. We have always strived to make our company a place where differences are not just accepted, but valued and supported, a place where our people, regardless of gender, age, religion, and sexual orientation, can bring their unique selves to work.
Through PRISM, people outside of the LGBTQ+ community can act as catalysts for inclusion by promoting awareness and visibility of the network and becoming allies and agents of change.
Our employees actively participate in various interventions like ‘I am an Ally’, a series of stories of allyship featuring our employees or the Allyship Walk – A ramp walk for employees to display allyship, to demonstrate their support to the cause.
Our policies have been modified to make them more inclusive and gender-neutral in language and coverage.
The Parental Leave policy uses the terms Primary and Secondary Caregiver instead of using mother and father.
Same-sex partner and gender affirmation surgery are covered by the Group Medical Insurance.
Four weeks of leave is offered for employees who undergo gender affirmation surgery.
Intergenerational Network
BRIDGE is our Inter-generational Diversity Network; and it operates on the belief that bridging the generational gap requires more than just acknowledging differences, and aims to foster understanding and promote intergenerational dialogue and learning.
To spark meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchange, we have: reverse mentoring sessions where the young teach the experienced, diversity training that builds bridges of understanding and reduces unconscious bias, and fun intergenerational quizzes that foster empathy and awareness.
Multicultural Affinity and Growth Network
MAGNET is our Multi-cultural Affinity and Growth Network; seeks to leverage diverse talent by promoting recruitment, professional development, and networking opportunities for all ethnically diverse employees at Acuity.
MAGNET believes that building a strong, global organization necessitates fostering multicultural inclusion. MAGNET achieves this through various initiatives, like regional festival celebrations that showcase diverse cultures and traditions, peer-to-peer cultural exchange programs, such as language classes, cultural sensitization efforts through quizzes, heritage walks, and travelogues to broaden perspectives and appreciation for different ways of life.
Parents Encouraging Parents
Parents Encouraging Parents Network is our dedicated ERG for working parents. PEP is committed to empowering and supporting parents to better enable them to build their careers and families in sync with one another.
The network brings together parents, educators, child experts and professionals to share knowledge and experiences for building and improving parenting skills. The sessions by PEP cover a wide range of topics to help parents make informed decisions about their finances, external sessions by dentists and psychologists for the benefit of employees’ children, and other fun activities conducted online and offline for the employees’ kids.
LEAP
League of Extraordinarily Abled People Network is Acuity's youngest network. LEAP focuses on facilitating the creation of an inclusive, accessible and empowering environment for persons with disability.
This network is working towards making our infrastructure accessible, extend counselling services, and drive disability awareness training programs. Our journey towards PwD inclusion extends beyond our workplace; our CSR agenda joined hands with Samarthanam, an NGO dedicated to the education and employability of the visually impaired.
Our leaders inspire a culture of equality
and Belonging
Sumit Chhabra
Managing Director & Co-Head of Global Delivery Operations, Diversity Council Chairperson
Avadhesh Dixit
Chief Human Resources Officer
Parul Dhir
Director – Employee Engagement and DE&I
Sumit Chhabra
Managing Director & Co-Head of Global Delivery Operations, Diversity Council Chairperson
Acuity’s DE&I initiatives began with an aspiration for the organization to evolve from a successful company to a work family. It was never just about listening but cheering on every unique perspective, idea, and individual. We have come a long way in successfully achieving this.
One of the fundamental aspects that sets apart every individual is our uniqueness and that is why we celebrate to ensure that each one feels supported, appreciated, and ready to shine. Together, we create a space where we belong.
Avadhesh Dixit
Chief Human Resources Officer
We have always prided in ourselves being a people-first organization. Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practices are essential elements of our cultural fabric. For me, creating a diverse and inclusive workplace hasn't just been about the numbers; it has also been about fostering a sense of belonging. We are building a workplace where every employee can be themselves and realize their true potential.”
Parul Dhir
Director – Employee Engagement and DE&I
If inclusion is not intentional, the default is exclusion. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is a vibrant mosaic; each tile is a unique voice, a different perspective – coming together. As the head of DE&I, it is my endeavor that every unique voice finds its place, nourishes, and thrives. Acuity is an equal opportunity employer in policies, practices and in spirit; it is a space where all generations, genders, cultures, and all forms of diversity is respected, accepted and celebrated. Acuity is an out and proud ally to the LGBTQ+ community
Snapshots from our DE&I Events
Awards & Recognition
In the News
Acuity Knowledge Partners Presents Cutting-Edge AI Research for Financial Analysis at AAAI-2024 Conference
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Acuity Knowledge Partners recognised as a “Gold Employer” by the CFA Institute & CFA Society
CFA Institute & CFA Society, Gold Employer
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Confidence in fundraising for Private Equity and Venture Capital despite limited exit opportunities, reveals survey
Private Equity, Venture Capital
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Acuity Knowledge Partners Honoured with “Best CSR Project of the Year – 2024” Award for its Digital Education Initiative
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Acuity Knowledge Partners awarded iF Design Award 2024 for BEAT BankerHub
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Acuity listed as the Best Company for Women in India and Champion in the Most Inclusive Companies Index in Avtar & Seramount
best company for women, inclusion and diversity, most inclusive company
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