en
Global
On April 23rd, 2018 twenty growth-oriented women business owners gathered at P&G’s Mumbai Campus to kick off the inaugural Women Businesses Empowerment Program (WBEP) that was successfully launched in partnership with P&G and WEConnect International.
The WBEP aims to empower women business owners in India through capacity building, training, and mentorship to help grow and scale their businesses in domestic and global markets. The training program will hold interactive sessions throughout the month of May.
During the opening session, curriculum focused on the technical aspects of business development, with topics ranging from digital marketing, sales pitch development, and consumer behavior strategies, to tax compliance, operations, and procurement processes. Participants were able to interact with and hear from corporate partners such as EYand PwC, and other successful WEConnect International Certified Women’s Business Enterprises who provided invaluable insight, training, and inspiration for the women entrepreneurs enrolled in the program.
“It is amazing to see the seriousness and sincerity in which P&G has organized these sessions,” says women-business owner and WBEP participant Reema Sathe. “Not only has this session given me insights to help my business, it has also opened my mind to different life experiences.”
P&G India leadership played an active role in the program’s opening session, welcoming speakers such as Sharad Lad, Director Product Supply Purchases & Global Business Services; Al Rajwani, Managing Director; Sonali Roychowdhry., Director HR; Joelle Zilliox, Purchasing Director, India & Middle East; and Sonali Dhawan, Marketing Head.
The procurement team at P&G also took an energetic role, engaging and interacting with participants to understand each of their individual businesses.
“We want to create a world free of gender bias,’ says P&G Purchasing Director for India and the Middle East, Joelle Zilliox. “Our focus is creating equal economic opportunity for women. Companies buying from minorities and women are more successful and build better communities.”
The WBEP program will reconvene from May 10th-11th, with a final session and gradation to be held from May 24th-25thin Mumbai, India. The WBEP is the 7thconsecutive, capacity training program that has been implemented in partnership with P&G and WEConnect International. Over the last 12 months, their joint initiative has successfully implemented programs in China, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Turkey, and the UK.
