Foxconn has announced its commitment to placing women in lead roles within its design and technology-related verticals, in India. The move comes after allegations surfaced that the company was rejecting married women for jobs.
The company aims to advance gender diversity beyond assembly work.
The company, which employs 48,000 people across India, including 70 per cent women, has been actively hiring, with one-fourth of the new recruits being married women. Furthermore, Foxconn’s leadership has emphasised that many of the firm’s female employees are highly educated.
The company is focused on offering them opportunities to advance into higher positions in the design and technology segments.
Recently, the Tamil Nadu government launched a housing initiative for 18,720 women employed by Foxconn, highlighting the company’s significant female workforce. As part of its expansion efforts, Foxconn is also establishing a large-scale manufacturing plant near Doddaballapura in Karnataka. Additionally, the company is pursuing a ‘3+3 strategy’ to grow its business in three key areas: electric vehicles, digital health and robotics industries.
Regarding the discrimination allegations, the Company clarified that as per its policy, 25 per cent of its new hires comprise married women. Also, its safety protocols require that workers refrain from wearing any metal (that means, no jewellery or accessories), irrespective of the gender, race or religion they belong to. Presently, Foxconn has 70 per cent women in its workforce and 30 per cent men. Of the women, 20 per cent of the new entrants are married. In fact, the Tamil Nadu plant is the largest factory that employs women in India with the total strength being 45,000 during peak times.
