WEConnect International Organizes Summits to Foster Inclusion

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 21 March 2024

WEConnect International has organized a set of events in India with a support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. The events were based on “Empowering Inclusion–Advancing Sustainable Value Chains Summits” which took place in three cities that includes New Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The summits brought government officials, corporate leaders, women business owners along with supplier diversity and inclusion experts together.

The summits included set of panel discussions alongside round table consultations that allowed the key stakeholders for an interactive exchange of discussion and networking opportunities through collaboration. The key goal of the summit was to amplify the supplier diversity and inclusion ecosystem fostering inclusive value chains.

Additional Chief Secretary & Development Commissioner of Government of Karnataka, Dr. Shalini Rajneesh said in her statement, “I am happy to be part of the WEConnect International deliberation on empowering women entrepreneurs and striving towards sustainable development goals by making the value chain inclusive and resilient. Empowering women entrepreneurs is not only a matter of social justice, but also a smart economic strategy.  By creating opportunities for women to participate in the supply chains of leading corporations, we can foster inclusive and sustainable growth for our country.”

Patricia Lacina, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S Embassy in India along with Christopher W Hodges, the U.S. Consulate General Chennai enlightened the crowd with their keynote addresses on economic empowerment of women in addition to inclusive growth.

There were other sessions that explored topics like:

1. Business Resilience emphasizing business growth

2. Supplier Diversity & Inclusion

3. Gender inclusive sourcing

Patricia Lacina remarking on the summit said, “The United States continues to prioritize efforts to strengthen women’s economic security and empowerment. We recognize an investment in women and girls today is a bid for a more prosperous tomorrow. The need for partnerships is stronger now than ever before, and everyone plays a unique and crucial role.”

She added, “Private companies in India can expand opportunities by mandating standards for including women employees and women-owned companies through their investments and supply chains. U.S. investors can support key industries through their contribution to research and development, training, and the development of local managers.”

These summits serve as a route towards gender inclusivity in India while empowering women entrepreneurs in the country.