Marking International Women’s Day, Vedanta Limited has announced a new organisational target to increase women’s representation to 35% across its workforce. The company also launched #HerAtTheCore, a nationwide campaign and LinkedIn-led recruitment initiative encouraging women to pursue careers across the natural resources sector, including mining, metals, oil and gas, power, and technology.
The announcement comes at a time when female participation in India’s industrial workforce remains limited. According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation through the Annual Survey of Industries, women accounted for roughly 18% of direct employment across industries in 2023–24, while representation in core sectors such as mining and metals remains close to 6%.
The #HerAtTheCore campaign highlights the importance of expanding participation as India enters a decade of industrial expansion driven by the global energy transition, electric vehicle supply chains, and advanced manufacturing. Sectors such as metals, minerals, oil and gas, and power will play a critical role in supporting these developments.
At present, women represent about 23% of Vedanta’s workforce, significantly higher than the industry average. Through the campaign message “6% isn’t enough and 23% is just the beginning,” the company aims to highlight the gap in representation while encouraging women professionals to consider careers in core industries.
Priya Agarwal Hebbar, who also serves as Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Limited, said India’s economic ambitions require broader participation across its workforce. She noted that the company’s long-term goal is not only to increase representation to 35% but ultimately move toward parity.
A key component of the strategy involves integrating advanced technology into operations. Increasing automation, digital monitoring systems, and remote operations have transformed mining and metals facilities into technology-driven environments where productivity is determined by technical expertise rather than physical strength.
Vedanta has introduced several initiatives to expand opportunities for women across operational roles. These include women-led teams operating aluminium production lines at the company’s smelter in Jharsuguda, women engineers working in underground mining operations, and specialised roles in power generation and hydrocarbon processing. The company has also deployed women in underground mining operations following regulatory reforms introduced in India in 2019.
Beyond recruitment, Vedanta supports long-term career growth through return-to-work programmes after maternity leave, flexible work arrangements, leadership development tracks, and spouse-employment support in remote locations. Through the #HerAtTheCore initiative, the company is inviting women engineers, geologists, operators, and technology specialists to participate in shaping the future of industries central to India’s economic growth.
