In conversation with Tanya Chaitanya, the CEO of Her Circle & Digital and Diversity Initiatives at Reliance Industries Limited

In this interview with Agency Reporter, Tanya Chaitanya delves into the impact of digital and diversity initiatives. She shares valuable insights on how organizations can create a more inclusive work environment, harness the potential of digital technologies, and pave the way for a brighter and more equitable future.

AR- How do you believe digital platforms have contributed to empowering women and creating a more inclusive society?

Tanya- Digital platforms offer democracy, that is always a good thing. Not to say that danger does not lurk online, but if exercised with caution, digital platforms give women options to stay aware, connected and informed.

Another aspect is the fact that women’s mobility in the real world, especially in smaller towns is often limited due to safety, security and lack of infrastructure. Digital platforms give them the access albeit virtually.

AR- In what ways have you seen digital platforms provide opportunities for women to showcase their talents and skills?

Tanya- If we talk of digital, especially social media, so many women have come to the fore. They are not celebrities but regular women who have a talent and found their niche. A chef, a dancer, a yoga enthusiast, a fitness specialist, a human rights activist, an equality advocate—the digital revolution has given wings to women with different skills and talents.

AR- Can you share any specific examples or success stories where digital platforms have played a significant role in advancing women’s rights and promoting inclusivity?

Tanya- Her Circle, India’s largest digital platform for women, is a choice that gives every woman a strong voice. With our 300 million plus reach and 2.45 lakh registered users, Her Circle is a multiverse for women covering content, social networking, personalised tracking, job opportunities, upskilling, wellness help, financial advice and entrepreneurial expertise. We are multilingual and available in English and Hindi. Her Circle is an initiative to bridge the digital gender divide via a circle of sisterhood and light.
A case in point is our special initiative, The Her Circle EveryBODY project. Here we promoted body positivity and have featured influencers with a difference. Our coverpeople each month for this project fit into no pre-conceived notions of perfection. They are diversity advocates across size, skin, colour, body, neurology and physicality and they are making the world a kinder place, one post at a time. Take for instance, Pooja and Norah, the mom-daughter duo in which the five-year-old child has Down Syndrome. When we featured them we got amazing reviews on how neurodiversity is often ignored and rarely mainstreamed. We opened up on conversations on size-inclusivity, special needs.

AR- As a leader, what strategies or initiatives have you implemented to promote diversity and inclusion within your organization?

Tanya- I’ve been a follower of the belief that for a work culture to be truly inclusive, it needs to cascade leadership onwards. Often the language we use or the jokes we make (mostly innocuously-intended), can overstep boundaries. Talking down is a major concern and leaders must always guard against it. Gender awareness and inclusion are the way forward. I have simple 3I formula that I look at:

Initiate—ask her opinion on crucial decisions; often times women stay silent lest they be ridiculed/pushed aside.
Involve—keep her involved and informed of the change being effected; women deserve to hear their praise in a room full of mixed-group professionals.
Identify—the first two steps will help identify the women leaders of the future for the company.

AR- How do you ensure that diversity is embraced and valued in the workplace and that all employees have equal opportunities for growth and advancement?

Tanya- Equal opportunities should be integral to any system. Some key pieces of advice would be to:

Listen. If we only listen to the loudest, boldest individuals in our team we don’t know the full picture; it’s important to encourage the quieter ones to also share their ideas for growth. And after listening, we need to discern and decide and act upon what we hear by observing.

Look. Keenly observe and look beyond the limits. Be aware of the innovations/trends in your space and look for ways to build/transform/create.

Focus. Eyes always on the prize. The background noise and distractions need to be drowned out. Once listened/observed, it’s time to focus and put down on paper the clarity and vision.

Delegate. Always involve the team when building a plan. Post training, hand over the plan to them and allow them the freedom to run it to the best of their abilities.

Celebrate. It’s important to achieve but it’s equally pertinent to stop and celebrate the big and small milestones. At Her Circle, my team and I give each other constant feedback and high-fives.

AR- How do you navigate the constantly evolving nature of the digital landscape and keep your team motivated and innovative?

Tanya- A good question and something that digital as a space teaches us on the go. It’s like standing at the entrance of a local train and allowing the crowd to push you in. You resist the crowd, you miss the train. Each time a new innovation is announced, I jump in and test-drive it myself. I get the team to give their own verdict and listen to each and every observation. Participation of the team is important in key decisions that our brand makes.

AR- How do you foresee emerging technologies, such as augmented reality or artificial intelligence, impacting the way content is produced and consumed?

Tanya- I am a strong believer that AI is an aid and not a threat. Technology can have data and can write in a set pattern but the content space thrives on originality and a strong, unique voice. The lived experiences of individuals can not be replicated by machines and tech. Yes, the shake-up will be in terms of quality. The better content platforms will consolidate and the substandard ones may suffer. I see AI doing the grunt work and human content creation benefitting from it.

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The real concern is regarding the spread of fake news and now with AI bots as newscasters consumers will have to be made aware of authentic channels and sites. That is where the challenge lies.

AR- What specific initiatives or projects does Her Circle plan to undertake in the near future to support and empower women?

Tanya- Her Circle’s initiatives are across our key pillars sustainability, inclusion and equity, entrepreneurship and empowerment. Our initiative Her Circle Bizruptors is a platform for giving women start-up founders and their ideas/innovations/products/services a chance to be showcased. Our intent is to build a community of inspirational women entrepreneurs and winners.

The sustainability initiatives we run cover the length and breadth of planet-friendly ideas. Our sustainability special meets women warriors who build circularity, promote environmental practices and believe in being green citizens and parents. Kalki Koechlin, Kirti Poonia, Rameshwari Seth have been some advocates of sustainability we have associated with.

Our inclusion and equity initiative is the ongoing Her Circle EveryBODY project which has featured body-positive influencers such as Virali Modi, Neha Parulkar, Tanvi Geetha Ravishankar, Neelakshi Singh, Apeksha Dusija, Roma Maity, Apeksha Dusija, Pooja & Norah.

Overall, our job listings to masterclasses aim at empowering them. The social and professional networking connects them.